Transport in Te Anau

Transport from Te Anau mostly means reaching places the road and the lake open up: Milford Sound 120 km north, the Great Walk trailheads around Lake Te Anau and the departure points for Doubtful Sound at Manapouri. The town sits on the lake's eastern shore at the edge of Fiordland National Park, so many trips leave by coach or across the water.

Getting from Te Anau to Milford Sound

Te Anau to Milford Sound is 120 km, a 3-hour drive each way on the Milford Road. Coach and cruise tours bundle the return road trip with the sailing, which takes the driving out of the day and leaves time to look out the window. The sailing itself comes from Milford Sound cruises from Te Anau, which run from the terminal at Milford.

Self-drivers join their cruise at the Milford Sound terminal, so the drive in needs a buffer before check-in.

Water taxis and ferry transfers on Lake Te Anau

Lake Te Anau is the largest lake in the South Island, and some Great Walk tracks start across it, which is where ferry transfers from Te Anau come in. A water taxi across the lake to Brod Bay is how a Kepler Track day walk starts, as on the self-guided Kepler Track day walk.

Water transfers follow timetables that change with the season, so check departures before planning the rest of the day.

Great Walk transport from Te Anau

Te Anau is the starting point for three Great Walks: the Milford, Kepler and Routeburn Tracks. Day walkers sample them with transfers instead of walking the multi-day route. A trip like the self-guided Milford Track day walk combines a road leg to the head of the lake with a water taxi across it.

Heli-hikes shorten the transfer by flying walkers onto the track, and they leave from the same base as scenic flights from Te Anau.

Getting to Te Anau from Queenstown and beyond

Queenstown to Te Anau is 170 km, a 2.5-hour drive. Invercargill is 152 km and a 2-hour drive, Dunedin is 290 km and a 4-hour drive, and Christchurch is 652 km and an 8-hour drive. Manapouri is 20 km south of Te Anau, a 20-minute drive.

Queenstown Airport is the closest for domestic and international flights, and regular coach services run from the major South Island hubs.

Doubtful Sound and Manapouri

Doubtful Sound trips depart from Manapouri, not Te Anau, and the sound can only be reached by sea or air. Helicopter flights over it leave from the helicopter base in Te Anau. Between transfers, Te Anau activities and Te Anau tours fill the days, and some tours carry on to Queenstown and Dunedin. The wider things to do in Te Anau sit around the lake.

Frequently asked questions

How far is Te Anau from Milford Sound?

Te Anau is 120 km from Milford Sound, which is a 3-hour drive each way on the Milford Road. Coach and cruise tours from Te Anau cover the transport.

Can you get from Te Anau to Milford Sound without a car?

Coach and cruise tours take you from Te Anau to Milford Sound and back without a car. The coach leaves from central Te Anau and the day finishes in the late afternoon.

How far is Te Anau from Queenstown?

Te Anau is 170 km from Queenstown, which is a 2.5-hour drive. Dunedin is a 4-hour drive away and Invercargill a 2-hour drive.

How do you get to the Kepler Track from Te Anau?

The Kepler Track starts near Te Anau, and a water taxi across the lake to Brod Bay gives walkers a shortcut onto the track. Self-guided Kepler day walks with transfers include the water taxi.

How do you get to Doubtful Sound from Te Anau?

Doubtful Sound trips depart from Manapouri, 20 km south of Te Anau. Scenic flights over the sound leave from Te Anau and Manapouri, since the sound can only be reached by sea or air.

Is there an airport near Te Anau?

The closest airport to Te Anau for domestic and international flights is Queenstown Airport, about 170 km and a 2.5-hour drive away. Te Anau Manapouri Airport at Manapouri is the departure point for a Doubtful Sound scenic flight.

Transport from Te Anau runs by road to Milford Sound, across Lake Te Anau by water taxi and out of Manapouri to Doubtful Sound. Work out the leg that matters most first, then fit the rest of your Te Anau days around it.