Timaru sits on State Highway 1, about two hours south of Christchurch and two and a half hours north of Dunedin. By car it is a straightforward drive on a good road through flat Canterbury farmland.
InterCity coaches stop in Timaru on the Christchurch–Dunedin route, with several services daily in each direction. The journey from Christchurch takes roughly two hours; from Dunedin, around two and a half. Timaru's train station is served by the Coastal Pacific (Christchurch–Picton, seasonal, roughly October to April), which runs along the coast and is one of New Zealand's more scenic rail journeys. The Interislander ferry connection at Picton is accessible via this service. Book train tickets in advance through KiwiRail, particularly in summer when the Coastal Pacific fills up.