Bus Christchurch to Timaru

InterCity® operates daily buses from Christchurch to Timaru. Taking the bus from Christchurch to Timaru will take approximately 2 hours and 35 minutes.

Buses to Timaru depart from the Christchurch Bus Exchange on Lichfield Street, Christchurch, and arrive in Timaru at the Travel Centre Railway Station, 1 Station Street, Timaru. 

Search for a bus Christchurch to Timaru with InterCity, New Zealand’s most popular national bus network.

About Timaru

Timaru sits south of Christchurch and north of Dunedin on the east coast of the South Island. Originally named Te Maru, meaning 'place of shelter', it was a resting point for Māori travellers who had canoed along the coastline.

Beyond the town sits an extinct volcano called Mt Horrible (yes, really!). Here many people enjoy abseiling and rock climbing or simply walking to the 350 metre summit. Timaru boasts one of the largest man-made harbours in the world and welcomes many cruise ships to the town.  

Centred around the coastline and the busy inner city harbour, you'll find many shops, cafes and restaurants lining the coast offering lovely scenic spots to stop for a relaxing meal.

Voted the most popular beach in the South Island in 2014, Caroline Bay, is a popular, safe, family-friendly swimming beach and easily accessible by visitors to the area. It's also the location of the annual Caroline Bay Carnival which runs over two weeks where concerts, rides, inflatables, activities and lots of food are on offer! 

Other things to do in Timaru include visiting the Botanic Gardens, the Aigantighe Art Gallery and the South Canterbury Museum, while the nearby inland lakes are great for boating, fishing and other water sports.

For more ideas about what you can do in Timaru visit southcanterbury.org.nz

Catch the InterCity bus Christchurch to Timaru to experience the highlights of South Canterbury. Take a look at the FlexiPass and TravelPass bus passes for affordable, flexible and easy to manage bus travel.