Getting Around Tasmania: Hobart Buses, Car Hire, and Everything You Need to Know

Tasmania's transport landscape is fundamentally different from mainland Australia's major cities: the island's relatively small population (570,000 distributed across a large land area), the absence of a rail passenger service (Tasmania's passenger rail services were discontinued in the 1970s and only limited freight rail now operates), and the car-dependent character of Hobart's suburban layout mean that private vehicle travel (car or hire car) is the most practical transport option for most visitors and residents, particularly for exploring the island beyond the Hobart city centre. The Metro Tasmania bus network (the public bus service in Hobart, Launceston, Burnie, and Devonport) provides reasonable coverage of the urban areas, and the Greencard (Tasmania's equivalent of the Opal card) provides tap-on tap-off travel on Metro Tasmania services. However, for visitors wishing to explore Tasmania beyond the Hobart CBD, a hire car is effectively essential.

Metro Tasmania and Hobart City Buses, Metro Tasmania operates the public bus network in Hobart (the most extensive Metro service), Launceston, Burnie, and Devonport. Hobart's bus network connects the CBD (at the Hobart Bus Mall on Elizabeth Street) to the suburban areas and to major destinations including Salamanca Place, Sandy Bay, the Hobart waterfront, and the northern suburbs. The network is adequate for commuting within the Hobart urban area but does not extend to tourist destinations such as MONA (there is a dedicated MONA Ferry service from the Brooke Street Pier), the Tasman Peninsula, or the majority of Tasmania's scenic attractions.

MONA Ferry, the MONA Ferry (the private ferry service from Brooke Street Pier, Hobart waterfront, to the MONA precinct at Berriedale, 15 minutes upstream on the Derwent) is one of Hobart's most enjoyable transport experiences: the ferry operates on days the museum is open, carries approximately 350 passengers, and provides an entertaining and art-saturated experience (the ferry interior itself is designed as an art installation) that complements the museum visit. The MONA Ferry is priced separately from the MONA entry fee.

Car Hire and Self-Drive, Tasmania is best explored by hire car, with all the major international rental companies (Hertz, Avis, Budget, and local operators Redspot and Europcar) operating from the Hobart and Launceston airports. The Spirit of Tasmania ferry (Melbourne to Devonport, overnight crossing) provides an option to bring your own vehicle to the island for longer stays.

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