Coach Hire Across Australia

Coach Charter in Adelaide and the Wine Regions

Adelaide is compact. Victoria Square is only some 7 km by road from the terminal, and no road in the state is tolled. The planning goes into match days at the Oval, the hill down from Crafers, and coach space on the island ferry.

Match days at the Oval

No bus may use the Oval's own car parks. When a big crowd is expected, groups are dropped along Pennington Terrace or on King William Road; the coach unloads there and returns later at an agreed time and place. Tell every member of the group where that is before the game starts.

It is a walk of some 400 m from the CBD to the ground. A group staying in the city may find walking quicker than a coach, with the coach kept for the airport and day trips. For AFL Gather Round, book the coach early.

Mercedes-Benz Tourismo 49-seat coach, exterior
Mercedes-Benz Tourismo 49-seat coach, exterior

Stopping in the city

The council publishes no coach bays for the centre. Give the operator each address and they agree a legal stopping point for it. At the airport, coaches have a bus and shuttle section of their own, down at the far southern end of the general pick-up lane; the trip in to Victoria Square takes about 10 to 15 minutes in light traffic.

Airports serving Adelaide

Stadiums and arenas

  • Adelaide Oval — Adelaide Crows and Port Adelaide (AFL), Adelaide Strikers (BBL), Test cricket, AFL Gather Round; about 400 m from the CBD
  • Adelaide Entertainment Centre — Adelaide 36ers (NBL), Adelaide Thunderbirds (netball), concerts; Hindmarsh, on the tram line
  • Coopers Stadium — Adelaide United (A-League); Hindmarsh

Day trips and transfers from Adelaide

  • Hahndorf (Adelaide Hills) — about 30 km, about 30 min
  • McLaren Vale — about 40 km, about 45 min
  • Barossa Valley (Tanunda) — about 70 km, about 1 h
  • Victor Harbor — about 85 km, about 1.25 h
  • Clare Valley — about 135 km, about 1.75 h
  • Kangaroo Island (via Cape Jervis ferry) — about 110 km to Cape Jervis plus the 45 min crossing, about 2 h to the ferry

Coach rules in Adelaide

  • Adelaide Airport (ADL) is about 7 km by road to Victoria Square, about 10-15 min in light traffic.
  • South Australia has no toll roads.
  • Adelaide Oval: no trucks, buses, trailers or limousines are allowed in the Oval's car parks; on major event days the taxi ranks and drop-off zones are on Pennington Terrace and King William Road.
  • South Eastern Freeway (Adelaide Hills to the city): truck and bus drivers must engage low gear at Crafers and stay in it to the bottom, keep to a maximum of 60 km/h on the descent, and stay in the left lane without overtaking between Crafers and the Measday Bridge; there are two safety ramps on the down-track.
  • Kangaroo Island: the vehicle and passenger ferry runs from Cape Jervis, about 2 h south of Adelaide, to Penneshaw in about 45 min; only a few coaches fit on a sailing (up to 4 on the larger coach-carrying vessel), so coach space should be booked well ahead.

The Crafers descent

Heading down into the city, every bus stays in low gear from Crafers to the bottom, hold 60 km/h or less, and keep left with no overtaking until it has passed the Measday Bridge. Nothing is wrong when the coach is slower than the cars around it; the driver is following the law.

Hahndorf is about half an hour out, so an Adelaide Hills afternoon fits easily around a morning in town.

Wine country and Kangaroo Island

McLaren Vale takes about 45 minutes. Allow an hour for the Barossa and nearly two for Clare. Book tastings before you book the coach, and send the order of cellar doors so the route runs in one direction.

For Kangaroo Island the coach drives about two hours to Cape Jervis and crosses to Penneshaw in about 45 minutes. Few coaches fit on a single sailing (four at most, on the bigger ship). Reserve the coach's place on the ferry before anything else.

Questions

Does an Adelaide quote include tolls?

No. South Australia has no toll roads.

Can the coach park at the Oval during the game?

No. It sets down on Pennington Terrace or King William Road and comes back for you afterwards.

Can we do Kangaroo Island in a single day?

It is possible but long: about two hours of driving and a 45-minute crossing each way. Most groups are better off staying at least one night.

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