Snow Chains 101: Getting Ready to Drive in Queenstown This Winter
Planning to drive to Queenstown's ski fields this winter? Here's what you need to know about snow chains, fitting them, and booking them with your rental.
Queenstown's ski fields are all reachable by car, but winter driving up the mountain roads is a different game to summer. Here's what you need to know about snow chains before you head up.
Do you actually need snow chains?
If you're driving up to The Remarkables, Coronet Peak, Cardrona, or Treble Cone during winter, chances are you will need snow chains at some point in the season. Access roads to all four ski fields can require them, and it is often mandatory rather than optional once conditions turn. It is one of the most overlooked parts of planning a Queenstown ski trip, especially for visitors who have never driven in snow.
Fitting chains for the first time
If you've never fitted snow chains before, it's worth watching a demonstration rather than figuring it out cold on the side of the road. This video walks through the process step by step, and it is worth a watch before you head up the mountain for the first time.
Chains and your rental car
What a rental car comes with varies between companies and can change from one season to the next, so check rather than assume. If you are hiring with Evolve Rentals and you are planning to drive up to the ski fields, tell us when you book so we know where the car is going.
For the full rundown on all four ski fields, drive times, and what to expect this season, check out our Queenstown Winter Guide.
Book with Evolve Rentals and get your winter road trip properly sorted.
FAQs
Do I need snow chains to drive to Queenstown's ski fields?
Often yes. Once conditions turn it is mandatory rather than optional, and all four ski fields' access roads can call for chains during winter.
Do rental cars come with snow chains?
It varies by company and by vehicle, so do not assume either way. Check when you book, and tell us if you are planning to drive up to the ski fields.
How do I fit snow chains if I've never done it before?
It is worth watching a demonstration first, and this video walks through the process before you head up the mountain.
Which Queenstown ski fields might require snow chains?
The Remarkables, Coronet Peak, Cardrona, and Treble Cone can all require chains on their access roads during winter conditions.