Hawke's Bay Airport is in Napier, about 20 km north of Hastings, with regular flights from Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch. Hastings is the larger city but lacks its own airport; a taxi or shuttle from the airport takes about 20 minutes.
By train, the Northern Explorer between Auckland and Wellington stops at Napier but does not serve Hastings. Intercity and Naked Bus services connect Hastings to Wellington (about 4.5 hours) and Napier. If you are driving, Hastings sits on State Highway 2, about 325 km from Wellington and 430 km from Auckland. The Napier–Hastings corridor is an easy 20-minute drive.