Travel to and Around Hobart


Getting There

Ferry: The Spirit of Tasmania Car and Passenger Ferry operates daily from Station Pier, Melbourne to Devonport in Tasmania, running overnight, with additional trips in daylight hours during peak travel periods (mainly Summer); duration approx. 12 hours. The drive from Devonport to Hobart is 285 km (allow 4 hours). More information >>


Spirit of Tasmania II at Station Pier, Port Melbourne

Air: Much of the air traffic into Tasmania is through Hobart International Airport. In addition to domestic and general aviation operations, Hobart Airport, located 17 km from the city on a plain between Frederick Henry Bay and Barilla Bay, provides the only international gateway to the island. Hobart is one of the few cities in Australia to enjoy curfew-free air services.
Tasair operates scenic flights out of Hobart Airport, as well as scheduled services to Devonport (with connections from Devonport to King Island and Burnie).

Domestic airlines operating in and out of Hobart: Qantas; Jetstar; Virgin Australia

International airlines operating in and out of Hobart: Qantas; Jetstar; V-Australia; Air New Zealand; British Airways; Etihad; American Airlines

More information: Air travel in Australia | Hobart Airport | today's flight information

To and from the Airport: Shuttle buses operate between the Hobart CBD (accommodation hotels, motels etc.) and the airport for every departure. The shuttle departs outside the terminal after the arrival of every flight transferring passengers to the city. For information and bookings, contact Tasmanian Redline Coaches who also operate coach services to all other major centres throughout Tasmania. The Airport is serviced by a number of taxi firms. The Taxi rank is located right outside the domestic terminal building. Limousines and chauffeured cars are also available. A number of Car Rental companies operate from the Airport.

Cruise ships: an increasing number of cruise ship operators are including Hobart on their schedules cruises. Being a deep-water port, Hobart can handle cruise ships of any size. Vessels berth near the city centre within walking distance of the city centre, Salamanca Place and historic Battery Point.

Coach: a number of coach operators provide coach transport services and organised tours from Hobart. Bus timetables for intercity and regional bus services can be found on the following websites:

Travel Times & Distances

By Air

  • Hobart - Sydney: 1 hour 55 minutes
  • Hobart - Melbourne: 1 hour

By Road

  • Hobart - Launceston: 200 km
  • Hobart - Port Arthur: 95 km
  • Hobart - Devonport: 285 km
  • Hobart - Rosebery: 315 km
  • Hobart - Stanley: 426 km
  • Hobart - Strahan: 296 km
  • Hobart - Cradle Mountain: 360 km

Getting Around

Most public transport within the city is via an extensive network of public and private bus services. The main arterial routes within the urban area are the Brooker Highway to Glenorchy and the northern suburbs, the Tasman Bridge and Bowen Bridge across the river to Rosny and the Eastern Shore, and the Southern Outlet Road south to Kingston and the Channel. Leaving the city, motorists can travel the Lyell Highway to the west coast; Midlands Highway to Launceston and the north; Tasman Highway to the east coast, or the Huon Highway to the far south. Hobart is serviced by Hobart International Airport, and the smaller Cambridge Aerodrome (which mainly serves small charter airlines offering local tourist flights).

Tasmanian Rail, Bus, Ferry and Air Timetables

Bus: Local bus services are operated by Metro Tasmania, with a network of efficient services from the city centre depot at Franklin Square on Elizabeth street, to the suburbs. Most useful to tourists is the off-peak, multi-trip pass, valid after 09.00 and available from the Metro shop in the GPO building near the central bus depot.

Ferry: There a number of operators that run ferries on the Derwent River.
Hobart Water Taxis: ferry services operate daily by Hobart Water Taxis; Departing Bellerive Wharf at 8.00 am, 8.30 am and 5.15 pm; Departing Watermans Dock in Hobart at 8.15 am, 5.00 pm and 5.30 pm; express river crossing services for commuters in morning and evening rush hour slots from Bellerive Wharf to Sullivans Cove, Watermans Dock and return. The trip takes approximately 10 minutes and allows commuters from Clarence to arrive just a five minute walk from the CBD from Monday to Friday Excluding public Holidays.
Between the express commuter there are regular departures between Hobart, Bellerive and Wrest Point The Bellerive Quay jetty provides an excellent transport method for visitors to Bellerive Oval for cricket and Australian football matches, as Bellerive Wharf is a short 5 minute walk from the ground.
Hobart Water Taxis also transfer passengers between Wrest Point, Sullivans Cove, Salamanca Place, Battery Point and Moorilla/Mona and many other sites along the River Derwent and D'entrecasteaux Channel. Hobart Water Taxis also provides an on call water taxi and tour service all year round. Longer ferry services take passengers to visit the D'entrecasteaux Channel and stop at Woodbridge and Kettering.
Peppermint Bay Cruises operates fast catamaran services which show off the Derwent River and D'entrecasteaux Channel.
Captain Fell's Historic Ferries operates a discovery cruise on the Derwent, an up-river cruise and a cruise to Bruny Island.
Navigators operates a variety of cruises that include sightseeing, supper and dinner cruises around the river estuary, Bruny Island, Storm Bay, and also visit the Moorilla Estate. They also operate a cruise to Port Arthur which passes by the sea cliffs of Cape Raoul. a variety of packages are available.

Taxi: Several taxi companies operate in and out of Hobart. Taxis can easily be hailed in the street or booked in advance. Some local firms in Hobart include Central Cabs and City Cabs (Tel: +61 131 008), Maxi-Taxi (Tel: +61 6234 8061) and Prestige Taxis (Tel: +61 418 179 202).

Tourist services: A red double decker Hobart Explorer Bus takes visitors to all the city’s major attractions. You can hop on and off where you wish and the ticket is valid all day. Tickets are available at the Travel & Information Centre at the corner of Elizabeth and Davey streets.

Private motor vehicle: driving a motor vehicle is the easiest way to get around Hobart and its surrounding area, particularly for visitors. You can hire a car in all the major cities and towns of Tasmania, or you can bring your own car to Tasmania via the Spirit of Tasmania ferry from Melbourne. The ferry's only port of call in Tasmania is Devonport, a city in the state's north on the shores of Bass Strait. Hobart is 285 km or just under 4 hours drive south from the Devonport ferry terminal.
There are few parts of the state of interest to visitors that can't be reached in motoring comfort, although lesser roads, whilst sealed, do tend to be narrow.
In Tasmania, the speed limit on the open road is generally 110 kilometres per hour, with 50 or 60 kph in built up areas. In Tasmania, a driver’s licence from your home country or another Australian state will usually suffice for up to three months, as long as it has photo identification and it’s for the same class of vehicle you intend to drive. If you’re staying more than three months, you’ll need to get a Tasmanian drivers licence.

Major highways to and from Hobart

  • Launceston via Oatlands, Campbell Town (Midland Highway)
  • Launceston via Sorell, Swansea, St Helens, Scottsdale (Tasman Highway)
  • Devonport via New Norfolk, Queenstown, Burnie (Lyell, Zeehan, Murchison and Bass Highways)
  • Devonport via Bothwell, Deloraine (Bass and Lake Highways)
  • Melbourne via Campbell Town, Launceston, Devonport, then by car ferry to Port Melbourne (Tasman and Midland Highways)


Hobart For Everyone has been compiled from material supplied to us, and all information is published as information only. The publishers are not responsible for its accuracy and inclusion of information about travel and holiday destinations within Australia on this site or other sites linked to it does not constitute any representation or offer by the businesses, services or organisations contained therein, nor are the views or opinions expressed therein necessarily those of this website's publishers.
Hobart For Everyone is published by Stephen Yarrow © Stephen Yarrow 2011 | Email us