Travel to Adelaide
Flying to Adelaide
There are no direct flights from the UK to Adelaide but connections can be made via Dubai, Perth, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Hong Kong, Doha, Melbourne and Sydney. Airlines include British Airways, Emirates, Malaysia Airlines, Virgin Australia, Qantas and Singapore Airlines. From the USA, you can fly via Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane with Virgin Australia. The cheapest time to fly is usually between mid-April and mid-June. School holidays and Christmas tend to be the most expensive.
Flight times
From London – 21 hours 30 minutes; New York – 26 hours; Los Angeles - 19 hours; Sydney - 2 hours 10 minutes; Toronto - 26 hours.
Travel by road
Driving regulations across Australia differ from state to state, so visitors should make note of any law changes between South Australia and other territories. The legal age for driving without supervision in South Australia is 18 years.
Traffic drives on the left in Australia with speed limits of 50kph (31mph) in built-up areas and 100kph (62mph) outside built-up areas unless a road sign indicates otherwise.
There are large, good quality roads in and around Adelaide, and the city is linked by main routes to other major cities in Australia.
Short-term visitors to South Australia must have an overseas licence in English, a licence with an English translation or an international driver's licence. You also need an International Driving Permit issued in the country where your licence was issued. You must carry your licence at all times when driving. Third-party insurance is also compulsory in South Australia.
Due to extreme weather conditions, it is also advisable to contact one of Australia's motoring organisations if you plan to drive into the outback. They can offer advice and distribute maps for more remote regions.
The Australian Automobile Association (tel: +61 2 6247 7311; www.aaa.asn.au) provides further information. The National Roads and Motorists' Association (NMRA) (tel: 13 11 22, in Australia only; www.mynrma.com.au) also provides information and motoring services.
Emergency breakdown services
Royal Automobile Association (RAA) (tel: +61 8 8202 4600).
Routes
Adelaide is linked with Sydney by the Hume Highway and Stuart Highway; Melbourne by the Western Highway and Dukes Highway and by the more scenic Great Ocean Road and Princes Highway; Perth by the Great Eastern and Eyre Highway; and Alice Springs by the Stuart Highway.
Coaches
The main coach operator is Greyhound Australia (tel: +61 7 3155 1550; www.greyhound.com.au), which links Adelaide with major cities like Canberra, Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney as well as over 1,000 smaller destinations. Firefly Express (tel: +61 3 8318 0318; www.fireflyexpress.com.au) runs daily coaches connecting Adelaide with Melbourne and Sydney.
Time to city
From Sydney - 14 hours 25 minutes; Melbourne - 8 hours 10 minutes; Perth - 28 hours; Alice Springs - 16 hours 10 minutes.
Travel by Rail
Services
Adelaide has a good local railway network as well as interstate lines connecting the city with the rest of Australia.
The main hub for local trains is Adelaide Railway Station, located at 125 North Terrace. Interstate trains arrive and depart from Adelaide Parklands Terminal on Richmond Road, 3km (1.9 miles) west of the city centre.
Operators
Adelaide Metro (tel: 1300 311 108, in Australia; www.adelaidemetro.com.au) offers reliable rail services across the city and the state. Its central routes are extensive with four lines giving access to the suburbs. Trains reach as far north as Gawler Central, run south to Belair, go southwest to Seaford Interchange, and reach Grange and Outer Harbor in the west. A tram line from Entertainment Centre to Glenelg is good for covering the Central Business District.
Great Southern Rail (tel: +61 8 8213 4401; www.greatsouthernrail.com.au) operates several classic journeys to and from Adelaide. The Indian Pacific runs from Sydney to Adelaide and from Adelaide to Perth. The Ghan goes from Adelaide to Alice Springs and onto Darwin, while The Overland runs between Adelaide and Melbourne.
Journey times
From Sydney - 21 hours 45 minutes; Perth - 3 days and 2 nights; Alice Springs - 2 days and 1 night; Darwin - 54 hours; Melbourne - 10 hours 30 minutes.
