Getting to Christchurch
Christchurch is the South Island's main gateway, and easy to reach. Direct flights from Australia and around New Zealand land at Christchurch Airport, 20 minutes from town. Or arrive in style on one of the country's great scenic trains — the TranzAlpine from the West Coast or the Coastal Pacific from Picton. Here's how to plan your arrival.
Flying into Christchurch
Christchurch Airport (CHC), New Zealand's second-busiest, has direct trans-Tasman flights from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and the Gold Coast — around 3–3.5 hours — and is the South Island's domestic hub. It's about 20 minutes from the centre, with shuttles, buses, taxis, rideshare and car hire on hand. Flying into Christchurch and out of Queenstown makes a neat one-way South Island loop. See our South Island guide.
Scenic trains & road trips
Two of New Zealand's finest trains end in Christchurch: the TranzAlpine across the Alps from Greymouth, and the Coastal Pacific down the coast from Picton via Kaikōura (linking to the North Island ferry). By road, Christchurch is the launch point for classic South Island drives — Queenstown is about 6 hours (via Tekapo and Aoraki), Kaikōura 2.5, and Dunedin 4.5. Many hire a car right at the airport. See our day trips guide.
Which way suits you?
Flying is quickest and the natural start to a South Island trip — grab a hire car at the airport for touring, or use transfers if you're staying central. Arriving by scenic train turns the journey into a highlight. Either way, central Christchurch is compact and walkable once you're here. Tell us your plans and we'll sort the logistics. See our South Island tours.
Getting to Christchurch: your questions
Most visitors fly into Christchurch Airport (CHC), New Zealand's second-busiest, about 20 minutes northwest of the centre. It has direct flights from Australia (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and the Gold Coast, around 3–3.5 hours) and is the South Island's main domestic hub. You can also arrive by scenic train (the TranzAlpine or Coastal Pacific) or drive as part of a South Island road trip. See our getting around guide.
Yes — Christchurch Airport has frequent direct trans-Tasman flights from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and the Gold Coast, taking around 3 to 3.5 hours, plus connections via Auckland. As the South Island's main gateway, it's the natural entry point for a South Island holiday, and you can often fly into Christchurch and out of Queenstown (or vice versa). See our South Island guide.
Christchurch Airport is about 12 km (20 minutes' drive) northwest of the city centre. There are airport shuttles, the Metro public bus, taxis and rideshare, and all the major car-hire firms operate there — handy, as many South Island road trips begin at the airport. See our getting around guide.
Yes — two of New Zealand's great scenic trains terminate in Christchurch. The TranzAlpine crosses the Southern Alps from Greymouth on the West Coast, and the Coastal Pacific runs down the coast from Picton via Kaikōura (connecting with the North Island ferry). Both are journeys in their own right and a memorable way to arrive. See our day trips guide.
It's one of just a handful of Antarctic gateway cities worldwide. Several national Antarctic programmes are based at or fly from Christchurch Airport, and the city celebrates the link at the International Antarctic Centre. While you can't casually fly to Antarctica from here, the heritage is a distinctive part of Christchurch's story. See our families & wildlife guide.