There are 9 ways to get from Waitomo Caves to Kaikōura by bus, plane, train, car ferry, car, or shuttle
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Bus to Hamilton International Airport, fly to Christchurch International Airport, bus
best- Take the bus from Waitomo Township to Kihikihibus
- Fly from Hamilton International Airport (HLZ) to Christchurch International Airport (CHC)plane HLZ - CHC
- Take the bus from Christchurch to Kaikourabus
8h 32mDrive, car ferry
cheapest- Drive from Waitomo Caves to Wellingtoncar
- Take the carferry from Wellington to Pictoncarferry
- Drive from Picton to Kaikōuracar
10h 53m$305–383Train, car ferry
- Take the train from Otorohanga to Wellingtontrain
- Take the carferry from Wellington to Pictoncarferry
- Take the train from Picton to Kaikouratrain
16h 9m$548–1,036Bus, car ferry
- Take the bus from Waitomo Township to Whanganui / Wanganuibus
- Take the bus from Whanganui / Wanganui to Wellington - Centralbus
- Take the carferry from Wellington to Pictoncarferry
- Take the bus from Picton to Kaikourabus
17h 25mBus to Auckland, fly to Christchurch International Airport, bus
- Take the bus from Waitomo Township to Manukau Citybus
- Fly from Auckland (AKL) to Christchurch International Airport (CHC)plane AKL - CHC
- Take the bus from Christchurch to Kaikourabus
10h 17mBus to Auckland, fly to Nelson Airport, shuttle
- Take the bus from Waitomo Township to Manukau Citybus
- Fly from Auckland (AKL) to Nelson Airport (NSN)plane AKL - NSN
- Take a shuttle bus from Nelson to Kaikōura
11h 6mBus to Hamilton International Airport, fly to Woodbourne Airport, train
- Take the bus from Waitomo Township to Kihikihibus
- Fly from Hamilton International Airport (HLZ) to Woodbourne Airport (BHE)plane HLZ - BHE
- Take the train from Blenheim to Kaikouratrain
9h 41mBus to Auckland, fly to Woodbourne Airport, train
- Take the bus from Waitomo Township to Manukau Citybus
- Fly from Auckland (AKL) to Woodbourne Airport (BHE)plane AKL - BHE
- Take the train from Blenheim to Kaikouratrain
10h 15mBus to New Plymouth Airport, fly to Christchurch International Airport, bus
- Take the bus from Eight Mile Junction to Bell Blockbus
- Fly from New Plymouth Airport (NPL) to Christchurch International Airport (CHC)plane NPL - CHC
- Take the bus from Christchurch to Kaikourabus
10h 19m
Hamilton International Airport (HLZ) to Christchurch International Airport (CHC) flights
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from Waitomo Caves to Kaikōura is to drive and car ferry which costs $300 - $390 and takes 10h 53m.
The fastest way to get from Waitomo Caves to Kaikōura is to drive and car ferry which takes 10h 53m and costs $300 - $390.
The distance between Waitomo Caves and Kaikōura is 926 km.
The best way to get from Waitomo Caves to Kaikōura without a car is to train and car ferry which takes 16h 9m and costs $550 - $1,100.
It takes approximately 8h 32m to get from Waitomo Caves to Kaikōura, including transfers.
There are 163+ hotels available in Kaikōura.
What companies run services between Waitomo Caves, New Zealand and Kaikōura, Canterbury, New Zealand?
There is no direct connection from Waitomo Caves to Kaikōura. However, you can take the bus to Kihikihi, take the line 24 bus to 201 Airport Rd, Rukuhia, walk to Hamilton International Airport (HLZ) airport, fly to Christchurch International Airport (CHC), walk to Christchurch International Airport, take the line 8 bus to Bus Interchange, walk to Christchurch, then take the bus to Kaikoura. Alternatively, you can take a vehicle from Waitomo Caves to Kaikoura via Otorohanga, Wellington, Wellington, Picton, and Picton in around 16h 9m.
- Website
- airnewzealand.com
Flights from Hamilton International Airport to Christchurch International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 41m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $150–900
Flights from Hamilton International Airport to Christchurch International Airport via Wellington
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 17m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $150–900
Flights from Auckland to Christchurch International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 25m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $75–450
Flights from Auckland to Nelson Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 35m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $80–500
Flights from Auckland to Nelson Airport via Wellington
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 16m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $85–550
Flights from Auckland to Nelson Airport via Christchurch International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 23m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $110–650
Flights from Hamilton International Airport to Woodbourne Airport via Wellington
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 13m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $170–1,200
Flights from Auckland to Woodbourne Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 30m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $90–600
Flights from Auckland to Woodbourne Airport via Wellington
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 22m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $90–600
Flights from New Plymouth Airport to Christchurch International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 35m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $80–500
Flights from New Plymouth Airport to Christchurch International Airport via Wellington
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 3m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $80–550
Flights from New Plymouth Airport to Christchurch International Airport via Auckland
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 34m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $110–600
- Website
- jetstar.com
Flights from Hamilton International Airport to Christchurch International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 15m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $80–250
Flights from Auckland to Christchurch International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 22m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $75–270
- Phone
- +64 4495 0775
- [email protected]
- Website
- greatjourneysofnz.co.nz
Train from Otorohanga to Wellington
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 40m
- Frequency
- 3 times a week
- Estimated price
- $190–240
- Schedules at
- greatjourneysnz.com
- Phone
- +64 4 495 0775
- [email protected]
- Website
- greatjourneysofnz.co.nz
Train from Picton to Kaikoura
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 35m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $130–519
- Schedules at
- greatjourneysnz.com
- Scenic Plus
- $519
- Scenic
- $130–170
Train from Blenheim to Kaikoura
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 10m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $110–519
- Schedules at
- greatjourneysnz.com
- Scenic Plus
- $519
- Scenic
- $110–150
Train from Blenheim to Kaikoura
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 10m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $110–519
- Schedules at
- greatjourneysnz.com
- Scenic Plus
- $519
- Scenic
- $110–150
- Phone
- +64 9 583 5780
- [email protected]
- Website
- InterCity
Bus from Waitomo Township to Kihikihi
- Ave. Duration
- 24 min
- Frequency
- 5 times a week
- Website
- InterCity
Bus from Christchurch to Kaikoura
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 50m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Website
- InterCity
Bus from Waitomo Township to Whanganui / Wanganui
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 35m
- Frequency
- 5 times a week
- Website
- InterCity
Bus from Whanganui / Wanganui to Wellington - Central
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 59m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $16–65
- Website
- InterCity
Bus from Picton to Kaikoura
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 15m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Website
- InterCity
Bus from Waitomo Township to Manukau City
- Ave. Duration
- 3h
- Frequency
- 5 times a week
- Website
- InterCity
Bus from Christchurch to Kaikoura
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 50m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Website
- InterCity
Bus from Waitomo Township to Manukau City
- Ave. Duration
- 3h
- Frequency
- 5 times a week
- Website
- InterCity
Bus from Waitomo Township to Kihikihi
- Ave. Duration
- 24 min
- Frequency
- 5 times a week
- Website
- InterCity
Bus from Waitomo Township to Manukau City
- Ave. Duration
- 3h
- Frequency
- 5 times a week
- Website
- InterCity
Bus from Eight Mile Junction to Bell Block
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 49m
- Frequency
- Twice a week
- Estimated price
- $21–50
- Website
- InterCity
Bus from Christchurch to Kaikoura
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 50m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Website
- InterCity
- Phone
- +64 (3) 540 2042
- [email protected]
- Website
- nelsonlakesshuttles.co.nz
Shuttle from Nelson to Kaikōura
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 30m
- Frequency
- On demand
- Estimated price
- $120–600
- Schedules at
- nelsonlakesshuttles.co.nz
- Minimum charge per vehicle
- $600
- Per person
- $120
- Phone
- 0800 844 844
- [email protected]
- Website
- Bluebridge Cook Strait Ferries
Car ferry from Wellington to Picton
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 30m
- Frequency
- 4 times a day
- Estimated price
- $128
- Website
- Bluebridge Cook Strait Ferries
Car ferry from Wellington to Picton
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 30m
- Frequency
- 4 times a day
- Estimated price
- $128
- Website
- Bluebridge Cook Strait Ferries
Car ferry from Wellington to Picton
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 30m
- Frequency
- 4 times a day
- Estimated price
- $128
- Website
- Bluebridge Cook Strait Ferries
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