Buses, Canberra

I cannot full-heartedly recommend the shuttle bus between the airport and the city as it only operates on weekdays. But when it operates it is really rather punctual - and even offers personal service. When I used it, it did not only service Bill Bryson's famous Hotel Rex but also made little detours for several passengers.

I also found it quite amusing that the same driver - very friendly BTW - seemed to be working all the time. Perhaps the bus does not work on weekends because he also wants to spend some time with his family LOL

The service is provided by Dean's Buslines.
A single trip costs $7, the return ticket $12 (as 2007).

It's a bit of a pain getting around Canberra because the bus services are few and far between. You may have to wait up to 2 hours at some bus stops.

Taxis are too expensive to consider.

The best way is to rent a car. The UBD Street Directory is an excellent street guide. Canberran roads are pretty easy to maneuver around anyway, because for the most part, Canberra has a pre-fab urban layout.

If you have read my intro you already know that I had some problems with using the bus service to its full potential.

The network seems perfect but it is of not much use if you want to get around outside the business hours.

As there are never enough taxis around you should seriously consider to rent a car. Or make your sightseeing during business hours and stay at a hotel in the city centre, so you do not need transportation after hours.

A single trip cost $2.50.

Contact

Phone 13 17 10 (from Canberra) or (02) 6207 7611 from outside the ACT

Website: http://www.action.act.gov.au/

Email: action@act.gov.au

I would advise you to take the Canberra explorer bus to sight see Canberra as the layout of the city is so complicated for drivers..It leaves From the Visitors centre in the Jolimont Centre, Northbourne Avenue at hourly intervals. starting at 9-45am - 3-45pm. There are 24 stops which you can depart the bus from then rejoin later.

There are many things to see in Canberra but if you are not certain where to start for public transport check out the schedule for the 34 bus. This one bus takes you near many of the sites you must see (Parliament, Old Parliament, the Library, the National Gallery, Canberra Museum, the National Museum, Lake Burleigh Griffin, etc.) If you purchase your ticket after 9 you can buy a "shoppers ticket" good until 4:30 for only 3.50. It also takes you to three of the best shopping areas in Canberra (Woden, Civic, and Belconnen)

In Canberra City there is a free shuttle service called the Downtowner which runs from Monday to Friday from Platform 5 at the city interchange in Alinga Street. The route covers the main business and shopping areas.

There is a direct bus service from Sydney international airport to the centre of Canberra. You may aks about timetable at the tourist office at Sydney airport. Buses leave in front of the building of the airport. The trip takes about three hours and there are not many things to see on the way - just fields and sheeps.:)

It is important, however, to fasten seat belts in the bus. In Australia every seat has belts. Buses are quite comfortable, with toilet and some brochures about the region.

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To celebrate the centenary of Canberra ACTION bus (the city bus service) has launched a free half-hourly bus service which does a loop of all the main tourist sites in the central area of Canberra - the Centenary Loop Route

Having examined the route it is excellent with stops at all the key places on the parliamentary triangle and very helpful “side trips” to the Australian War Memorial and the National Museum. In addition to being free and frequent it also relieves you worrying about parking which has become somewhat of a nightmare in the parliamentary area of late.

The free service (Route 100) is on a trail basis from 4 February 2013 to 31 December 2013. I really do hope it is well used and thus extended. I suspect there will be strong opposition from the A$35 Hop-on Hop Office service which covers pretty much the same route. I have always considered the Hop-on Hop off to be somewhat of a tourist trap - not I'm in no doubt. Also it was probably not a good idea to announce a 5% rise in standard bus fares on the same day as introducing a free service directed at mainly at visitors!

Download a timetable and route map here:

https://www.action.act.gov.au/Centenary_Loop.html

Prior to this service starting local buses were not very convenient for tourists (they are not convenient for locals either – which explains why lots of buses drive around empty) so from my perspective a great addition. Again I hope visitors use and enjoy it. Buses are air conditioned or heated and of good quality.

I used the V/Line Capital Link Service to travel from Melbourne to Canberra during my visit to Australia in April 2006.

This service is partly by train and partly by bus.

The first leg of the journey is a 4 hour train ride from Melbourne's Southern Cross station to Bairnsdale (via Sale).

The second leg of the journey is a 6 hour bus ride from Bairnsdale through Lakes Entrance, Orbost, Cann River (refreshment stop of 30 minutes), Bombala and Cooma, before stopping first at Canberra's Kingston train station and then finally at the much more centrally located Jollimont Centre bus terminal.

The cost of the entire journey was 62.70 AUD as at April 2006.

This service operates on Mondays and Thursdays only.

There is also a daily service, known as the "Canberra Link" which runs along a less scenic route via Albury.

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I travelled from Canberra to Sydney on a bus operated by Murray's Coaches during my visit to Australia in April 2006. I believe this is Australia's largest coach company.

I caught the 9am bus from Jolimont Centre bus terminal, which arrived at Sydney's Eddy Street bus terminal (right by central station), just over 3 hours later. At the same time as my bus departed, another bus (which stopped at Sydney's international airport en route to Eddy Street) was also departing. The first bus of the day leaves Canberra at 7am. Further buses depart at 1pm and 6pm. There is also a bus that departs at 3pm on Fridays and Sundays.

In the opposite direction, buses depart for Canberra from Sydney's Eddy Street bus terminal daily at 9am, 1pm, 3pm and 6pm. There is a bus at 7:30pm on Fridays and Sundays.

The cost of a one-way journey, as at April 2006, was 36 AUD. Concessions and children's tickets were available for 29 AUD.

The company's website advertises one-way tickets for just 15 AUD. These must be purchased:

- at least 2 weeks prior to departure,

- via the Internet.

You can find detailed timetables for coaches operating between Canberra and Sydney HERE

No entertainment or refreshments were available on board, but this wasn't a problem for a relatively short journey of 3 hours.