Understanding Public Transport in Hobart, Tasmania
A simple guide to public transport in Hobart, Tasmania. Concise and to the point. You'll find everything you need here.
Metro Tasmania
Hobart's primary bus network is Metro Tasmania. These services cover most of the city. You can view the network maps here.
For information on how to catch Metro buses, visit this page on Metro's website. One tip to observe is the 20% off fare fee for Greencard holders. You can pick these up at the Metro Shop in Hobart.
Unfortunately, you can't tap with a debit/credit card yet.. Hobart (and all of Tasmania) is still behind in this sort of technology.
kunanyi/Mt Wellington Explorer
If you’re looking at travelling up kunanyi/Mt Wellington, you’ll be wanting to use the Explorer Bus. All information for this is on their website.
You can also consider catching the city loop with Red Decker
Official Siteseeing Tour of Hobart, Red Decker
You can also consider catching the city loop with Red Decker. This is a hop-on / hop-off style bus that travels around a 90 minute loop. You can purchase a 24 or 48 hour ticket.
More options available on their website!
Unlike Brisbane and Sydney, Hobart's ferry system isn't quite ready to be your go-to public transport. We have three docks, one at Brooke Street Pier, another at Bellerive Pier, and the last at MONA.
There are two routes run by different operators. The Derwent ferry only travels between Brooke Street Pier and Bellerive. The MONA ferry (Mona Roma) only travels between Brooke Street Pier and MONA in Berriedale.
See more information for Derwent ferry here, and for the MONA ferry here.
Parking wise, there's plenty of options around the Bellerive Pier if you're coming to the city from the Eastern shore, but not so much at Brooke Street Pier, plus you'll be paying a lot more. You might want to park near the Doone Kennedy Hobart Aquatic Centre, Battery Point, at Argyle Street Carpark or at Macquaire Point Car Park. A few options for you. Feel free to go elsewhere too.
Accessibility Note: MONA’s ferry wharf isn’t wheelchair accessible (please let me know in the comments below if this has been improved), so plan ahead if you need mobility support.
If you prefer more flexibility in your travel, or have planned to journey beyond Hobart’s CBD, you'll likely need a car or choose Rideshare.
Car Rental in Hobart City
Either book a vehicle in advance and pick up when you arrive at the airport, or travel to the city using one of the other public transport methods mentioned in this blog, and then pick up a vehicle in Hobart City.
If you choose to hire a vehicle, we have two discounts to offer. One with Bargain Car Rentals:
and another with East Coast Car Rentals:
If you'd prefer to look at all car rental operators and compare pricing, then use the car hire widget below!
Rideshare in Hobart
Uber is the go-to option in Hobart. Pretty self-explanatory.
Taxis
I don't recall ever using a Taxi, but if you're still into this, then we have a few options. 13cabs is the main one that comes to mind. I think they offer a similar service to Uber if you download their app. Find out more information 13cab's website.
Scooters are located all around the city. Simply download the app (Beam) and then follow instructions from there. In regard to pricing, I've never used this to travel around the city myself as it’s more expensive than a bus.. I will resort to walking or driving.
Bike hire doesn't work as the scooters do (unlike other major cities around Australia) and must be hired from a specific location. Hire Bike Hobart is the main place for bike hire. Visit their website call them directly for more information.
SkyBus
Travelling Hobart City from the Airport is convenient with SkyBus. There are regular shuttles departing from Hobart Airport and the city. Within the city, there are six stops. The airport has a kiosk down the baggage claim end of the airport in which you can purchase a ticket and ask questions.
Alternatively, you can purchase tickets in advance here. Simply present this when boarding.
SkyBus comes with free WiFi onboard the shuttle.
Uber (Rideshare)
As mentioned before, Uber is always an option to travel from the airport to the city. Once you're in the city, you could pick up a rental car, walk, use the bus network or jump on a ferry.
There is currently no public train network in Hobart. As of 1st January 2025, nothing is under construction either.
For those that are spending their entire Tasmanian holiday in Hobart, you might be able to get away without any public transport. A fair number of tourist attractions (Salamanca Market, Battery Point, Tasmanian Museum & Art Gallery) are within walking distance of Hobart's CBD, while other popular locations (Mount Wellington, MONA, Bruny Island) are all beyond walking distance.
I personally love walking, and if I had planned most of my holiday around Hobart's CBD, I would choose either an Uber or SkyBus to travel between the airport and CBD and then walk from there. You can find buses and ferries to go to Mount Wellington and MONA respectively if that's included in your Tasmanian itinerary.
If you're planning on travelling between cities, such as Launceston and Hobart, you'll need to take the Kinetic (formerly Redline) Intercity Route. You can find information on Transport Tasmania's Intercity Bus Timetable here.
To make a booking, see the information on the above link, or call Kinetic on 1300 360 000.
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Although not as convenient and flexible, the Metro Bus system is Hobart’s cheapest form of public transport around the city. Fares are generally around $2.40 and 20% off with a Greencard.
Discover more for your Tasmanian adventure below!
An abandoned train tunnel in Tunnel, Tasmania.