How to catch a bus, train or tram

Catching public transport in Adelaide has never been easier. Follow these easy steps on how to catch a bus, train or tram.

Find your location

You can find where you need to go by using the following tools:

  • Plan My Journey: You can select 'Use my location' in the journey planning tool to find your exact location and use it to best get around Adelaide by bus, train or tram. You can also use any other preferred location in the 'to' and 'from' fields to plan your journey.
  • My Next Service: Use the My Next Service tool to find your nearest stop and all real-time arrivals.  You can use your current location or search an address.

Pick your mode of transport

Once you know where you're going you can use our timetables to see a full schedule of your chosen route. Our timetables are broken down into bus, train and tram and you can view what time your service will be arriving on any day.

Purchase a metroCARD

To catch public transport, you will need to purchase an Adelaide metroCARD. You can purchase a metroCARD from a retailer or facility near you.

Once you have your metroCARD, you can recharge it with a preferred amount:

Learn more about Adelaide metroCARDs.
Learn more about Adelaide Metro fares.

Other ticket options

If you do not use public transport in Adelaide often, you can tap and pay with your bank card or use the Adelaide Metro Buy & Go app when you catch a bus, train or tram.

Adelaide Metro tap and pay is being introduced to Adelaide’s public transport network in stages. It is currently available on all bus and trams and will be available on all trains by mid-late-2025. If you need to transfer to a different (bus or train) service, or are entitled to a concession fare, Adelaide Metro tap and pay may not be your best option.

The Adelaide Meto Buy & Go app is available for free download from your app store. Ticket prices are the same as metroCARD fares, and you can use them on any Adelaide Metro bus or tram, and to transfer to trains departing from the Adelaide Railway Station. You can buy Regular, Concession and Student Singletrip and Daytrip tickets plus 3-Day Visitor Passes – anytime, anywhere.

Learn more about Tap and Pay.
Learn more about the Buy & Go app.

Tap on and go

When you catch a bus, train or tram you will need to validate your metroCARD. Simply tap on the yellow machine and go. If you do not have a metroCARD, you can tap your bank card or smart device, or scan your Buy and Go QR code ticket. You will not need to tap off the bus, train or tram when exiting.

FAQs