How to get to Kaikōura: by car, the Coastal Pacific train, bus or plane

Kaikōura transport options compared

Driving from Christchurch

Leave Christchurch north on State Highway 1 through Woodend and Amberley to Waipara (about 45 minutes; wineries and cafés – see nearby). The highway then crosses rolling farmland to Cheviot, where a detour to Gore Bay is worth it, and climbs over the Hundalee hills. Beyond Oaro the road meets the sea: the last 30 km run between cliffs and surf past Goose Bay, with the Seaward Kaikōura Range ahead. Allow 2 h 30 min without stops, 3–3.5 hours with a coffee and a lookout or two.

After the July 2026 storm, the Conway River washed away sections of SH1 near Hawkswood (between Cheviot and Kaikōura). The highway reopened on 15 July 2026 with a single-lane, stop/go section while NZTA diverts the river and rebuilds the embankment; expect traffic management and delays there until the work is finished. Check the NZTA Journeys map on the day.

There are fuel stations in Amberley, Waipara, Cheviot and Kaikōura. Watch for cyclists and slow trucks on the coastal section, and pull over in the marked bays to let traffic pass.

Driving from Picton and Blenheim

From the ferry terminal at Picton, SH1 runs south through Blenheim (30 minutes; Marlborough wineries), the dry hills of Seddon and Ward, and then reaches the coast at Kekerengu. From the Clarence River to Kaikōura the highway and railway squeeze between the mountains and the sea through tunnels and rock shelters – the stretch rebuilt after the 2016 earthquake, now one of New Zealand’s great coastal drives. Stop at the Ōhau Point seal lookout and for crayfish at Nin’s Bin (food). Total about 2 hours, 155 km.

This section was closed for more than a year after the 2016 earthquake and reopened on 15 December 2017; parts can still close briefly for rockfall or storms.

The Coastal Pacific train (2026–27 season)

KiwiRail’s Coastal Pacific, run by Great Journeys New Zealand, is one of the world’s most scenic train rides: big panoramic windows, an open-air viewing carriage, a café car and commentary as the line runs right along the shore. On the Main North Line, 19 tunnels pierce the headlands between Mangamaunu and Clarence. The service resumed after the 2016 earthquake in December 2018.

• Season: daily from 1 September to 30 April – for 2026–27, 1 September 2026 to 30 April 2027. It does not run on Christmas Day, and there is no service from May to August.
• Direction and times: one train northbound in the morning (Christchurch → Kaikōura → Picton) and one southbound in the afternoon (Picton → Kaikōura → Christchurch). Recent timetables had the northbound train leaving Christchurch around 7:00 AM and reaching Kaikōura around 10:00 AM, and the southbound train leaving Picton around 1:40 PM and calling at Kaikōura around 4:15 PM (local time). Check the current timetable with Great Journeys (0800 872 467 or online).
• Kaikōura station: Whaleway Station Road, a short walk from the town centre. The station building is also Whale Watch Kaikoura’s check-in (it does not sell train tickets). Arrive 20 minutes early; crew check you in on the platform and label large bags for the luggage carriage.
• Tickets: book online in advance – standing is not allowed, so sold-out trains cannot be boarded. Crew can sell tickets on the platform only if seats remain.

Day trip by train? The morning train reaches Kaikōura in time for a whale cruise or flight, but the afternoon train back leaves only a few hours later – feasible, but tight. A GetYourGuide day tour pairs the train one way with a road transfer the other.

The railway crosses the road in Kaikōura, with the Seaward Kaikōura Range behind.

Train + tour

From Christchurch: Kaikōura day tour with the Coastal Pacific train

≈ 10 h

Ride the scenic Coastal Pacific along the coast one way and explore Kaikōura; the train runs September–April.

Check availabilityBook via GetYourGuide

Tour listings are on GetYourGuide. Prices, times and cancellation terms are shown live on each listing and can change; Kaikoura.com may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

By bus: InterCity

InterCity runs coaches between Christchurch and Picton via Kaikōura daily. From Christchurch the bus leaves from outside the Bus Interchange on Lichfield Street and takes about 2 hours 40 minutes; in Kaikōura it stops on West End – at 77 West End or outside The Fish Tank Lodge at 86 West End, depending on the service. Book online for the cheapest fares; luggage allowance is generous for backpackers. Check the timetable on intercity.co.nz, as departure times change seasonally.

By air: no scheduled flights (as of November 2026)

Kaikōura has an aerodrome at Peketā, about 8 km south of town, but it is used by whale-watching and scenic flights (Wings Over Whales, Air Kaikōura, South Pacific Helicopters) and charters, not airlines. Sounds Air ended its scheduled Kaikōura service in December 2017, and Air Kaikōura’s scheduled Wellington flights (2020–21) became on-demand only; as of November 2026 we found no scheduled passenger service.

The practical gateways are Christchurch Airport (CHC), with international and domestic flights and all major rental companies, 2.5 hours away, and Blenheim (Marlborough) Airport (BHE), with domestic flights, about 1 h 45 min away. Charter flights can be arranged directly with the local operators.

From the North Island

Take the Interislander or Bluebridge ferry from Wellington to Picton (about 3.5 hours across Cook Strait), then drive, take the afternoon Coastal Pacific or the InterCity bus south. Most rental companies let you drop a car in Wellington and collect another in Picton. Wellington–Picton–Kaikōura is easily done in a day; Kaikōura makes a natural first night on the South Island.

Coming by cruise ship? A growing number of ships call at Kaikōura and tender passengers ashore – the 2025–26 summer saw several visits.

Getting around Kaikōura

• On foot: the town centre (West End), Esplanade and railway station are all within walking distance; Point Kean is about 4 km (50 minutes’ walk) from the centre.
• By car: the easiest way to reach Point Kean, South Bay, the aerodrome, Mt Fyffe and Ōhau Point. Parking is free almost everywhere; the Point Kean car park fills up on summer afternoons.
• No local buses. Taxis and shuttles operate (book ahead, especially early in the morning or for trailheads).
• By bike: flat around the bay and peninsula; ask at the visitor centre about hire.
• Fuel and EV charging: service stations on Beach Road/SH1; check current EV charger locations in an app such as PlugShare before you set off.