Taupo, on the north-eastern shores of enormous Lake Taupo, is in the middle of New Zealand's North Island. It's 170 miles (275 kms) from Auckland, and is easy to reach. Here's how to get from Auckland to Taupo.

By Air

Duration: 50 minutes

A couple of flights her day travel between the domestic terminal of Auckland Airport and Taupo. It's a short flight, and most convenient for travelers who have flown into Auckland and need to reach Taupo quickly, or who don't want to go overland.

By Car

Duration: 3.5 hours

Most travelers like to reach Taupo from Auckland overland. Follow State Highway 1 south out of Auckland and just keep going until you reach Taupo. You can bypass Hamilton if you don't want to go through the central city. It's quite an easy drive through the mostly flat farming country of the Waikato. If you don't want to make the drive in one go, Matamata (of Hobbiton fame) is a nice place to stop to break the journey, or you could detour via Rotorua to check out this famous town.

By Bus

Duration: 5 hours

Several buses leave Auckland for Taupo every day. The journey takes longer than self-driving as you'll stop at several places en route, including Matamata and Rotorua. But, the buses are quite comfortable and stop frequently enough for comfort and meal stops.

Map

Map of How to Get from Auckland to Taupo
Map of How to Get from Auckland to Taupo