Taupo is roughly equidistant between Auckland and Wellington — about three hours from each by car. The town is served by direct flights from Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch to Taupo Airport, which lies a few kilometres south of town.
By bus, InterCity and several other operators run daily services from Auckland (approximately 4 hours), Rotorua (1.5 hours), and Hamilton (2 hours). There is no train service to Taupo.