Visiting Adelaide

How do you get around Adelaide without a car? It’s easy, with Adelaide Metro’s bus, tram and train network. If you’re in the city centre, there are free services to help you explore the most popular attractions.

Learn more: How to get to and from Adelaide Airport

Is there free public transport in Adelaide?

There is a free City Connector bus service in the city centre. It has two routes and each has buses going in clockwise and anticlockwise directions. The 98A/98C loop covers the city centre and North Adelaide and is available 7 days a week. The 99A/99C loop covers the city centre and is available Monday-Friday.

On Adelaide’s trams you can travel in the city centre free of charge. The free tram zone in Adelaide is from the South Terrace, along North Terrace and continues to the Adelaide Entertainment Centre.

What do I need to use public transport in Adelaide?

The Adelaide Metro network includes buses to and from the Adelaide Airport, and there’s a range of tickets and fares perfect for visitors.

Visitor metroCARD

A Visitor metroCARD is $27.20

  • Three days in a row of unlimited travel at any time on buses, trains and trams in the greater Adelaide metropolitan area
  • It could save you 20-50% on public transport costs compared to MetroTicket or other metroCARD options
  • Available to buy from the Adelaide Metro InfoCentre at the Adelaide Railway Station on North Terrace, Adelaide.

After your three days have finished, you can recharge and use your Visitor metroCARD like a normal one, paying regular Adelaide Metro fares. You can recharge metroCARDs online, at vending machines on-board trains, trams and at interchanges, or at many retailers across Adelaide.

Alternatively, buy a 3-Day Visitor Pass on the Adelaide Metro Buy & Go app for the same price as a Visitor metroCARD. Buy & go passes can be used on any Adelaide Metro bus or tram, and for transfers to trains departing the Adelaide Railway Station.

Order a Visitor metroCARD

Your credit card or smart phone

Tap and Pay

Adelaide Metro tap and pay is now available with Visa and Mastercard credit/debit cards or smart devices on trams and buses, and for transfers to trains departing the Adelaide Railway Station.

Please note:

  • you cannot buy an Adelaide Metro Tap and Pay ticket on board a train.
  • you can only buy one Adelaide Metro Tap and Pay ticket per credit/debit card or smart device. To buy multiple tickets you will need multiple cards and/or smart devices.
  • you do not need to buy a ticket for trams unless you are travelling between South Terrace in the city and Brighton Road in Glenelg. The rest of the tram network is free.

Buy & Go app

The Adelaide Metro Buy & Go app is available for free from your app store. To buy tickets with Buy & Go, you’ll need access to a Visa or Mastercard credit or debit card.

You can:

  • Buy Regular, Concession and Student Singletrips and Daytrips, plus 3-Day Visitor Passes.
  • Store your tickets for up to 12 months and activate them for use when you’re ready to travel.
  • Use up to 5 tickets at a time – great for families!
  • Use on any Adelaide Metro bus or tram, and for transfers to trains departing the Adelaide Railway Station.
    • Please note, you do not need to buy a ticket for trams unless you are travelling between South Terrace in the city and Brighton Road in Glenelg. The rest of the tram network is free.

Cruise ship metroCARD

A Cruise ship metroCARD is $10 (or $5 for eligible Australian concession card holders).

  • One full day of unlimited travel at any time on buses, trains and trams in the greater Adelaide metropolitan area
  • Available to buy from the Outer Harbor railway station, near where your ship docks, or the Adelaide Metro InfoCentre at the Adelaide Railway Station on North Terrace, Adelaide
  • You need to have your cruise ship pass with you to buy or travel with a Cruise ship metroCARD
  • Two children up to the age of 15 can travel for free when they are with an adult who is using a Cruise ship metroCARD.

Interstate seniors card

Anyone with a valid Australian state or territory Seniors Card can get a 14-Day Senior Pass on a free concession metroCARD to access free travel for 14 days in a row, during the following off-peak times:

  • Monday to Friday
    • midnight to 7:00 am
    • 9:01am to 3:00 pm
    • 7:01pm to midnight
  • all day Saturday, Sunday and public holidays.

Outside of these times, you will need to pay a concession fare, by recharging your concession metroCARD. For more information on concession pricing see our Adelaide Metro fares page.

To get your 14-Day Senior Pass, take your interstate Seniors Card to the Adelaide Metro InfoCentre (open 7:00 am to 8:00 pm every day) or order online.

Order a 14-Day Seniors Pass

A friendly reminder

Adelaide Metro wants all passengers to have a safe journey. Sometimes services need to stop or slow down suddenly. Please remain seated until your bus, train or tram has arrived and you can get off safely.

How do I use the Adelaide Metro validators?

Adelaide Metro buses and trams have been fitted with smart yellow validators which accept metroCARDs, Tap and Pay with Visa or Mastercard, and Buy & Go app tickets. You will need to tap your metroCARD, Visa or Mastercard credit/debit card or smart phone/device or scan your Buy & Go ticket’s QR code on the payment panel at the bottom of these validators (unless you are catching a free bus or tram service).

Paper MetroTickets are being phased out, but can still be purchased from a vending machine on board a train or tram. The vending machine validates it for you and If you transfer to a bus with a validated paper MetroTicket, show the bus driver as you board. For more information, visit Goodbye paper MetroTickets.

If you’re catching a train, you’ll need to tap your metroCARD or insert your paper MetroTicket at the barrier gates of some stations to access the platform. Hold the metroCARD in front of the validator or the mark on barrier gates (or insert your ticket) and wait for the light and/or sound that tells you it has worked.

You can transfer with a Tap and Pay ticket to trains departing the Adelaide Railway Station. Just tap the same credit/debit card or smart device that you first used to by your ticket on the smart validator at the Special Access Gate 1.

You don’t have to tap your card or use your ticket when you are leaving the vehicle.

Find out more about how to catch a bus, train or tram in Adelaide.


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