Getting in
- Richard Pearse Airport: Timaru’s own airport is 13 km north of the CBD, with limited Air New Zealand service from Wellington (reported as two or three flights daily). There is no reliable airport-bus transfer to plan around: pre-book a taxi or collect a rental car. Allow roughly 15–20 minutes by road; expect a taxi to be in the broad NZ$35–50 range, but confirm when booking.
- Christchurch International Airport: For most international arrivals, Christchurch is the practical gateway. Drive south on SH1 to Timaru in about 2 hours, or use an intercity coach into Timaru; the airport-coach journey is about 3½ hours because it includes the Christchurch pickup/run. Coach fares are variable, but budget roughly NZ$30–50 one way when booked ahead. A rental car is the better choice if Timaru is a base rather than an overnight stop.