Public transport in Canberra is provided by numerous bus routes and a single main tram line.

All services are operated by Transport Canberra, and the same tickets are valid on all routes.

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Tickets and fares

All paper and plastic tickets have been phased out in Canberra, and all fares are paid contactless.

• Using your own payment card
• Via the MyWay+ mobile app (Google Play / App Store)

Although the official website still mentions the option to buy plastic and paper tickets, this option is no longer available in practice.

Prices

Fare prices are as follows:

• 9,89 aud – all-day ticket on weekdays (‘daily cap’)
• 6,05 aud – all-day ticket at weekends and on public holidays (“daily cap”)
• 2,63 aud – 90-minute single ticket, Off-Peak (all day at weekends, on weekdays between 9.00 and 16.30 and between 18.00 and the end of daily services)
• 3,32 aud – a 90-minute single-journey ticket, Peak (on weekdays before 9.00 and between 16.30 and 18.00)
• Current price list:transport.act.gov.au/fares

How to pay your fare

The easiest way to pay your fare is with your own contactless card or via the mobile app; however, you’ll need to activate a virtual MyWay card within the app, which makes this method more complicated for tourists.

You pay your fare by tapping your physical card or mobile phone/smartwatch against the validator inside the bus immediately after boarding and just before alighting.

In Canberra, therefore, the so-called Tap on - Tap off.

When travelling by tram, validators are only located on the platforms, so you need to tap your card before boarding the tram and again after alighting.

Official information can be found on the websitetransport.act.gov.au/tickets-and-myway.

Buses

Tourists mainly use the bus service, but even this does not serve all tourist attractions.

Generally speaking, public transport routes in Canberra are designed primarily for local residents and mainly serve residential areas.

The central interchange for most routes is called City Interchange and is situated right in the city centre; see its location on the map.

Novotel Canberra – near the station

Useful bus routes

Tourists most often use these tram routes. Click on the route number to view the timetable and map:

• R3 – connects the city centre, Anzac Parade, the National Carillon and Canberra Airport
• R4, R5, R7, R10– connect the city centre with the New Parliament House
• R2, R6 – connect the city centre with the area around the National Gallery and the Old Parliament House
• R2– connects the city centre with the railway station
• R3, 56, 59 – connect the city centre withAnzac Parade
• 54 – connects the city centre with the Australian War Memorial
• 53 – connects the city centre with the National Museum

Timetables and operating hours

Individual routes usually run from 5.30 am to 10.30 pm on weekdays and Saturdays, and from 7.30 am on Sundays.

The frequency of the main routes marked with the letter R is usually 10–20 minutes on weekdays and 30 minutes at weekends.

Other routes usually run once every 30–60 minutes.

Full details of the timetables can be found on the websitetransport.act.gov.au/routes-by-number.

How do I pay the fare?

You can board and alight through any door. There is a validator by each door; simply tap your contactless card, mobile phone or smartwatch against it when boarding and alighting.

Stops on request

All bus stops are on request.

If you are standing at a stop, wave to the approaching bus to get it to stop.

If you wish to alight, press the red ‘stop’ button.

Trams

Canberra has one tram route, which runs from the city centre (Alinga Street) to the northern suburb of Gunaghlin; it is not currently of any use to tourists.

The tram is marked as the R1 line on maps.

Work is currently underway to extend the tram line from the city centre across the bridge to the parliamentary precinct; it is expected to be completed in 2027.

Timetables and operating hours

Individual routes usually run from 6.00 am to 11.30 pm on weekdays and Saturdays, and from 7.00 am on Sundays.

Services run every 5–10 minutes on weekdays, and every 15 minutes in the evenings and at weekends.

Full details of the timetables can be found on the websitecmet.com.au/frequency-guide.

How do I pay the fare?

You must tap your card on the validator at the tram stop before boarding.

When you alight at your stop, tap your card on the same validator again. There are no card readers inside the tram.

Taxi / Uber

Taxis and the Uber app are very popular with tourists, as many places of interest are simply inaccessible by public transport, for example:

• Botanical Gardens
• National Arboretum
• Black Mountain
• Mount Ainslie

Taxis are readily available in the city centre, where there are several taxi ranks. You can always pay by card, and fares are always charged strictly according to the meter.

A cheaper and more convenient option is the Uber app, which has very good coverage in Canberra and you’ll usually wait no longer than 10 minutes for a car.

Shared scooters

Canberra is a flat city with wide streets, pavements and cycle paths, making it ideal for cycling or riding an e-scooter.

Neuron, currently the largest shared mobility operator, mainly provides scooters, which can be found throughout the city.

Before setting off, please read the rules for using scooters on the city’s official website:transport.act.gov.au/e-scooters.

To use the scooters, you must download the Neuron mobile app and register on it.

• 1 aud – unlocking a scooter
• 0,38 aud – 1-minute ride