The Adelaide O-Bahn
Innovation and Excellence
Reliability and safety are the hallmarks of the Adelaide O-Bahn guided busway. These qualities have been achieved through engineering innovation that allows buses to travel at high speed in complete safety and mechanical excellence that has resulted in very few bus breakdowns.
Special maintenance and recovery vehicles equipped with guide wheels are used for bus recovery and track maintenance. In the event of a mechanical problem, buses travelling the O-Bahn at up to 100km/h can stop in less than two bus lengths.
In the event of tyre damage on the front axle, the wheels are equipped with a metal inner tyre that prevents full deflation, allowing a loaded bus with deflated tyres to be driven up to 16km at a speed of 50km/h.
Engineering innovation excellence also extends to the busway itself, with special consideration given to aesthetics, economy and efficiency throughout the design process. The extensive landscaping along the busway complements the well designed infrastructure.
Fast Facts
- At 12 kilometres long, the Adelaide O-Bahn is the longest and fastest guided bus service in the world, travelling at speeds up to 100km/h.
- More than 7 million passengers a year, including local, interstate and overseas visitors use the O-Bahn. The system is capable of moving 18,000 people an hour in each direction.
- The busway consists of 5,800 sleepers, 5,600 pylons drilled to a depth of 3 metres, 4,200 track pieces, 25 bridges, 8 pedestrian overpasses and a 60 metre-long tunnel.
- Compared with equivalent rail systems, the O-Bahn is almost 50 per cent cheaper to operate while providing a faster, more flexible service than many other transit systems.
- At the time of building, the entire O-Bahn project, (including the bus fleet) cost $98 million.
Discover Adelaides fast track to a world of shopping
Selected Adelaide O-Bahn services travels through Adelaide’s River Torrens Linear Park to an exciting world of shopping. Your journey takes you through beautiful parklands and past native birds and wildlife to Tea Tree Plaza Interchange and one of Adelaides premier shopping centres – Westfield Tea Tree Plaza.
On arrival, browse through Myer, Target, Big W, K-Mart and over 200 specialty stores and Cinema showing the latest hit movies for your enjoyment.
Fast facts on the Adelaide O-Bahn
The longest guided busway in the world- Travel at speeds up to 100kms per hour
- Enjoy scenery along the way, including the green parklands of the River Torrens Linear Park
- Cross 12 bridges
- Tea Tree Plaza Interchange is located at Westfield Tea Tree Plaza
- Contact Westfield Tea Tree Plaza for opening times – ph: 8264 4011
- Cinemas are open daily