At a glance
- Buses to the city
- J1 and J2, both O-Bahn services that pass through the city centre
- Where to board
- Stop 10 Adelaide Airport, at the front of the terminal
- Regular fare
- $4.75 peak, $2.70 off-peak, valid for two hours
- How to pay
- Tap and Pay on board, a metroCARD, or the Buy & Go app
- metroCARD machine
- At Stop 10; takes coins, notes and eftpos
- Not to the city
- J7 and J8 serve the south-western and north-western suburbs only
- Taxi fee
- $4.50 added to fares leaving the airport
- Help
- Adelaide Metro 1300 311 108, 7:00am to 8:00pm daily
The public transport route from Adelaide Airport to the city is the J1 or J2 bus from Stop 10, at the front of the terminal. Adelaide Metro says both buses pass through the Adelaide city centre, and a regular fare is $4.75 at peak times or $2.70 off-peak, as of 18 October 2026.
Adelaide Metro says there is no SkyBus in Adelaide. Adelaide Metro’s airport bus page points visitors to the J1 and J2 for the city and to the J7 and J8 for the suburbs. This guide covers which bus to pick, what it costs, how to pay and what to do if you would rather take a taxi or rideshare.
Which bus goes from Adelaide Airport to the city?
Two routes do. Both are listed by Adelaide Metro as O-Bahn services, and both run through the city before they continue through Klemzig, Paradise, Tea Tree Plaza and Golden Grove.
| Route | Runs between | Via |
|---|---|---|
| J1 | Elizabeth Interchange and Glenelg, through Adelaide Airport and Harbour Town | Lyell McEwin Hospital, Golden Grove, Tea Tree Plaza, Paradise, Klemzig, the city, Sir Donald Bradman Drive |
| J2 | Greenwith and Harbour Town, through Adelaide Airport | Golden Grove, Tea Tree Plaza, Paradise, Klemzig, the city, Sir Donald Bradman Drive |
The J1 timetable on its route page lists city stops on Grenfell Street and Currie Street, so those are the streets to look for when you head back to the airport from the centre. On the airport side, the stops on Sir Donald Bradman Drive are on the same route.
Where do I catch the bus at the airport?
Stop 10 Adelaide Airport is at the front of the terminal, according to Adelaide Metro. This is where the bus services leave from, and it is also where the bus shelter has a metroCARD vending machine.
Adelaide Metro has closed Stop 9A on Hamra Drive, south side, at Adelaide Airport each night from 7:00pm to 6:00am, Monday 12 October to Friday 23 October 2026, for essential service works. It affects the J1, J1A, J2 and J2G. The notice advises passengers to use Stop 8A on Sir Donald Bradman Drive, on both sides, during those hours. The notice does not mention Stop 10, so check the signs at the terminal and the live details in the journey planner if you arrive in the evening.
How much is the bus fare, and when is it peak?
Adelaide Metro fares are the same on buses, trains and trams, and each fare allows two hours of travel for any distance. New fares took effect on Thursday 1 October 2026, an increase of about 3.3 per cent, in line with the consumer price index. The figures below come from the Adelaide Metro fares page.
| Ticket | Peak | Off-peak |
|---|---|---|
| Regular metroCARD | $4.75 | $2.70 |
| Tap and Pay | $4.75 | $2.70 |
| Buy & Go Singletrip | $4.75 | $2.70 |
| Singletrip (paper) | $6.80 | $4.50 |
| Concession metroCARD | $2.35 | $1.35 |
| Student metroCARD | $1.65 | $1.35 |
A Daytrip is $12.90 and a 3-Day Visitor Pass is $29.90, both for unlimited travel on buses, trains and trams. Adelaide Metro says a card fee may apply if you need a Daytrip or Singletrip and you do not already have a metroCARD. Seniors Card holders can still travel for free on public transport.
Adelaide Metro describes the Daytrip as unlimited travel for a full day and the 3-Day Visitor Pass as unlimited travel over 3 days. Either can be loaded onto a metroCARD or bought through the Buy & Go app, so they suit visitors who plan to ride several times.
Peak and off-peak depend on the day and the time:
- Peak: before 9:00am and from 3:00pm Monday to Friday, all day Saturday, and services until 4:00am on Sunday, which count as Saturday services.
- Off-peak: 9:01am to 2:59pm Monday to Friday, 4:00am to midnight on Sunday, and all day on public holidays.
A flight that lands at 10:30am on a weekday therefore lets you ride at the $2.70 rate, while a 5:00pm arrival costs $4.75.
How do I pay on the bus?
- Tap and Pay: use a Visa, Mastercard or American Express credit or debit card, or an enabled phone or device, on the bus validator. Adelaide Metro says it is available on all buses.
- metroCARD: buy and recharge one at the vending machine at the bus shelter at Stop 10. The machine takes coins, notes and eftpos.
- Buy & Go app: use QR code tickets from the Adelaide Metro Buy & Go app.
All Adelaide Metro buses have smart validators for these options.
Do the J7 and J8 go to the city?
No. Adelaide Metro says the J7 and J8 connect the south-western and north-western suburbs, between West Lakes and Marion, and do not go into the city. They are useful if you are staying in one of those suburbs, but for the city centre choose the J1 or J2.
Have the timetables changed recently?
Yes. Adelaide Metro updated 68 bus timetables from Monday 12 October 2026, and its disruptions list names the J1, J1A, J1G, J1T, J2, J2G, J7, J7M and J8 among the affected routes. The PDF timetables linked from the airport bus page are archived files dated 2024, so use the dated timetable on each route page, or the journey planner, to find your departure.
What about taxis and rideshare?
Adelaide Airport says taxis are available during terminal opening hours, 3:15am to 11:30pm daily. After you leave the terminal, turn left in the pedestrian plaza and follow the signs for the Taxi Rank.
Rideshare services such as Uber, Ola and DiDi pick up in a designated area to the left of the Terminal Car Park. Follow the rideshare signs through the plaza, cross at the pedestrian lights into the car park, and the pick-up zone is on your left.
A $4.50 service fee is added to all taxi and rideshare fares leaving the airport, of which $4.00 goes to Adelaide Airport and $0.50 to State Government industry reform initiatives.
Is there a free bus in the city?
Once you reach the centre, Adelaide Metro runs free city connector buses, routes 98A, 98C, 99A and 99C, within the city and North Adelaide. Trams are free in the CBD and between selected stops in Glenelg. The airport buses themselves are not free.
Quick plan
- Walk to Stop 10 at the front of the terminal.
- Board a J1 or J2 and tap on with a card or phone, or buy a metroCARD from the machine first.
- Check whether you are travelling at peak or off-peak, as the fare is $4.75 or $2.70.
- Get off in the city; the J1 timetable shows stops on Grenfell Street and Currie Street.
- For the latest times, use the route page or the journey planner, and call Adelaide Metro on 1300 311 108 between 7:00am and 8:00pm if you need help.
Sources
- Adelaide Metro — Adelaide Airport bus (checked 18 October 2026)
- Adelaide Metro — Fares (checked 18 October 2026)
- Adelaide Metro — Public transport fares are changing this October (11 September 2026)
- Adelaide Metro — Route J1 and Route J2
- Adelaide Metro — Stop closure, Stop 9A Hamra Drive, Adelaide Airport (checked 19 October 2026)
- Adelaide Metro — Disruptions and news (timetable changes from 12 October 2026)
- Adelaide Airport — Departing by taxi, rideshare or chauffeur
Featured image: Bus Stop, Adelaide Airport (photo: Doug butler / CC BY-SA 4.0) (text added)
OZ Local Updates is an independent local guide and is not affiliated with Adelaide Metro or Adelaide Airport. Fares, routes and timetables can change; check the official pages above before you travel.