Public buses

Alice Springs bus services routes 100/101, 200, 300/301, 400/401 and 500 operate from Monday to Saturday (excluding public holidays).

They run from the Alice Springs bus interchange.

Get the Alice Springs public bus network map PDF (375.4 KB).

Special event bus services

Bus services run for some special events, such as New Year's Eve and Territory Day. If you are organising a special event, you can apply to have bus services.

Read more about special event bus services.

Contact

For general bus enquiries or feedback:

• call 08 8924 7666 on Monday to Friday, from 6:45am to 4:30pm
• fill in the online feedback form on the Department of Logistics and Infrastructure website.

Most public buses operate 7 days a week except on Christmas Day and Good Friday.

They run from the Darwin, Casuarina, Palmerston and Humpty Doo bus interchanges.

Before you travel, check individual bus routes below.

You should also check any bus alerts and route changes.

Interchange

The below is a list of all departure times for each interchange:

• Darwin Harry Chan Ave PDF (2.1 MB)
• Woolworths, Cavenagh St Darwin - bus stop 70 PDF (771.3 KB)
• Casuarina Bradshaw Tce PDF (1.3 MB)
• Casuarina Trower Rd PDF (2.0 MB)
• Palmerston interchange PDF (1.5 MB)
• Palmerston interchange to rural areas PDF (1.8 MB).

For a map of these bus routes, get the Darwin public bus network map PDF (1.5 MB).

Contact

For general bus enquiries or feedback:

• call 08 8924 7666 on:
  • Monday to Friday from 7am to 4:30pm
  • Saturdays from 9am to 1pm
• submit your feedback online on the Department of Logistics and Infrastructure website.

Travelling on all public bus services is currently free.

This applies to:

• Greater Darwin Region
  • Casuarina
  • Palmerston
  • Rural area
• Alice Springs.

Temporary changes and updates to bus routes and timetables in the Northern Territory (NT) are published below.

Free public bus services

All public bus services will continue to be free from 1 July 2025.

This applies to Darwin, Casuarina, Palmerston and Alice Springs.

Residents and visitors are encouraged to take advantage of the free service.

Contact

For general bus enquiries or feedback, call Public Transport on 08 8924 7666:

• Monday to Friday from 7am to 4:30pm
• Saturdays from 9am to 1pm.

You can also submit your feedback on the Department of Logistics and Infrastructure website.

Read more about public transport and cycling.

For more news and updates, follow Department of Logistics and Infrastructure on Facebook.

Future changes and proposed improvements to the public bus network in the Northern Territory are published below.

You should also read about public bus alerts and route changes that may be affected.

Contact

If you have any questions or want to provide feedback, contact public transport by calling 08 8924 7852 or emailing public.transport@nt.gov.au.

You can use the online journey planner instead of the NT Bus Tracker app while it's being reviewed.

Work is underway to create a more modern and efficient public transport application.

What it is

Journey planner allows you to plan your bus trip around Darwin, Palmerston, the rural area and Alice Springs.

It searches bus services by using a departure and arrival address and the day and time of travel.

It gives you:

• available bus services
• bus route map
• bus stop locations
• landmarks and points of interest
• description and estimated travel time
• links back to full timetables.

How to use it

To use it, follow these steps:

Step 1. Open Google Maps.

Step 2. Click on the directions icon.

Step 3. Click on the transit icon to select public transport.

Step 4. Enter your departure and arrival locations.

Step 5. Click on 'More Options' to refine your search by date, time and location.

Step 6. Select and view your preferred option.

Contact

For general bus enquiries or feedback call 08 8924 7666, Monday to Friday from 7am to 4:30pm and Saturday from 9am to 1pm.

You can also submit your feedback online on the Department of Logistics and Infrastructure website.

The Northern Territory (NT) Bus Tracker app provides real-time information about public buses in Darwin and Alice Springs.

How to access

You can access it as a:

• mobile app for your smartphone or tablet
• web app.

What you can do

On the app, you can:

• track your bus in real time in a user-friendly interface
• plan your entire journey including multiple types of transport
• plan future trips by setting a date and time for leaving or arriving at a location
• receive notifications for bus arrival and upcoming departure stops
• choose different route types, such as:
  • fastest
  • most environmentally friendly
  • involves the most activity for exercise
• find the bus stops closest to you and see which routes use them.

Data collection

Like many apps, the bus tracker app collects IP addresses for security and legal reasons.

Mobile app

The free mobile app is compatible with:

• any Apple iOS device with iOS 16 and later
• any Android device with Android 11 and later.

You can download the app below.

Special event bus services operate for some community events such as:

• Bush Bands Bash
• Anzac Day
• Litchfield Rural Show
• Alice Springs Show
• Darwin Show
• Territory Day
• New Year's Eve.

For other special events like Darwin Cup Day, you should contact the event organiser or check their website.

Apply for services

If you're organising a special event and want to apply for transport options, follow these steps:

Step 1. Read the special event buses policy PDF (139.8 KB).

Step 2. Email event details to public.transport@nt.gov.au and call 08 8924 7666 from Monday to Friday 8:30am to 4pm.

There are rules for travelling on a public bus and for behaviour at bus interchanges.

If you don't follow the rules the driver, a transit officer or a security officer may ask you:

• not to board a bus or
• leave a bus.

You could also receive a warning or be banned from using the bus.

Advertising

You can't advertise or promote any function, event or affiliation at any bus interchange or bus stop without the permission of the Department of Logistics and Infrastructure.

This includes any of the following:

• posting any flyers or notices on any walls or other surfaces in or around:
  • buildings
  • bus stops
  • shelters
  • other like structures
• handing out of any such material
• approach another person for the purpose of advertising or promoting an event.

Paid advertising opportunities are now available on the exterior of Darwin public buses. For all advertising enquiries and feedback contact Go Transit by calling 1300 468 726.

Animals

Hearing, guide or assistance dogs are only allowed on buses. All other animals are prohibited.

Baggage

Baggage that cannot be conveniently carried, or that will interfere with the comfort of other passengers are prohibited.

Behaviour

People who are violent, disturbing the peace, likely to cause annoyance to other passengers or damage the bus will be refused travel.

You must behave calmly and politely.

You can find out more about respecting your driver on the Department of Logistics and Infrastructure website.

Bicycles

To travel on buses with a bike, you must be able to store your bike in:

• the luggage rack or
• on the floor in a place that:
  • is not obstructing aisles or exits
  • does not pose a danger or inconvenience to passengers.

Conventional bikes are not allowed on buses.

You can lock your bike in a secure enclosure at selected bus interchanges.

Busking

Busking is not allowed on buses or at any bus stop, shelter or interchange.

Conduct

The following is prohibited:

• the playing of musical instruments or music devices including mobile phones (unless using headphones)
• distributing handbills
• offering articles for sale.

Fireworks

You must be 18 years and over to legally possess, throw, ignite or explode fireworks.

If you are carrying fireworks on a public bus they must be in their original shop packaging.

You cannot carry commercial quantities or individual fireworks on buses.

You can only use fireworks on 1 July between 6pm and 11pm.

It is illegal to keep fireworks in your possession outside of the approved periods.

Unused fireworks must be handed in to NT Worksafe by 12 noon 2 July. You can find information about disposing of fireworks on the NT Worksafe website.

Food and drinks

Eating and drinking (except for water in a resealable container) is prohibited.

Transit officers have the power to search, seize or tip out alcohol on the bus network.

Hygiene

People with soiled clothing or items that may soil the bus or clothing of any passenger will not be allowed on the bus.

Noise

You must not make disruptive or excessive noise that might distract the driver.

This includes playing musical instruments or audio from devices such as mobile phones.

The use of headphones is permitted.

Prams

Children may be left in strollers and prams on public buses.

If there is no appropriate space, the driver may ask that the children be carried and the stroller or pram stowed.

Smoking

Smoking, including the use of electronic cigarettes, is not allowed on buses and at bus stops and interchanges.

Read about smoke-free public transport areas.

Seating

If asked by the driver, seated passengers must give up their seat for a passenger with special needs, like a:

• senior citizen,
• disabled or mobility impaired person,
• pregnant woman
• parent with a small child.

Standing on buses

Passengers are allowed to stand on all public bus routes and on school bus routes where the bus is not fitted with seat belts.

You must not stand on:

• seats
• bus steps
• parts of the bus that aren't for passenger use.

Stopping at bus stops

Bus drivers must stop at all bus stops where they can see a potential passenger at or near the bus stop.

Passengers who are approaching a bus stop should hail or signal to the driver their intention to board.

The driver must stop providing that the bus is able to stop safely and the person is sufficiently close to the bus stop that their boarding will not cause unnecessary delay.

Read the policy for more information.

Stopping at bus stops policy PDF (152.4 KB)
Stopping at bus stops policy DOCX (178.4 KB)

Tickets

All public bus services will continue to be free from 1 July 2025.