Bus / Coach., Hobart

Metro Tasmania has an extensive net of public transportation. You won't need if if you just stay in the centre, but some of the outer suburbs are also great for visiting.
Fare are fair, if you're planning to take the bus after 9am from Monday to Friday or on Saturday and Sunday you'll pay just 2,60 AU$ for the day, no matter where you travel!
Most buses leave from Franklin Square/Elizabeth St.

You can hop onto a shuttle bus to bring you to & fro between the airport and your lodging for A$11 adult one way (and A$19 return) via Redline's Airporter Shuttle Bus Services. Hasslefree.

The Airporter Shuttle Bus service can be found at the front entrance of the Hobart Airport - between the Qantas and Virgin Blue terminals. Simply make your way to our bus, once you have collected your luggage, and advise the driver of your accommodation destination. Airporter Shuttle Buses service the majority of Hobart's motels, hotels, backpackers and car rental outlets. No need to make a reservation.

Airporter Shuttle Buses connect with EVERY departing flight - EVERY day of the year!
Note: If you are departing Hobart on an early flight (6am, 6:30am and 7:25am) you will need to make a booking by 8:00pm the previous evening.

Getting to and from the attractions is easy by bus. For day rover ticket, you can travel with just $4.40 unlimited travels! Buy ticket from the bus driver and validate each boarding.

The bus mall is on Elizabeth street, the Metro shop is at the Post buliding. The friendly staff will advice you on transport and you can get the bus timetable from here.

Hi, found the public (bus) transport realiable to get around Hobart. Buses ran on time according to the timetable. After a couple of days buying single trip tickets a local advised me it was better to get a Day Rover. This gives you unlimited travel on the bus network for a day.

A DAY ROVER will cost AUD$5.00 - This is for use from 9.00am onward.
An ALL DAY ROVER wll cost AUD$6.00 - This for use all day on day of issue.

For other tickets and fares I have listed the website etc below.

Hobart can be a difficult city to drive in because the CBD is contained by the mountain on one side and the river on the other, meaning lots of one way streets.
There are no passenger trains but the bus service works well and the staff are friendly.
At the lower end of Elizabeth street there is a bus mall and on the corner in an old sandstone building with a bell tower is the Metro shop that can advise you on transport.
The most popular trips are to :
Mt Nelson....glorious views over the river and city and tearooms, if you wish, you can hike down from there through the Truganinni eserve and pick up another bus to the city from the bottom of the trail. Catch any bus from stop N on the side of the park across the street.
Seven Mile Beach.....this takes you across the bridge and on to a delightful beach, usually almost deserted. ...and it is errr seven miles long.
Cadbury Chocolate Factory and Cascade Brewery...forget the group tours and save money by catching the bus. Don't forget to phone and make bookings first though.
Taroona route 61....this fillows the coastline south of Hobart to a town called Kingston. You can either return on the same bus or change to a Hobart Coaches bus (same ticket is used, Hobart Coaches is a subsiduary of Metro) and return over the shoulder of Mt Welington.
For less than $5 you can buy a Day Rover ticket that operates from 9am to the last bus at night.

Tasmania is an island full of nature tracks, it is the ultimate way to relax, you can get around the country by renting a car but also there are great buslines. Hobart Coaches and Wilderness Travel offer buspasses that allow you to travel for 7, 14 days or more. Really excellent! You can book the passes already on the Australian mainland.

Public transport in Hobart is surprisingly more frequent and efficient compared to most other Aussie cities. The Metro Bus is a good, cheap and simple way to get around and in&out Hobart once you familiarise yourself with the bus routes.

If you are gung-ho about taking the buses, and it pays to spend a little more time familiarising yourself with the bus routes.

I bought a day-tripper ticket (A$2.60, circa 2005) which allowed myself to run all over the city, hopping from routes to routes. I actually ventured to both The Cascade Breweries and the Cadbury Chocolate Factory on my end via the Metro buses.
(Day Tripper tickets – allowing unlimited travel after 9:00 am – able to be purchased on the bus or via Metro Shop and Metro Agents)

There is a shuttle bus service that runs from near Hobart's Tourist Info Office to the cottage town of Richmond, free & easy style. You will have about 3 hours to roam around Richmond before the return journey begins.

Departs Hobart daily at the following times (circa 2004):
9.15am & 12.20pm
Return time from Richmond:
12.50pm & 3.50pm.

Cost is A$25.00 per pax.

City apartments pick-up can be arranged.

There is a shuttle bus service that runs from near Hobart's Tourist Info Office up to the summit of Mount Wellington, free & easy style. Time spend at the summit is about 45 minutes before the return journey begins.

Departs Hobart daily at the following times (circa 2004):
Mon-Fri: 9.30am, 12.00noon & 2.30pm
Sat-Sun: 9.30am & 1.30pm.

Cost is A$25.00 per pax.

City apartments pick-up can be arranged.

I was quite impressed with the public transportation system in Hobart. The bus systems really did seem to reach just about everywhere you would want to go if you were trying to save a dime.

The rental car ended up costing about $40 /day and the bus pass is $4.20 per day for all you can travel.

There are also plenty of concession fares for families, pensioners and students.