Matamata is about 165 km south-east of Auckland and 60 km east of Hamilton. Most visitors arrive by car — it is about two hours from Auckland, one hour from Hamilton, and 45 minutes from Tauranga. There is no scheduled passenger train to Matamata, but Intercity buses stop here on the Auckland–Tauranga and Auckland–Rotorua routes.
For Hobbiton-only visits without a rental car, daily shuttle buses run from the i-Site in central Matamata and dedicated tour buses operate from Auckland, Rotorua and Tauranga.