Queenstown airport to city centre: trains, buses, taxis and costs

Queenstown is a small west coast mining town with no airport of its own. Travellers arrive by road, usually after flying into Burnie or Devonport, or after driving from Hobart. The table below sets out what each option costs and how long it takes.

Fly into Burnie (BWT) for the shortest road leg, or Devonport (DPO) if you are coming off the Spirit of Tasmania ferry or found a cheaper fare. Both airports are small, with limited taxi ranks and few or no rideshare drivers waiting, so arrange a car or a lift before you land.

From Burnie, the drive follows the coast through Somerset and Wynyard before turning inland on the Murchison Highway, climbing through forest to the west coast. From Devonport, you head south past Cradle Mountain country, which makes a natural overnight stop if you would rather not drive the whole way in one go.

Coaches run between the north coast towns and the west coast on a limited schedule, often once a day. Check times against your flight before booking, because a missed connection can mean an unplanned night in Burnie or Devonport.

If you are starting in Hobart, the Lyell Highway crosses the central highlands and takes about 3.5–4 hours. It is a proper mountain road with wildlife on the verges at dusk, so plan to arrive before dark.

A hire car is the cheapest way to move around once you are here, and the west coast effectively requires one. Expect A$60–120 a day for a small car in 2026, plus fuel at roughly A$2 a litre. One-way fees apply if you pick up in Burnie and drop off in Hobart.

Coaches are the budget option for a single traveller, at roughly A$30–60 one way. A taxi or private transfer from Burnie runs A$200–350, which only makes sense split between three or four people. From Devonport, add roughly half again.

Book your car before you fly. The west coast has few rental desks and vehicles sell out in summer and over the school holidays.

Fuel up in Burnie, Devonport or Rosebery. Stations around Queenstown are few and close early.

Drive the last stretch in daylight. Wombats and wallabies come out at dusk on the Murchison and Lyell highways.

Mobile coverage drops in the highlands between the coast and Queenstown. Download an offline map before you leave.

If you actually meant Queenstown, New Zealand, stop here and search for that town instead; the two are about 2,000 km apart.