Visiting Adelaide
Visting Adelaide and don’t have a car to get around? Use Adelaide Metro’s bus, tram and train network to get to places to see in Adelaide. 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 free public transport using the city connector bus service that loops around the city and North Adelaide for those visiting Adelaide. 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 to Friday.
On Adelaide’s trams you can travel in the city 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 Adelaide Airport, and there’s a range of tickets and fares perfect for those visiting Adelaide such as an Adelaide Metro visitor pass.
A Visitor metroCARD is $28.90.
- Three days in a row of unlimited travel at any time on all buses, trains and trams in the greater Adelaide metropolitan area.
- Available to buy from the Adelaide Metro InfoCentre at the Adelaide Railway Station on North Terrace.
- A Visitor metroCARD could save you 20% to 50% on public transport costs compared to other ticketing options.
Once your three days of unlimited travel finishes, you can use your Visitor metroCARD like a regular metroCARD. Regular Adelaide Metro fares can be recharged to this metroCARD, which you can do online, at vending machines (on-board trains, trams and at interchanges) or at multiple retailers across Adelaide.
Adelaide Metro Tap and Pay is available with your Visa or Mastercard credit/debit cards or smart devices on all buses and trams, and for transfer to trains departing from the Adelaide Railway Station.
- Adelaide Metro Tap and Pay is not available on-board trains.
- You can only buy one Tap and Pay ticket per credit/debit card or smart device. To buy multiple Tap and Pay tickets, you will need to use multiple cards and/or smart devices.
- Tickets on trams only need to be purchased/validated when travelling between South Terrace in the city and Brighton Road, Glenelg – the rest of the tram network is free.
The Adelaide Metro Buy & Go app is available for free from the Google Play store and Apple store. To purchase tickets with the Buy & Go app, you’ll need access to a Visa or Mastercard credit or debit card.
In the app, you can:
- Buy regular, Concession and Student Singletrips and Daytrips.
- Buy a 3-Day Visitor pass, which is the same price as a Visistor metroCARD.
- Store up to 5 tickets at a time.
- Use these tickets on any Adelaide Metro bus or tram, and for transfers to trains departing from the Adelaide Railway Station.
- Please note, tickets on trams only need to be purchased/validated when travelling between South Terrace in the city and Brighton Road, Glenelg – the rest of the tram network is free.
- One full day of unlimited travel at any time on buses, trains and trams in the greater Adelaide metropolitan area.
- Available to buy from:
- 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.
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
- 9:01 am to 3:00 pm
- 7:01 pm to midnight
- All day Saturday, Sunday and public holidays.
Outside of these times, you will need to pay for a concession fare, by recharging your concession metroCARD.
How do I use the Adelaide Metro validators?
When catching public transport in Adelaide you will need to validate your trip before boarding.
Adelaide Metro buses and trams are fitted with smart validators which accept metroCARDs, Tap and Pay and Buy & Go app tickets. You will need to tap your metroCARD, credit/debit card or smart device, or scan your Buy & Go ticket on the payment panel on the bottom of the validator.
Smart validators are not fitted on trains, so you’ll need to validate with a metroCARD or a paper MetroTicket. You can validate with your metroCARD on-board the train or at the barrier gates at some stations. If you are using a MetroTicket, insert your ticket on-board or at the barrier gates. If you are transferring to a bus with a MetroTicket, show your bus driver as you board. MetroTickets are accepted on trams.
You don’t have to tap your card or use your ticket when you are leaving the bus, train or tram.
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