Picton (Pop 2928) is a town in the Marlborough region of the South Island.

It is near the head of Queen Charlotte Sound in the north-east corner of the South Island. Queen Charlotte Sound is one of four Sounds that makes up the Marlborough Sounds.

Many visitors to Marlborough arrive by sea through the glorious maze of deep coves and bays of Queen Charlotte Sound.

Nestled between the mountains and the sea is Picton, an european settlement of this area began in the 1840s and many of the early buildings still grace the waterfront and wide streets of Picton.

Stroll along the boulevard where a cluster of charter operators and water taxis hold the key to further Sounds exploration.

Picton has no local bus service. The town centre is easily explored on foot. Waikawa Bay, a suburb of Picton where the majority of the regions private yachts and power boats are moored is about a 30 minute walk from town centre.

If you need to get around and don't feel like driving, take a taxi. Queen Charlotte Sound is best explored by boat.

Shoppers will delight in the open, market-place atmosphere of Picton's shopping centre with its fine selection of arts, crafts, souvenir, clothing stores and cafes.

A 45 minute drive from Picton along the scenic Queen Charlotte Drive lies Havelock. Along the way pass through Linkwater and the access road to Queen Charlotte Walkway.

Picton is also the terminus for the Coastal Pacific train to and from Christchurch and Kaikoura, the Interislander and Bluebridge ferry services to and from Wellington, that cross Cook Strait and a busy hub for various bus and coach operators providing regular daily bus and coach services from Picton to Kaikoura, Blenheim, Nelson, Motueka (for Abel Tasman National Park) and Christchurch.

Picton is also serviced by Soundsair operating schedule daily flights between Picton and Wellington.

The nearest airport for domestic flights within New Zealand to Picton is Blenheim.

There are no passenger train/rail services from Picton to Nelson, Westport, Punakaiki or Greymouth.