Queenstown Water Taxis
Queenstown Water Taxis
Queenstown Water Taxis
4.5
About
Queenstown Water Taxis is a great way to see exclusive scenery surrounding Lake Whakatipu, only accessible via water taxi. Charter your vary own boat with an expert guide to make the most of your Queenstown experience, transport to hiking trails, biking trails, golf courses, lakeside dining & much more. Travel in style, "TAKE THE LAKE"
Suggested duration
< 1 hour
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Restaurants
175 within 3 miles
Attractions
57 within 6 miles
See what travelers are saying
- AppleStudDallas, Texas390 contributionsFriendly staffSaved so much time and money however I wish their service was more frequent. I think it was more frequent in the past but now it's hourly or every 2 hours at times. Also--be sure to get in line and get tickets at least 10 minutes ahead of time in Queenstown or getting a seat may be a challenge.Visited March 2020Written April 18, 2020
- Greg MWarragul, Australia438 contributionsCan be bumpy but fast and funFrom the Hilton jetty to downtown, the return fare is only NZ$10 for Hilton guests. There are nice views on the way but it can get a bit bumpy in wind generated waves. Make sure you check departure times ex Queenstown and be early as there may be an excess of passengers. A return trip by taxi is about NZ$30.Visited February 2020Written March 10, 2020
- Mike SNorwich, United Kingdom235 contributionsGreat Taxi Service much cheaper than roadWe have been using this water taxi daily whilst staying at the Hilton Hotel. It is very convenient and good value and actually gets you into town quicker than a road taxi. Get to the stop about 10 mins early as sometimes, especially the last trip of the day can get full. The guys operating the taxi's are very friendly and helpful to.Visited January 2020Written January 21, 2020
- Toni IPalmerston North, New Zealand46 contributionsInexpensive way to view Queenstown from the lakeTravelled from Queenstown to the Hilton early in the morning and walked back to Queenstown. This was a great way to fill in some of the day. The trip in the water taxi was great. We were the only 2 on board this trip and the skipper was very informative. This is a great, inexpensive way to view Queenstown and surrounding area from the lake. WELL WORTH THE JOURNEY.Visited September 2020Written October 3, 2020
- luckytotravel2017Grants Pass, Oregon18 contributionsGreat way to travelGreat way to travel to and from Queenstown. They run almost hourly but be aware that after dinner the line of waiting passengers may be longer than the amount of passengers they are allowed to take. Arrive at the pier early or you may have to wait another hour for the next one. Friendly staff.Visited March 2020Written March 22, 2020
- JohnSB3Wellington, New Zealand794 contributionsNot very interesting: also no shelterThere are two problems with this tour. One is that spending over two hours in the blazing sun because the boat has no shelter or shade of any kind is simply unacceptable and is verging on dangerous. The second is that the tour is not very interesting. It consists of a trip down the Clutha River to see the remains of the huts used by Chinese miners (and a few others) in the gold rush of the 1860s. Huts is over stating it; most were simply piles of stone in the form of a primitive shelter or were hollows between rock formations with some enhancements for protection, shelter and cooking. It was a hard life, and Laurence, the operator, is knowledgeable and tells the story well, but too many of the “huts” are hard to see or to imagine in their original form. Some are close to the water and easy to spot, and are worth looking at. Overall this is not a good product and without proper shelter it was miserable in the direct sun. There is a jet boast version which is much shorter which might be better, but right now the longer tour is not recommended.Visited January 2021Written January 15, 2021
- John1 contributionPrice gouging companyWe asked the water taxi for a price from Glenorchy to Elfin Bay(Greenstone tramp carpark) as this route is advertised on their website. Our car has been stuck there due to recent flooding and the roads are closed. We wanted to get to the car just to get our belongings. The quote they gave us was $950. For Queenstown to Elfin Bay. I replied back to the company stating the price is ridiculous and that they should not advertise routes they do not offer. Their website said route goes from Glenorchy not from Queenstown The company responded with a snarky response. We flew over on a helicopter for half the price they wanted.Visited February 2020Traveled on businessWritten February 5, 2020
- Mike TMelbourne, Australia42 contributionsPleasant and inexpensiveThese people run an hourly service between Hilton / Doubletree hotels and Queenstown for five dollars; an alternative is a 14 km walk. It really is a pleasure to be driven across the lake and having things pointed out. RecommendedVisited February 2020Written February 17, 2020
- KD2 contributionsBad to GreatThe first taxi ride I’ve ever had and it was pretty miserable. The lady that was driving the boat was grumpy and non welcoming, just took the payment and off we went. No quick safety brief or even a hello it was not pleasant and therefore I didn’t even enjoy the ride over to Queenstown however, on the way back I had a young bloke and he was the total opposite he was very inviting, clear with instructions, quick concise safety briefing if anything were to go wrong and made my day! You bet the ride back was so much better and even fun. Hope you get to enjoy it as-well! :) honestly I would have tipped him some $$ and I don’t tip LOLThank you for taking the time to post about your Queenstown Ferry experience. We set a high standard for providing excellent customer service, so it's disappointing that you did not receive this on your first ferry ride. We will investigate this issue and ensure all future guests get the same enjoyable service as your return ride.Written February 15, 2023This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited January 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten January 13, 2023
- TommoMelbourne, Australia49,244 contributionsUnreliable and infrequentWe thought like others did what a great way to get around and inexpensive. We did a trip over to The Boat Shed for coffee and smacks and when we returned at the scheduled time for pickup no water taxi was to be seen. We checked their facebook page and found out the service was cancelled. We were required to get a taxi or wait a few hours for another service. We paid for a much more expensive taxi to get back to Queenstown. Prior to leaving we had enough credit to do the round trip on the water taxi. When approaching the booth they said we may not be able to do the round trip as it depends on how many people want to use the service at the other end. WT??? it should be first in best dressed. We elected not to take the service as we could be stranded for a second time. Services are unreliable and not regular. I wouldnt recommend this service.We're sorry to hear that our Queenstown Ferry Service did not meet your expectations. Various factors can impact the ferry service - weather, capacities, drivers, etc. which is why we aim to communicate daily updates and cancellations on our Facebook page as soon as possible. The Queenstown Ferry Service runs like a bus service. Depending on the available ferry, we can accommodate up to 25-40 passengers, and once this capacity is reached, there is no room/seating available for more people. Therefore, the service is first in, first served. We appreciate that this type of service can be unpredictable for guests, and we're sorry that the schedule was an inconvenience for you.Written February 15, 2023This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited December 2022Written January 1, 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
201 reviews
Excellent
132
Very good
54
Average
7
Poor
3
Terrible
5
Toni I
Palmerston North, New Zealand46 contributions
Sep 2020
Travelled from Queenstown to the Hilton early in the morning and walked back to Queenstown. This was a great way to fill in some of the day. The trip in the water taxi was great. We were the only 2 on board this trip and the skipper was very informative. This is a great, inexpensive way to view Queenstown and surrounding area from the lake. WELL WORTH THE JOURNEY.
Written October 3, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
luckytotravel2017
Grants Pass, OR18 contributions
Mar 2020
Great way to travel to and from Queenstown. They run almost hourly but be aware that after dinner the line of waiting passengers may be longer than the amount of passengers they are allowed to take. Arrive at the pier early or you may have to wait another hour for the next one. Friendly staff.
Written March 22, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JohnSB3
Wellington, New Zealand794 contributions
Jan 2021
There are two problems with this tour. One is that spending over two hours in the blazing sun because the boat has no shelter or shade of any kind is simply unacceptable and is verging on dangerous. The second is that the tour is not very interesting. It consists of a trip down the Clutha River to see the remains of the huts used by Chinese miners (and a few others) in the gold rush of the 1860s. Huts is over stating it; most were simply piles of stone in the form of a primitive shelter or were hollows between rock formations with some enhancements for protection, shelter and cooking. It was a hard life, and Laurence, the operator, is knowledgeable and tells the story well, but too many of the “huts” are hard to see or to imagine in their original form. Some are close to the water and easy to spot, and are worth looking at. Overall this is not a good product and without proper shelter it was miserable in the direct sun. There is a jet boast version which is much shorter which might be better, but right now the longer tour is not recommended.
Written January 16, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
John
1 contribution
Feb 2020 • Business
We asked the water taxi for a price from Glenorchy to Elfin Bay(Greenstone tramp carpark) as this route is advertised on their website.
Our car has been stuck there due to recent flooding and the roads are closed. We wanted to get to the car just to get our belongings.
The quote they gave us was $950. For Queenstown to Elfin Bay. I replied back to the company stating the price is ridiculous and that they should not advertise routes they do not offer. Their website said route goes from Glenorchy not from Queenstown
The company responded with a snarky response.
We flew over on a helicopter for half the price they wanted.
Our car has been stuck there due to recent flooding and the roads are closed. We wanted to get to the car just to get our belongings.
The quote they gave us was $950. For Queenstown to Elfin Bay. I replied back to the company stating the price is ridiculous and that they should not advertise routes they do not offer. Their website said route goes from Glenorchy not from Queenstown
The company responded with a snarky response.
We flew over on a helicopter for half the price they wanted.
Written February 5, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mike T
Melbourne, Australia42 contributions
Feb 2020
These people run an hourly service between Hilton / Doubletree hotels and Queenstown for five dollars; an alternative is a 14 km walk. It really is a pleasure to be driven across the lake and having things pointed out. Recommended
Written February 18, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
KD
2 contributions
Jan 2023 • Couples
The first taxi ride I’ve ever had and it was pretty miserable. The lady that was driving the boat was grumpy and non welcoming, just took the payment and off we went. No quick safety brief or even a hello it was not pleasant and therefore I didn’t even enjoy the ride over to Queenstown however, on the way back I had a young bloke and he was the total opposite he was very inviting, clear with instructions, quick concise safety briefing if anything were to go wrong and made my day! You bet the ride back was so much better and even fun. Hope you get to enjoy it as-well! :) honestly I would have tipped him some $$ and I don’t tip LOL
Written January 14, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for taking the time to post about your Queenstown Ferry experience. We set a high standard for providing excellent customer service, so it's disappointing that you did not receive this on your first ferry ride. We will investigate this issue and ensure all future guests get the same enjoyable service as your return ride.
Written February 15, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Tommo
Melbourne, Australia49,244 contributions
Dec 2022
We thought like others did what a great way to get around and inexpensive.
We did a trip over to The Boat Shed for coffee and smacks and when we returned at the scheduled time for pickup no water taxi was to be seen. We checked their facebook page and found out the service was cancelled.
We were required to get a taxi or wait a few hours for another service. We paid for a much more expensive taxi to get back to Queenstown.
Prior to leaving we had enough credit to do the round trip on the water taxi. When approaching the booth they said we may not be able to do the round trip as it depends on how many people want to use the service at the other end. WT??? it should be first in best dressed. We elected not to take the service as we could be stranded for a second time.
Services are unreliable and not regular.
I wouldnt recommend this service.
We did a trip over to The Boat Shed for coffee and smacks and when we returned at the scheduled time for pickup no water taxi was to be seen. We checked their facebook page and found out the service was cancelled.
We were required to get a taxi or wait a few hours for another service. We paid for a much more expensive taxi to get back to Queenstown.
Prior to leaving we had enough credit to do the round trip on the water taxi. When approaching the booth they said we may not be able to do the round trip as it depends on how many people want to use the service at the other end. WT??? it should be first in best dressed. We elected not to take the service as we could be stranded for a second time.
Services are unreliable and not regular.
I wouldnt recommend this service.
Written January 2, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We're sorry to hear that our Queenstown Ferry Service did not meet your expectations. Various factors can impact the ferry service - weather, capacities, drivers, etc. which is why we aim to communicate daily updates and cancellations on our Facebook page as soon as possible.
The Queenstown Ferry Service runs like a bus service. Depending on the available ferry, we can accommodate up to 25-40 passengers, and once this capacity is reached, there is no room/seating available for more people. Therefore, the service is first in, first served.
We appreciate that this type of service can be unpredictable for guests, and we're sorry that the schedule was an inconvenience for you.
Written February 15, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Phil J
23 contributions
May 2020
Took a ride from Queenstown to The Hilton yesterday - the captain Tom was outstanding in providing great info in a friendly manner. The ride was excellent - lovely way to travel around Queenstown. And it works out cheaper than an Uber or cab.
Written May 29, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Amos C
Mount Pleasant, SC704 contributions
Nov 2022 • Couples
We stayed at The Hilton and needed a way to get to Queenstown. The water taxi did the trick. Not only did it get us there but we also got a nice ride on the lake. It was $5NZD each way per person. The driver was friendly. It runs on the hour.
Written December 3, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks for taking the lake with us! We're happy to hear you enjoyed our service.
Written January 10, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Pieter S
Nelson, New Zealand1,698 contributions
Aug 2020 • Couples
We were staying at the Hilton hotel. Meeting a friend in Queenstown he recommended to take the taxi. We had. very friendly service. Did all the right protocols because of Covid 19. We really enjoyed the boat ride.
Written August 18, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi just wondering how much a water taxi would be from kelvin heights to Queenstown?
Sue C
Mount Maunganui, New Zealand125 contributions
I think the cost was $10 each.
may2014april
Ninomiya-machi, Japan116 contributions
早朝、ヒルトンからクイーンズタウンに移動する必要があります。何時から営業していますか?予約はできますか?いくらですか?

Ozwitch
Wodonga, Australia
I'll be staying at the Villa del Lago in mid-April 2016. How long does your trip take to/from town? Do we need to book?
Haley K
1 contribution
Yes the water taxi can pick you up from villa del lago, you just need to get reception to call them and let them know you are wanting picked up from that jetty. its $10 each way
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Claim your listingQueenstown Water Taxis - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go
Frequently Asked Questions about Queenstown Water Taxis
- Hotels near Queenstown Water Taxis:
- (0.10 mi) Eichardt's Private Hotel
- (0.06 mi) Absoloot Hostel QT
- (0.07 mi) Crowne Plaza Queenstown, An IHG Hotel
- (0.13 mi) Lomond Lodge Motel & Apartments
- (0.14 mi) Sofitel Queenstown Hotel and Spa
- Restaurants near Queenstown Water Taxis:
- (0.01 mi) Ivy & Lola's Kitchen + Bar
- (0.01 mi) Boardwalk
- (0.02 mi) The Empanada Kitchen
- (0.02 mi) Pub on Wharf
- (0.02 mi) Little Blackwood
Queenstown Water Taxis Information
| Excellent Reviews | 132 |
|---|---|
| Very Good Reviews | 54 |
| Queenstown Water Taxis Photos | 32 |











































































