Haven’t used public transport in a while?
Fuel prices hitting an all-time high might have you parking the car and looking at other ways to get around.
Some of you may be thinking, ‘is now the time to switch to an electric vehicle?’, and that’s great if it’s an option you can afford.
Meanwhile, the rest of us are remembering that the last time we caught a bus was in high school and wondering if the paper ticket squashed in our wallet would still work.
In fact, South Aussie’s searching for ‘Adelaide public transport’ has increased by 70 per cent since last year, according to Google Trends data.
How much could you save switching car for public transport? Use Adelaide Metro’s estimator to work out how much money and carbon emissions you could save by jumping on a bus or riding the train or tram.
So, if you haven’t used public transport in a while – or at all – here are your top questions answered.
1. Is it free?
The short answer is… sometimes.
The following routes, zones and concession types are free for everyone.
- City Connector buses (routes 98A/98C, 99A/99C) loop around the CBD and North Adelaide, both clockwise and anticlockwise.
- Trams within the CBD, between South Terrace, the Entertainment Centre, Festival Plaza and the Botanic Gardens.
- Trams along Jetty Road at Glenelg, between Brighton Road and Moseley Square.
SA Seniors Card holders, children under five accompanied by an adult and Companion Card holders are some of the passenger types who can travel free at any time.
Then there’s the two-hour rule. Most tickets let you transfer freely between bus, train and tram within two hours of first validating. Duck to the shops and back within that timeframe, and the return trip could be free. Just remember to validate every time.
Stay on the tram past either free zone and you’ll need to pay or validate. For example, boarding at Adelaide Railway Station and getting off at Greenhill Road (Stop 1), or boarding at Moseley Square and alighting at Rundle Mall means you’re leaving the free zone and need to validate your ticket.
2. Do I need a ticket?
Yes, but not as you may remember it.
Gone is the screeching of paper ticket being validated. As of February 2026, you can’t buy paper metroTickets or use any you may have kept for a rainy day.
3. I’m already at the bus stop. How do I buy a ticket or validate my fare?
Tap one of these on the validator when you board.
- A debit or credit card (Tap and Pay).
- A phone or smart device with a card linked (Tap and Pay).
- Pre-purchased physical metroCARD.
- Phone or device with the Adelaide Metro Buy & Go app open.
A fare purchased using any of these validation methods cost the same.
On top of that, some passes including the SA Seniors Card and Vision Impairment Special Pass, have tap technology built in.
Be careful to avoid ‘card clash’ when more than one card or device is held too close to a validator and results in an accidental payment.
Validators are located near the doors on buses, trams and trains. A green tick and a dinging sound means you’re set; the screen shows the fare you’ve paid, your remaining balance, or when your pass is due to expire.
4. Can I get a concession?
There are a number of groups who can travel on cheaper concession rates using a special pre-purchased metroCARD, including pensioners, and primary, secondary and full-time tertiary students.
When travelling on public transport, you must carry your concession card (ie, government-approved student ID card or Veteran Gold Card) and be ready to show it if requested by a ticket inspector.
5. Can I pay with cash?
Cash is accepted in only a handful of places for tickets and MetroCARD top ups. These include:
- At ticket machines in the Adelaide Railway Station (coins only, no notes)
- At ticket machines onboard trams and trains (coins only, no notes).
Bus drivers no longer sell tickets onboard. Use a pre-loaded metroCARD, Tap and Pay or the Buy & Go app to validate your journey.
6. What is a metroCARD and do I need one?
A metroCARD is a rechargeable physical card used to travel on public transport. It’s not essential to have a metroCARD if you use Tap and Pay or the Buy & Go app, but using a metroCARD or the Buy & Go app are the only ways to access student and concession discounts.
You can check your metroCARD balance, add funds or load an unlimited travel multi-day pass (14 or 28 days) at fare machines on trains and trams, at major interchanges, or online once you register your card.
If you’re not a frequent passenger, you can pay-per-trip with pre-loaded money on your metroCARD or the Buy & Go app, and set up auto-top-ups so you’re never caught short.
If you’re a regular commuter, a metroCARD or the Buy & Go app allows you to buy unlimited travel multi-day passes (14 or 28 days) which can work out more cost-effective than a regular fare for each trip.
7. Do I need to tap off?
Unlike Melbourne’s myki, you don’t tap off when you leave a bus, train or tram in South Australia.
The one exception is Adelaide Railway Station, where new smart gates need a physical tap to let you through. Don’t worry about being charged twice: the gate only charges you if you haven’t already tapped on for that journey.
8. How do I plan my trip?
You can plan your route in advance or on the go using:
- The trip planner and downloadable route timetables on the Adelaide Metro website
- Journey planning apps like Google Maps, Apple Maps, NextThere, ShouldIRun or Moovit for live tracking and disruption alerts on your smartphone
- Display boards at some stops and stations which show the next arrival(s)
- In person at the Adelaide Metro InfoCentre, inside Adelaide Railway Station
- A phone to call the Adelaide Metro InfoLine on 1300 311 108, 7am–8pm daily .
There are also more than 30 Park ‘n’ Ride locations across Adelaide. Most are free, and some are discounted for Adelaide Metro users – where you can park and finish your trip on public transport.
Taking a bike part of the way? Many stations have bike cages and lockers, and bikes can travel on trains under certain conditions. Other rules apply for e-bikes, scooters, luggage, prams and animals, so check the Adelaide Metro website for details. Buses, trains and trams also have accessibility features for passengers who need them.
For those heading beyond metropolitan Adelaide, regional services use their own ticketing and are run by different operators.
9. How often do services run, and how long does the trip take?
It depends on the route and whether you’re travelling in peak or off-peak hours.
Peak times are on weekdays before 9am and from 3pm, plus all day Saturday. Off-peak is 9:01am–2:59pm on weekdays, plus all day Sunday and public holidays.
Here’s a rough peak-time guide:
- City buses and trains run about every 15–30 minutes
- City-bound buses on the O-Bahn corridor depart roughly every minute during morning peak
- Trams run between Adelaide and Glenelg every 6–15 minutes, with the full trip taking about 30 minutes depending on where you board and where you get off
- Go Zones (such as Anzac Highway and Glen Osmond Road) have more frequent buses with a maximum wait of 15 minutes during peak times.
The best way to check your specific route is the Adelaide Metro trip planner or a journey planning app, which can show live times, delays and whether it is busy or not too crowded on board.
Ready to get on board?
Buy and recharge Adelaide Metro metroCARDs in-store at select RAA shops.