Before my trip, I was told this by several people: you need a car to do New Zealand. It's one of those pieces of travel advice that gets repeated so often it starts to feel like fact. And I get why: the landscapes in New Zealand are remote, which is exactly why this country offers some of the most gorgeous scenery on earth.

But I spent over three weeks travelling the South Island without a car, and I'm here to tell you that not only is it doable, it's actually pretty smooth once you understand how the pieces fit together. This post covers everything I wish I'd known before I went: the main transport options, the inter-town connections, what works well, and where you'll genuinely feel the limits of going car-free. 🚌

👉 Explore the full New Zealand South Island itinerary

🗺️ The backbone: InterCity buses

InterCity is the main long-distance bus network connecting South Island towns, and it's your best friend as a car-free traveller. Routes run between all the key destinations: Queenstown, Milford Sound, Wanaka, Lake Tekapo, Fox Glacier, Franz Josef, Christchurch, Nelson. The booking experience is straightforward via the InterCity website or app.

A few things worth knowing before you book:

• Book ahead: especially in summer (December–February). Popular routes fill up, and last-minute fares can be pricier. I travelled in late March (shoulder season), and the busses I took between Wanaka, Tekapo, and Christchurch were all pretty full. So definitely book in advance in you can! InterCity's website offers options to cancel and rebook too.
• Comfort: Coaches are modern, air-conditioned, and comfortable for long journeys. Most journeys will allow for a toilet stop, and sometimes a lunch break to allow the driver to rest. And one of the nicest things about travelling through New Zealand is there are always plenty of clean, well maintained public toilets and lovely cafés when you travel between towns.
• Upgrade option: If on a longer journey, it's totally worth booking an InterCity GOLD ticket for soft leather seats with more leg room. These seats don't cost much more, and sometimes they can be even offered at the same price as the regular seats!
• Luggage: Each passenger gets one large bag in the hold plus a couple of small bags. Check the current policy on the InterCity website if you're travelling with anything bulky (ski gear, bike bags, etc.).
• Punctuality: In my experience, InterCity busses were consistently reliable. Obviously if you have a connecting flight, still make sure you have plenty of time in case of delays.
• Route map: It's worth checking InterCity's route map when planning your itinerary, which I didn't do but wish I had done!

Overall, I found InterCity to be an excellent transport option for travelling through New Zealand. And not to mention, most routes have genuinely spectacular scenery to enjoy along the way!

✈️ The shortcut: regional flights

One thing I didn't fully appreciate before my trip was just how useful regional flights are for getting around New Zealand, and how painless the experience is compared to flying almost anywhere else.

Air New Zealand's domestic network is excellent, and the regional airports that serve most main tourist towns are tiny (we're talking just one big room for a terminal, a handful of check-in desks, and zero security theatre). You show up, you scan the boarding pass, and you're on the plane. The whole airport experience takes maybe 20 minutes. You don't even need to show your passport.

Flights are also pretty affordable when booked in advance, which makes them a serious option for longer inter-town legs where the bus would eat most of a day. On the South Island, I flew between Christchurch and Nelson, which is 1 hour in the air versus close to 8 hours on a bus. Later on the North Island, I used regional flights a couple more times (Nelson to Auckland, Taupo to Auckland) and found them equally efficient and stress-free.

A lot of main tourist towns are supported on these routes. If you're short on time or facing a particularly long bus leg, it's always worth checking what the flight option looks like before defaulting to the coach.

Personally, I'm also a big fan of Air New Zealand's hospitality! Always friendly and warm crew members and you get a snack and a hot drink no matter how short the flight is.

💡 Search directly on the Air New Zealand website and book as early as you can. Prices climb noticeably closer to departure, but advance fares can be very reasonable.

📍Key inter-town connections on the South Island

Here's a practical breakdown of the main legs on my own route travelling north from Queenstown:

• Queenstown → Wanaka: around 1 hour 40 minutes by direct InterCity bus.
• Wanaka → Lake Tekapo: around 3.5 hours including a transfer with InterCity. I was picked up by a Yello shuttle in Wanaka (included in the InterCity ticket) and taken to Tarras, where I connected onto a Queenstown–Christchurch service heading towards Tekapo. (⚠️ This leg has fewer departure times than the Queenstown–Wanaka route, so check the timetable carefully and book early.)
• Lake Tekapo → Christchurch: around 3–3.5 hours by direct InterCity coach. It's a popular route as Christchurch is the South Island's main city and international airport.
• Christchurch → Akaroa: 2 hours with French Connection bus.
• Christchurch → Nelson: 1 hour flight with Air New Zealand. Or 7 hours 45 mins with InterCity bus.
• Nelson → Marahau / Kaiteriteri: for access to Abel Tasman National Park. 1-2 hours with the Better Bus depending on your pick-up and drop-off locations. For full logistics breakdown, see my blog post on Abel Tasman.

🚐 Local buses, shuttles, water taxis, and tours

Within each destination, there are plenty of local transport options that help you get around.

• Local buses: Queenstown, Christchurch, and Nelson all have pretty good local bus networks, with a varying degree of punctuality.
• Ferries: Queenstown has ferries between Queenstown Bay, Bay View, and Frankton. It's a fun and extremely scenic way of getting around!
• Water taxis: These are essential for exploring Abel Tasman National Park. Most operators will drop you at one beach and pick you up at another, letting you do a self-guided section of the coastal track at your own pace. Book through the operator directly or via GetYourGuide.
• Airport shuttles: Queenstown, Wanaka, Christchurch, and Nelson all have local airport shuttles that you can book, including shared shuttle options to keep the cost down. Though for Queenstown, Christchurch, and Nelson, you can also use the local buses to access the airport easily.
• Micro-mobility: Christchurch has Lime e-scooters if you're based centrally and I found it to be an excellent way of getting around.
• Shuttles to trailheads: some of the South Island's most famous hikes have trailheads that aren't walkable from town. The best example is Roys Peak in Wanaka, which is just 10 minutes by car but awkward without one. Options include group shuttles (some bookable via your hostel, and Tuk Tuk Taxi in Wanaka is well known for this), informal car shares arranged via Facebook hiking groups, or asking your accommodation host nicely. Hitching back from popular trailhead car parks is also common and generally works fine.
• Guided day tours: for the two biggest day trips on the South Island — Milford Sound and Aoraki / Mount Cook — joining a guided tour is the most hassle-free option without a car. They tend to be very well organised, with fun and informative commentary from drivers along the way. I went with Pure Milford for Milford Sound (which came with a lush glass-top ceiling bus) and Tekapo Shuttle for Mount Cook — both highly recommended!

🙈 What's harder (or impossible) without a car

Amongst the places I went to, Wanaka and its surrounding areas were probably the hardest without a car. Hikes like Roys Peak and Isthumus Peaks are doable without a car but requires advance planning to sort shuttle (which can be very expensive!) or car share. A lot of activities like hikes in the Matukituki Valley (including Rob Roy Glacier Track) require a 4WD vehicle on the access road. And I was genuinely gutted about missing out on the Via Ferrata style waterfall cable climb because I was unable to reach the meeting point without a car.

That said, I still spent amazing 4 days in Wanaka due to the amount of activities you can do in the town itself. In fact, it was my favourite place I've visited on the South Island!

🧭 What route should you take?

The classic car-free South Island route usually starts from Christchurch or Queenstown, where people fly in on an international flight or via a domestic connection.

I travelled south to north, starting in Queenstown, stopping in Wanaka, Tekapo, Christchurch, and ending in Nelson / Abel Tasman. But this would not be the most efficient option if you want to add in the West Coast destinations like Franz Josef and Fox Glacier. To include both Lake Tekapo and the West Coast, starting in Christchurch makes more sense, as you can travel down one side of the Southern Alps and up the other side, rather than having to backtrack.

For detailed guides on each destination, including where to stay, what to do, and specific transport tips, see the individual travel guides below.

• 👉 Full New Zealand South Island itinerary
• 👉 A week in Queenstown
• 👉 4 days in Wanaka
• 👉 3 days in Lake Tekapo
• 👉 Abel Tasman & Nelson

Travelling through New Zealand's South Island without a car requires a bit more planning upfront, but far less than you'd think. Once you understand the InterCity network, know which legs need a shuttle or a tour, and fully utilise local transport options, it genuinely just works. My journey was made better by the smooth-running infrastructure, helpful and friendly staff everywhere, and of course the out-of-this-world scenery along the way! If you were on the fence about whether New Zealand without a car is worth attempting, hesitate no more! It will be easily one of the most rewarding trip you ever take.