Getting around Adelaide – your guide to public transport, driving, and free trams

Adelaide is an arts, food and culture paradise famous for its busy events calendar, buzzing city atmosphere, and beautiful beaches. With so many things to see and do, it’s handy to know how to get around Adelaide to explore it all.

Thankfully, Adelaide has plenty of transport options available to suit all travellers, budgets, and itineraries.

While you can always rent a car, or jump in a taxi or a rideshare, Adelaide has an excellent public transport system, offering tram, train, and bus services. The city centre itself is also compact, with plenty of attractions within walking and cycle distance.

In this guide, we’ll cover Adelaide’s most popular transport options to help you plan your trip and get around the city with ease.

*Price is in AUD per adult, based on booking at virginaustralia.com. Subject to availability. Seat selection and checked baggage are not included in Economy Lite fares. Payment surcharge and travel periods may apply. T&Cs apply.

Arriving in Adelaide

Virgin Australia flights to Adelaide from Sydney, Melbourne, or Brisbane arrive at Terminal 1 (the only terminal) of Adelaide Airport.

Getting from Adelaide Airport to Adelaide CBD

Adelaide Airport is located about 6km from the CBD, which is just a 15-minute drive to the city centre. The most common ways to get from Adelaide Airport to Adelaide CBD include taxi, rideshare, bus, rental car and with a private transfer.

We have broken down all the options below.

Taxis: The taxi rank is outside the airport, located to the left of the pedestrian plaza as you exit the terminal. Taxis are the most convenient and fastest way to get into the city centre from the airport and can cost around $25-35, depending on traffic, and there is an additional $4.50 airport fee.
Rideshare: Uber and Didi have a designated area for pickup, which is located to the left of the Terminal Car Park. The average cost of a rideshare service into the city is around $35, however the actual fare will depend on type of car needed, demand, time of day, and the traffic. There is a $4.50 airport service fee added to your fare for leaving for the airport - $4 goes to the airport and the remaining $0.50 goes to the state government.
Bus: The most budget-friendly option to get from Adelaide Airport to the CBD is the airport bus service. You can catch either the J1 or the J2 bus, both of which travel between the airport and the Adelaide city centre. The bus pick-up point is located on Sir Richard Williams Avenue, to the left of the passenger pick up/ drop off area at terminal exit on the ground floor. The bus from the airport costs $4.55 during peak times and $2.60 during off-peak periods and you can use contactless payment to tap and pay with your credit card, debit card or smartphone, or you can purchase a metroCARD from a self-serve kiosk at the airport.
Rental Car: Car hire is a great option for flexibility in Adelaide, especially if you plan on venturing to the wine regions or national parks near the city. If you haven’t organised your car hire before your arrival in Adelaide, car rental desks for AVis, Budget, Hertz, Europcar and Sixt are located on the ground level of the terminal, next to baggage claim area.
Private transfer: There isn’t a shuttlebus service from the Adelaide Airport to the city centre, however, you can book your own private airport van, chauffeur service or luxury sedan. The average cost of private sedans ranges between $85 and $100, a private van for a group can cost roughly $150, and chauffeured services will vary by provider. While this isn’t the most budget-friendly option, private and luxury transfers provide a comfortable and stress-free way to get into the city. Typically, your driver will be waiting for you in the arrivals hall and will help carry your luggage into the vehicle. For more specific pricing, we’d recommend contacting a dedicated company to get a quote based on your specific destination and vehicle needs.

How to get around Adelaide

Adelaide is a small and compact city and is easy to get around. There are a range of options for getting around the city, depending on your budget and flexibility, such as public transport, driving, cycling, and walking.

Public transport

Adelaide has a range of public transport options including trams, trains, and buses, making it easy to hop between Adelaide's top attractions - whether that's from the art museum to the beach, or from your accommodation in the city to the zoo and beyond.

Trams

Adelaide has a convenient tram system that operates throughout the city centre and inner suburbs. However, it is most convenient for city centre travel and reaching the coastal suburb of Glenelg. The tram services run every 10-15 minutes from 7am to midnight. It is also free to use the tram in the Adelaide city centre between Entertainment Centre Station and South Terrace Station, making it a convenient and budget-friendly option for visitors.

Trains

Adelaide has a reliable and extensive rail system, making for a convenient way to visit attractions further afield from the city centre, such as Port Adelaide, the historic town of Gawler or beachside Brighton.

Buses

The Adelaide bus service is another great budget-friendly way to explore the city. The free City Connector bus service operates in the city centre in both a clockwise and anticlockwise direction, making for an easy and convenient way to explore the centre of Adelaide. The 98 City Connector line takes visitors from central Adelaide accommodation to popular attractions like the Adelaide Zoo, South Australian Museum, and the Adelaide Botanic Garden.

metroCARD

An Adelaide metroCARD is a rechargeable contactless smartcard that can be used to pay for fares on Adelaide’s public transport network, including trams, trains and buses. Simply tap on as you board (or at the train station before boarding) and tap off when you alight, and the fare will be deducted from the pre-loaded balance.

You can buy a metroCARD at the Adelaide Airport bus shelter self-serve kiosk machine, from the Adelaide Metro InfoCentre at the Adelaide Railway Station, and from participating retailers in the city. Recharging or topping up your metroCARD can be done online through the Adelaide Metro website, or via the self-serve vending machines located onboard trams and trains, and in various retail stores.

While you can purchase a regular metroCARD that can be topped up as needed, a visitor metroCARD costs $28.90 and it unlocks three days in a row of unlimited travel on all buses, trains, and trams in the Adelaide metropolitan area at any time of day. After the three days of unlimited travel, the card can be used like a regular metroCARD and is subject to regular Adelaide Metro fares. The main benefit of getting a visitor metroCARD is that it can save you 20-50% on public transport costs compared to other fares and ticketing options.

For visitors who don’t have a metroCARD, tap-and-go contactless payment with debit and credit cards is also available on public transport in Adelaide.

Useful apps and resources for Adelaide public transport

There are a few apps to help you use and navigate Adelaide’s public transport system, including the buses, trains, and trams.

Adelaide Metro Buy & Go: The Adelaide Metro Buy & Go is Adelaide Metro’s ticketing app and makes it simple to buy tickets and passes from your smartphone. It’s particularly handy if you don’t have a metroCARD and the tickets are the same price as metroCARD fares. You can use the app to buy Regular, Concession and Student Singletrips and Daytrips. You can also grab 3-Day Visitor Passes. The app allows you to store tickets for 12 months and activate them when you’re ready to travel.
Moovit: A handy journey planning app available on Android and iOS to help choose the best route for your journey and shows real-time arrival notifications.
NextThere: An iOS app that shows departure and next service information from your location.
Transit: Available on both iOS and Android, this app has real-time arrivals, gives step-by-step directions and incorporates multiple public transport services to get you to your destination.

For visitors looking for help travelling more regionally, the below apps can help navigate Adelaide’s regional bus services:

Transport Me: Tracks a range of transport lines including LinkSA, which has an extensive network that connects Adelaide to Barossa Valley, Fleurieu Peninsula, Adelaide Hills and Mount Gambier.
Track My Bus: Track the Peninsula Coaches, which offers services that connect Adelaide with the Yorke Peninsula and Copper Coast and serves as a great budget-friendly option to get to Kangaroo Island.

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Flights to Adelaide

Car

Getting around Adelaide by car is an easy option and a good choice when you want to travel further out from the city centre, like visiting Barossa Valley wineries or exploring McLarenvale's cellar doors or beyond. You can rent a car or use a combination of taxis and rideshare services.

Taxis and rideshares

Adelaide has three major taxi service companies that can help you get around the city: Adelaide Independent Taxis, Suburban Taxis, and 13cabs. Taxis are convenient as you can hail one down from the street, or from a designated taxi rank location. Alternatively, book via phone, or by downloading the company’s app.

A popular and more affordable way to get around via car is rideshare. You can use Uber, DiDi, and GoCatch, which is a local operator. If you are a female traveller, you can use Shebah which is a rideshare service for women and girls.

Car rental in Adelaide

If you want freedom, flexibility, and full autonomy of your transport, renting a car or self-driving is the best option. While Adelaide CBD is small and walkable, hiring a car is also a good option if you plan to explore some of the wine regions, like the Barossa Valley, Clare Valley, or McLaren Vale, nearby Hahndorf and the Adelaide Hills, or head to the coast to explore the Fleurieu Peninsnsule, Cape Jervis or Yorke Peninsula. It may also be convenient to hire a car if your plan is to explore national parks such as Belair National Park, Cleland National Park, and Onkaparinga National Park or venture on a road trip from Adelaide to explore more of South Australia, like the Flinders Ranges or Coober Pedy.

You can hire a car from various car rental agencies such as Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Europcar, Hertz, and Sixt from the Adelaide Airport, or from locations in the city itself. If you are considering hiring a vehicle to self-drive, there are a couple of things to be mindful of.

Parking: Be sure to check if your accommodation comes with a parking spot, and if they charge a daily parking fee. Adelaide city has nine UPark off-street car parks with around 6,000 car park spots. The UPark App will help you find all the locations around the city and you can use the app to make payments from your phone.
Road rules: Be sure to keep an eye out for speed limits and road signs to make sure you are obeying the road rules and keeping safe!

Cycling and scooting

If you feel like taking the scenic route, and the more active approach, consider cycling or jumping on a scooter! This can be a wonderful way to explore the city. Adelaide has an extensive cycling network that is ideal for exploring and getting from one attraction to the next. You can rent e-bikes and e-scooters across Adelaide, and you can easily pay for and access them by downloading the Beam or Neuron app.

Traveller tip

Walking in Adelaide

There are many attractions in Adelaide that are within walking distance of each other within the city, such as Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide Botanic Garden, Rundle Mall, Adelaide Central Markets. While a bit further out, even the Adelaide Zoo is walkable from the city if you’ve got 20-30 minutes to spare and Adelaide’s weather is clear.

However, if you are wishing to visit attractions further out of the city or explore seaside suburbs, such as the popular Glenelg, we would recommend choosing one of the public transport options such as the tram, train or renting a car.

Accessible transport options

Adelaide offers a range of accessible transport options for visitors with mobility aids, such as wheelchairs, walkers, and prams.

Most of Adelaide’s public transport are designed for accessibility. For example, all Adelaide metro trams and trains have wheelchair accessibility, with fitted ramps at the front-most entrance of each train which the driver can extend when needed. Passengers using wheelchairs should wait to board at the front end of the train.

Most of the Adelaide metro buses are fitted with access for prams, walkers, and wheelchairs. They are low-floor buses and have priority and wheelchair allocated space. You can phone the Adelaide Metro on 1300 311 108 to find out if an accessible bus is rostered at the time you want to use the service.

You can also consider Access Taxis, which caters to passengers with mobility aids, particular those who use wheelchairs and scooters. Call their 24-hour phone service on 1300 360 940 to book an Access Taxi.

Adelaide transport FAQs

What is the best way to get around Adelaide?

The best way to get around Adelaide really depends on what you’re planning on doing. However, for ease, convenience, and best price – especially if you’re staying in or near the CBD – the public transport network, including the trains, trams, and buses is the best way to get around Adelaide.

Many of the top things to do in Adelaide are located within the CBD, so if you are keen to stay in the city centre and hop between nearby attractions such as the South Australia Museum, Adelaide Zoo, the Art Gallery of Australia, and central restaurants, you could use a combination of walking, cycling and the tram and bus network. You could also use taxis and rideshares to cover the short distances, but it's not essential (especially in good weather!)

For trips further into the suburbs, along the coast or deeper into South Australia (there are amazing day trips from Adelaide that can take just 2 hours!), you can use the regional bus and train network or hire a car for flexibility and autonomy.

Overall, a blend of public transport, walking and taxi/rideshares is the best way to get around Adelaide city efficiently, conveniently, and avoid having to worry about driving yourself!
Is it easy to get around Adelaide without a car?

Yes! It is very easy to get around Adelaide without a car, depending on where you've booked your accommodation. It is not necessary for all travellers to Adelaide to hire a car, or even to rely only on taxis and rideshares beyond your journey from the airport into the CBD.

Adelaide is a small and walkable city, and has a comprehensive, efficient, and reliable public transport network that makes it easy to get around the city and the suburbs without the need for a car. Trams and buses in the city centre connect to key attractions such the South Australian Museum, Adelaide Botanic Garden, Adelaide Oval, and the Adelaide Zoo. If your accommodation is in the heart of the city, you will have a breeze getting around without worrying about driving yourself anywhere.

The good news is that, for travellers who wish to avoid the spend on a rental car, there are plenty of reliable ways to get around Adelaide that are convenient, frequent, and budget-friendly. If you're deciding where to stay in Adelaide and your priority is to not need to drive, then the CBD is your best bet.
Is Adelaide a walkable city?
Adelaide is a great walkable city, especially in the city centre - and is beautiful to explore by foot (when Adelaide's weather is clear and sunny, of course). The city itself is compact and there are several top attractions within walking distance of each other. From downtown, you can wander to popular attractions in the city such as the South Australian Museum, the Art Gallery of Australia, and the Adelaide Central Market. There is also Chinatown Adelaide to explore on foot, and it’s super easy to walk to an array of cafes, bars, and restaurants, and shopping areas in the Adelaide city centre.

Some popular walking routes in Adelaide to see many of Adelaide’s top attractions are:

1. Northern Terrace loop, which includes:

Art Gallery of South Australia
South Australian Museum
State Library of South Australia
Adelaide Botanic Garden
National Wine Centre of Australia

2. City centre, which includes:

Rundle Mall
Rundle Street, which is part of the East End dining and shopping precinct
Adelaide Central Market
Gouger Street restaurant and dining strip
Peel street laneway of bars and restaurants

3. Riverfront, which includes:

Elder Park
Adelaide Festival Centre
Adelaide Oval
Adelaide Zoo
Are Adelaide trams free in the city?

Yes, some trams in Adelaide are free. The tram service is free to use in Adelaide city centre from the Entertainment Centre Station to the South Terrace Station.

In other areas, you can simply use contactless tap and go payment with your card or smartphone or grab a metroCARD.
Do I need a metroCARD in Adelaide?

A metroCARD is handy to have when visiting Adelaide but is not a necessity as it is just one way to pay for fares on Adelaide’s extensive public transport system.

There are two main ways to pay for public transport in Adelaide: with contactless credit card, debit card, or a smartphone device, and the Adelaide metroCARD. While you don’t need the metroCARD, it can offer a great deal of convenience and benefit for travellers who will be using a lot of public transport around the city.

You can either get a regular metroCARD or a visitor metroCARD. The visitor metroCARD offers travellers a good deal with a fixed price of $28.90 for unlimited travel for three days. It can also save you 20-50% compared to other ticketing options and once that three days of unlimited travel is complete, you can just top up and use the metroCARD like the regular one.

Overall, you don’t need the metroCARD, but it can offer great value to travellers who plan to use the public transport a lot, especially over the course of three consecutive days. For those who only plan to intermittently jump on a tram, train or bus, there is no need to get the metroCARD as regular credit and debit cards can be used.