Written by Callum Taylor, Camille Laurent, Marika Maslanka
21/08/2025
Leïa Roques, Pexels
Adelaide is served by Adelaide Airport (ADL) for air travel, Adelaide Parklands Terminal for interstate trains, and the Adelaide Central Bus Station for intercity bus services.
By Air:
From Adelaide Airport to the city center, one can take a taxi (10-15 minutes, around $25-$28 including a levy), a rideshare service (around $23-$27), or an Adelaide Metro J1 or J2 bus (22-30 minutes, $2.40-$6.20 depending on peak/off-peak and ticket type).
Flights from Melbourne take approximately 1h 20m - 1h 53m and cost around $66 - $290.
Flights from Sydney take about 2h 10m - 4h 6m and cost around $140 - $300.
Flights from Brisbane take approximately 2h 45m - 4h 44m and cost around $180 - $611.
Flights from Perth take approximately 2h 50m - 4h 41m and cost around $190 - $480.
Flights from Darwin take approximately 7h 3m and cost around $390 - $1,200.
By Train:
Adelaide Parklands Terminal is located about 3km from the city center; one can take a local bus (8-20 minutes, around $5) or a taxi (4-5 minutes, around $9-$12) to reach the city.
The Overland service from Melbourne takes about 10h 15m - 10h 30m and costs around $100 - $330.
The Indian Pacific from Sydney takes about 25h 50m - 26h 56m and costs approximately $1,000 - $3,800.
The Indian Pacific from Perth takes about 43h 15m and costs approximately $1,900 - $8,000.
The Ghan from Darwin takes about 2 days 2h and costs approximately $900 - $2,000.
The Great Southern (seasonal) operates from Brisbane and takes around 2 days 4h, or 41h via Sydney.
By Bus:
The main bus terminal is Adelaide Central Bus Station on Franklin Street.
Buses from Melbourne take about 10h 15m - 11h 50m and cost around $10 - $110.
Buses from Sydney take about 22h 25m - 23h 35m and cost around $70 - $250, often requiring a transfer.
Buses from Brisbane take about 38h 15m - 42h 15m and cost around $65 - $600, often with transfers.
Buses from Darwin take about 43h and cost around $410 - $1,000, usually with transfers via Alice Springs.
By Car:
Driving from Melbourne takes just over eight hours (approximately 721-728 km).
Driving from Sydney is a long journey of about 14-15 hours (approximately 1183-1351 km).
Driving from Brisbane takes around 22-23 hours (approximately 2010 km).
Driving from Perth is an extensive road trip covering approximately 2597.8 km, often planned over multiple days.
Driving from Darwin is a significant journey covering approximately 3030 km, typically recommended as a 14-day road trip.
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