Key takeaways
- Chains must be carried on the Milford Road (SH94) through the winter season.
- Carry chains on the Crown Range and ski-field roads from May to September.
- Rent chains from your supplier and practise fitting them before you need them.
- Many rental agreements exclude ski-field access roads, chains or not.
Where you need chains
Two roads matter most for Queenstown visitors. On the Milford Road (SH94) between Te Anau and Milford Sound, vehicles must carry chains through the winter season. On the Crown Range between Queenstown and Wānaka, carrying chains from May to September is strongly advised and they are often required when signposted.
Planning Milford? Read our Queenstown to Milford Sound: drive or tour? guide.
Renting chains
Most suppliers rent chains for a small flat fee per hire. Ask for them when you book or at the desk at Queenstown Airport, and check they fit your car. Staff can usually show you how to fit them.
Practise fitting chains once in the hotel car park. Doing it for the first time on a dark, icy pass is miserable.
How to fit chains
- Pull well off the road in a safe, flat spot.
- Lay the chain flat and drape it over the tyre on the driving wheels.
- Connect the inside then the outside fastening, and tension the chain.
- Drive a few metres, stop and re-tension.
- Keep to around 40 km/h and remove chains once the road is clear.
Which car is best in snow?
An AWD / 4WD or SUV helps with grip and clearance, but chain signs still apply. For a full ski season, a monthly rental with chains added for the whole hire usually works out cheapest.
Chains and your rental agreement
Most rental agreements make you responsible for fitting chains correctly. Damage caused by chains fitted to the wrong wheels, driven too fast or used on a bare road is usually not covered by excess reduction. Ask the desk which wheels to fit them to — on most front-wheel-drive cars it is the front, and on AWD vehicles it depends on the model.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Waiting until you are on a steep, icy slope before fitting chains.
- Forgetting to re-tension after the first few metres.
- Driving above about 40 km/h with chains fitted.
- Leaving chains on once the road is clear — they wear quickly and can damage tyres.
Which roads around Queenstown need chains?
| Road | Chains |
|---|---|
| Milford Road (SH94) | Must be carried in the avalanche season (roughly May–November) |
| Crown Range (Queenstown–Wānaka) | Often required when signposted in winter |
| Lindis Pass (SH8) | Occasionally required after snowfall |
| Ski-field access roads | Often required — and many rentals exclude these roads |
For the bigger picture, read driving in Queenstown in winter and do you need a 4WD or SUV for Queenstown?
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