Whangarei is on State Highway 1, the main route north from Auckland — about 160 kilometres and two and a half hours' drive in light traffic, longer on a Friday evening or summer weekend. InterCity buses run several services a day from Auckland's Sky City terminal.
Whangarei Airport at Onerahi has scheduled flights from Auckland on Air New Zealand's regional ATR turboprops — about 40 minutes' flight time. The airport is six kilometres east of the city centre, served by taxis and ride-share. Most visitors arrive by car; a hire car gives much more flexibility to explore the coast and the surrounding region.