Question about Adelaide and its public transport

[Deactivated] on 28/03/2015 - 00:01

Hi, I was wondering if anyone could help me out here. I am a student, planning a little getaway to Adelaide. I'm quite confused with the public transport pricing. The metro card costs $0.89 one way for interpeak timing. Does that mean one way to anywhere? For example, from Tranmere to CBD, will it only cost $0.89? https://www.adelaidemetro.com.au/Tickets/Fares#Concession_an…

How do Adelaide trains/trams compared to Melbourne and Sydney? I'm wrecking my brains figuring which suburbs within a 5km radius of the CBD has good transport to the city, big supermarkets and is reasonably priced (around $130-$150 pw per room with bills included). Thanks Radelaiders!

Travel

Comments

  • Food on 28/03/2015 - 00:34
    +5

    So first up, when you pay the .89c/$1.67 fare, you have two hours to make as many rides on whatever train tram bus in any direction. It doesn't matter if it's from Mount barker to the city or two stops down the road, its the same fare.

    • holdenmg on 28/03/2015 - 01:16
      +1

      Just to expand on this, you swipe your MetroCard on Boarding the Tram, Bus or Train (unless it is a Free Bus or Tram) and you need to catch your return or connecting service and revalidate within the two hours.
      So, this means providing you have revalidated you can get to your end destination.
      If that is Adelaide Railway Station, you exit through the Barriers using the Metrocard to exit to the Concourse.

      Also, Adelaide Station is the C.B.D. Station.

      Adelaide Parklands Terminal is operated by Great Southern Rail isn't part of Adelaide Metro, so if your are arriving via Rail, just be aware that it isn't.

    • [Deactivated] on 28/03/2015 - 12:43
      +7

      Wow, even on full fares, Adelaide's public transport costs are so much cheaper than the rest of the country! Thanks and glad to know!

  • holdenmg on 28/03/2015 - 00:44
    +3

    Hi,

    Before you do a cost benefit analysis of Metrocard use in Adelaide, I notice you mention you are a Student…

    Do you mean a Tertiary Student?

    If so, to be eligible for Concessional Fares you need to have one of the following:
    Concession fares apply to holders of these South Australian Government approved student ID cards.
    https://www.adelaidemetro.com.au/Tickets/Concession-Cards#st…

    So, I wouldn't see you being eligible for a Concession Metrocard. Check with AdelaideMetro @ https://www.adelaidemetro.com.au/Contact-us

    ===

    Adelaide has one tram route. [1]

    Glenelg - Adelaide - Entertainment Centre - Adelaide - Glenelg.

    Sydney has Light Rail, Melbourne has Trams everywhere, Adelaide has mostly Buses, some Trains and one Tram Route.

    Trainwise the services are named by the end point or final Destination of each line, unless you get a Train that part services prior to the end Destination and either Terminates or runs back to Adelaide.

    So, in short Belair, Gawler/Gawler Central, Grange, Osbourne, Outer Harbour, Salisbury, Noarlunga/Seaford, Tonsley.

    ===

    Suburbs <5km from Adelaide are easy to find…
    http://myboot.com.au/SA/5/suburblist.aspx but are not cheap…

    Notice also that there are some Free Buses and the Tram is free between South Terrace tram stop and the Entertainment Centre (and the Entertainment Centre and South Terrace) and between the Brighton Road tram stop and Moseley Square and Moseley Square and the Brighton Road tram stop.

    https://www.adelaidemetro.com.au/Timetables-Maps/Special-Ser…

    Shopping wise in the City there is Coles in Grote Street near the Adelaide Central Market http://www.adelaidecentralmarket.com.au and Woolworths in Rundle Mall and Coles in Rundle Place.

  • Ughhh on 28/03/2015 - 03:18
    +2

    If you're looking at suburbs, pick some where near the obahn. E.g. bus from tea tree plaza is only about 20mins, faster if you catch the express.

    • holdenmg on 28/03/2015 - 03:34

      The O-Bahn is our "Bus on Tracks" system separated by Interchanges at Klemzig, Paradise, Tea Tree Plaza (TTP)/Modbury. There are connecting/feeder Buses at the Interchanges and Car Parking.

      Sometimes Tourists travel up to TTP just to say they have been on it. lol

      Lots of Tourists get the Tram to Glenelg (but at least there is a Beach :+)

      • Baysew on 28/03/2015 - 09:23
        +2

        We went on the O-Bahn to Tea Tree Plaza.

        We thought Tea Tree Plaza was some sort of picnic spot, (I had it in my mind as Tee Tree Hill.)
        Also was't real sure what the O-Bahn was, until the transformer moment.
        Caught the tram to Glenelg..(we are from Melbourne.)

        Was all good though !

    • [Deactivated] on 28/03/2015 - 11:29

      I just googled images, and seriously MIND BLOWN. Never seen anything like that in Australia. thanks for the wealth of information. I'm looking at the suburbs. Do these things go fast or is it as slow as the Melbourne tram?

      • holdenmg on 28/03/2015 - 11:50
        +1

        it used to be up to 100km/h but they cut it to 85km/h in late 2012, http://indaily.com.au/news/2013/10/28/is-the-o-bahn-track-ne…
        apparently they have speed limiters fitted now as well…

        used to be good between TTP and Paradise at top speed.

        The latest plan to modify it is:
        http://youtu.be/418LRQBz4OA which is a pretty cool fly thru.

        • [Deactivated] on 28/03/2015 - 12:47

          That's really fast, especially since you can avoid the peak hour traffic with those obanh buses! Thanks, I'm considering tea tree gully as I need accommodation to be close to a multi leveled shopping centre. Westfield Marion is good, but no Obanh, as far as I can see. Paradise doesn't have a shopping centre, based on my google search, a pity! I don't quite like rundle mall, as there is no "suburb" feel.

        • Ughhh on 28/03/2015 - 12:52

          @Yogapants:

          Marion is wayyyy too far from the city, unless you're going to flinders uni.

        • holdenmg on 28/03/2015 - 13:46

          I wouldn't say TTP has a Suburb feel. I'd think of it as a Shopping Centre/TAFE/Hospital/Transport Hub, surrounded by Houses, Businesses and Smaller Shopping Areas.

          Adelaide doesn't really have multi-leveled shopping centres in the sense that Sydney has Westfield Sydney with seven levels.

          Westfield Marion is spread out on two levels, and Westfield TTP is on two levels.

      • Ughhh on 28/03/2015 - 12:49

        Only the north eastern suburbs around ttp, klemzig and paradise have it, so find a suburb around there or has buses going there. From ttp, there's only about 4 stops till you reach Adelaide uni. Definitely faster than driving. Plenty of buses that go to the city via the obahn too, so you're not "locked" onto one bus.

  • Colombian on 28/03/2015 - 12:33

    I have been in Adelaide for 8 years now and never been to the O-Bahn lol. Tea tree plaza is nothing to fancy about in my opinion. I tend to stay from the City to the south. Living around Camden Park at the moment, nice place and close to the beach.

  • retiredfeline on 28/03/2015 - 13:18

    Had a ride on the O-bahn years ago. The convertible was fun but not much to see at the end. Yeah Adelaide transport is cheaper than in the big smokes.

    BTW congrats on not making the common error of spelling its with an apostrophe.

  • horsome on 28/03/2015 - 17:02

    Don't forget west lakes westfield - pretty good now since upgrade imo, only second to Marion in number of decent shops, but with a lot better stock as it is generally quieter. And a lot of places to stay and things to do around those parts. Semaphore is fantastic. Port on a Sunday isn't too bad either.

    Travel to city is ok as port road is fairly quick going in off peak. Not so good in peak times. There is a train line but inconveniently placed to civilian traffic.

  • frostface on 29/03/2015 - 10:58

    I think reserve most of your judgment until you actually come here. Unless you really are desiring to live near a Westfield style shopping centre, the city has more shops than anywhere in the suburbs and would suit most people. The city is also the liveliest place, generally speaking. As a general rule, anywhere within 5kms of the city has good public transport, mainly through buses. The quickest form of transport is trains. The tram essentially feels as fast as a bus anyway. I'd suggest Prospect, Croydon and Goodwood to look at, with the latter having the most frequent train services of all suburbs.

    • [Deactivated] on 29/03/2015 - 14:19

      Inner city would be good, but rent prices are high too $180/wk/room onwards. I intend to stay for a month or two. Modbury is really far away but is only 20-30 mins by the Obanh, however, there is little accommodation next to the obanh interchange. Will look at those suburbs you suggested.

  • BertieBrown on 29/03/2015 - 14:09
    +1

    The one thing that I like about public transport in Adelaide is that Google maps has access to the Adelaide Metro info so when you put information into it, it will tell you how to get from A to B using public transport. Melbourne on the other hand has, AFAIK copyrighted that info, which makes getting that info a bit harder because you cannot default use Google Maps.

    But yeah as others have said you pay one fare and get a couple of hours to go where you like. In my mind from a passenger point of view that makes more sense to me than zones that I see in other states.

    • eagle86 on 29/03/2015 - 16:11
      +1

      I've found this to be very reliable in Google maps. Input your destination, Google maps does the rest. Easier than the Adelaide Transit app.

    • [Deactivated] on 29/03/2015 - 18:07
      +1

      Yeah Melbourne is frustrating in this respect. From my experience, Google Maps also works with Sydney, Canberra and every city I've been to in the US. Melbourne seems to be a weird aberration.

  • Rerh on 29/03/2015 - 15:18

    If you'd like to be near the O-bahn and near a decent amount of shops, not too far from the city but at a lower cost than the inner-city burbs, Marden may work for you. It has the Marden shopping complex, with a reasonable number of restaurants around, it's about 10 minutes of easy flat walking to the Klemzig interchange, and buses to the city are easy to catch on Payneham Road too.

    There's also a sort of loop bus, the number 300, that literally circles Adelaide. I used to catch it from the road next to Klemzig interchange when I worked at Burnside shopping centre, but as you can see from the map, it keeps going through the lower foothills to Mitcham, to Flinders Uni, to Marion Shopping Centre, to Glenelg Beach, to Harbourtown at West Beach and other shopping complexes in the inner-north.

    It's definitely not the quickest way to get around, but it's pretty easy

    https://www.adelaidemetro.com.au/var/metro/storage/original/…

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