Public Transport Darwin
The public transport Darwin consist mainly of buses, ferries and taxis. However, many residents use their own vehicle to get from A to B. Most transport is privately operated and both buses and ferries are limited. However, residents and visitors have several options for public transport, including convenient government bike rentals (see Bike ).
General information
Public transport in Darwin consists of buses and a few ferries, which is run by the Northern Territory Government . They operate in both Darwin and Palmerston. Various private companies also offer buses, ferries and taxis.
When using public transport, you can choose between a single, day, multi or week ticket. Discounts on normal fares are given upon presentation of certain valid IDs. These apply, for example, to children under the age of 5, students studying in Australia, retirees, veterans with a Gold Card, blind people and volunteers with a Complimentary Pass. At some events , some buses can even be used free of charge. You can drive with a rechargeable ‘Tab and Ride Card’ or with a classic ticket. These can be obtained from the bus driver or at the bus stations ( Interchanges), one of which is located at 1 Harry Chan Avenue in downtown Darwin. You should also bring enough change, as the bus drivers do not always have enough change on hand. Tickets for the ferry, on the other hand, are purchased on board before departure.
Overview of public transport
Bus
Darwin’s various public transport bus routes operate in both the urbanized areas of the Northern Territory capital and Palmerston. The main bus stations are in Darwin’s CBD (City Terminal on Harry Chan Avenue), Casuarina (Bradshaw Terrace) and Plamerston (corner of Temple Terrace & Roystonea Avenue). Timetables and travel times are posted at bus and train stations and are available online . As a rule, the buses are neither very frequent nor very late in comparison to other large cities. They operate every day except December 25th and Good Friday (Friday before Easter Sunday). An alternative is the Tour Tub Darwin City Explorer Bus, which takes you to the Darwin’s sights and can get on and off as often as you like. Shuttle buses to and from the airport are also available.
Ferries
The Sea Link Northern Territory passenger ferries are also part of Darwin’s public transport service. They run several times a day between Cullen Bay and Mandorah (15 minutes each way) and the Tiwi Islands (3 hours each way). They also connect Groote Eylandt, Bickerton Island and Numbulwar. You can also take part in tours of Darwin Harbor and various tours.
Taxi
The monopoly when it comes to taxis is taken by the most popular Darwin Radio Taxis (+61 131008), from which minibuses can also be ordered. However, there are a few other companies that include the Blue Taxi Company (+61 138294) and the City Palmerston Minibuses (+61 8 8981 3777). The main taxi ranks in the CBD are in and around Mitchell Sreet and Knuckey Street.
Bicycle
Despite the vastness of the Northern Territory’s capital, bicycles are used quite often to get around, as the area is flat, there is little traffic and around 70km of bike paths have been developed that extend as far as Palmerston. The most common routes are downtown, along the Stuart Highway and along the coast (from the CBD to Casuarina via Fannie Bay, Coconut Grove and Nightcliff). The government also provides secure bicycle parking. Otherwise exist private shops with bike rentals and even automatic in the city Radverleihstationen . About this link takes you to a PDF document with an overview of the best cycle tracks and footpaths.
Automobile
The most common means of transport in the city, however, is the car, as the distances are quite large, the public transport service is relatively limited and you can get around very quickly on the often multi-lane roads. The most important road, however, is the Stuart Hwy, which is the only highway connecting the city of Darwin with Palmerston and Port Augusta (South Australia). Other major thoroughfares are Amy Johnson Avenue, Bagot Road, Dick Ward Drive, McMillans Road, Tiger Brennan Drive, and Trower Road.
