Auckland → Queenstown • 1600 km
20+ hours driving • recommended 7–10 days
The Auckland to Queenstown drive is one of New Zealand's ultimate road trips — the length of both islands, an inter-island ferry and every kind of scenery in between. It's not a one-day drive: plan 7–10 days minimum to actually enjoy it. Here's the honest guide, plus how to rent a car one-way with Nomado.
Auckland → Taupō → Wellington (11 hrs) → Interislander ferry to Picton (3.5 hrs sailing) → Picton → Kaikōura → Christchurch → Lake Tekapo → Wanaka → Queenstown (10 hrs). Total driving: roughly 21 hours, plus the ferry.
Day 1: Auckland → Rotorua. Day 2: Rotorua → Taupō → Wellington. Day 3: Ferry to Picton → Kaikōura. Day 4: Kaikōura → Christchurch. Day 5: Christchurch → Lake Tekapo → Mt Cook. Day 6: Mt Cook → Wanaka. Day 7: Wanaka → Queenstown. Day 8: Queenstown activities and drop-off.
The Interislander and Bluebridge run Wellington ↔ Picton several times a day. In summer (Dec–Feb) and holiday periods, book 4–6 weeks ahead — especially with a rental car. A car + 2 passengers costs roughly $250–$350 one way.
You can pick up your Nomado car in Auckland and drop it off in Christchurch or Queenstown. A one-way fee applies to cover repositioning — see our one-way car rental page for current pricing. Some travellers save money by returning the car to Wellington, taking the ferry as a foot passenger, and picking up a second car in Picton.
October–April is the safest window. In winter (June–August) the Desert Road (SH1) and alpine passes like the Lindis Pass and Crown Range can close briefly during snow — carry chains, allow buffer time, and consider an SUV.
Our Fleet
Live pricing and availability — only a 20% deposit to book.
No — it's around 21 hours of driving plus a 3.5-hour ferry. The minimum realistic split is 3 days (Auckland → Wellington → Picton → Queenstown) but you'll be exhausted. 7–10 days is the sweet spot.
Nomado charges a flat one-way fee that's usually much cheaper than paying for return travel back to Auckland. See our one-way car rental page for current rates.
Yes. You book the ferry yourself and add your rental car's registration when you check in. Nomado allows all our cars on the Interislander and Bluebridge — just tell us at pickup so we can confirm.
Pick up an economy car in Auckland, drop it in Wellington, cross as a foot passenger, and pick up a second car in Picton. It splits the one-way fee across two cheaper rentals.