The public transport in Canberra consist of buses and trams. Local transport has improved a lot in recent years and you can now travel to numerous destinations in the city every day. Nevertheless, many residents use their own vehicle to get around, as this gives them by far the most flexibility. However, the city also has a sizable network of cycle and footpaths that are great for exploring the individual districts of Canberra . Otherwise, there are of course taxi companies available with which you can comfortably get to your desired destination around the clock.
General information
Public transport is organized by the state institution Transport Canberra (TC for short). They operate 365 days a year and cover all parts of the city. They also drive to various sights, event locations, educational institutions and other facilities.
Tickets & MyWay
With conventional tickets and the MyWay card, you can use Canberra’s local transport. Paper tickets are available from ticket machines using various payment methods. These are located at the main bus stations in Gungahlin, Woden, City and Tuggeranong, at the tram stations and at Canberra Airport. In MyWay is a smart card that you stop at the stations provided for this purpose when entering and exiting, so the lowest fare can be determined automatically (for false arrest an incorrect fee is charged).
The card is either online, by phone or from so-called recharge agents available. They can also be topped up at the Recharge Agents, by standing order (discounts available), at the ticket machines, by telephone, with BPAY (discounts available) or at various locations in Canberra. We recommend registering after purchasing it, as this protects the credit on the card in the event of loss or theft. The advantage of the MyWay is the reduced prices of the individual journeys compared to the paper ticket.
The tickets are in the tariff groups Adult (adults), Concession (discounts for certain groups of people) and Student (students and schoolchildren). It should also be mentioned that all single tickets for public transport are valid for 90 minutes and you can change within this period for the amount paid. The prices are divided into peak (peak times – single trip at full price), off-peak (off-peak times from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and after 6:00 p.m. on weekdays – single trip at a reduced price), Weekday Cap (maximum price for the entire Day) and Weekend / Public Holiday Cap (reduced price on weekends and public holidays). Paper tickets are always charged at the peak tariff.
Overview of public transport
Bus
The buses operate from four main bus stations located in the centers of the Belconnen, City, Tuggeranong and Woden districts. In addition, you can hire a bus for small or large groups through Transport Canberry. The buses consist of the Rapids, the Peak Services, the Shuttle Services, the Regular Bus Routes and school buses. The so-called rapids provide frequent direct connections between the centers of the individual city districts and important destinations. They run at least every 15 minutes on weekdays and often on other days as well. Peak Services are used to cover long distances to and from the city and the Parliamentary Triangle during rush hour on weekdays. Shuttle services cover parts of the city that do not require frequent bus routes all day. Regular bus routes bring residents to different parts of the city and other closer destinations, such as schools or shops. They run roughly every 20 to 30 minutes during peak hours and at least once an hour at other times. All Regular Bus Routes connect to at least two of the Rapid Routes. In addition, Rural Services exist in cooperation with other companies such as QCity Transit or TbX (Transborder Express) . These go, for example, to Queanbeyan, Yass, Murrumbateman and other localities.
Tram
The light rail travels along Northbourne Avenue between Gungahlin Place and Alinga Street stations in the city. She operates Monday through Thursday from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. every 5 to 15 minutes. On Fridays it even runs after midnight. On the weekends, the tram runs until after midnight and only runs every 15 to 30 minutes.
Taxi
There are several large taxi companies in the capital of Australia. Uber, ACT Cabs (+61 2 6280 0077) and Canberra Elite Cabs (+61 2 6126 1600) are some of the most used providers. There is also the possibility of catching a taxi at the numerous taxi ranks in the city.
Bicycle
As an alternative to public transport, you can use the well-developed network of shared footpaths and bike paths. The network of trails is shown on the Canberra Cycling & Walking Maps . Furthermore, the cycle paths, some of which run along the streets, are very easy to recognize due to their green color and offer increased safety due to their striking color. The Bike and Ride program promotes the combined use of bicycles and public transport. The MyWay card entitles you to lock your bike at one of the many parking stations with your own lock. In addition, both buses and trams have practical bicycle racks.
