Motueka is 50km from Nelson, the nearest city with a domestic airport. Nelson Airport has regular services to Wellington and Auckland. From Nelson, buses and shuttles run to Motueka; the journey takes about 45 minutes. A car makes the region much more flexible, especially for reaching the Abel Tasman trailheads at Marahau and Kaiteriteri.
InterCity coaches connect Nelson to the rest of the South Island. There is no direct bus service from Christchurch to Motueka without changing in Nelson.