About Darwin - Accommodation - Tours and what to do - Transport and car hire - Photos - Map

Getting to and around Darwin

The Ghan will take you from Adelaide and Alice Springs to Darwin

Airport transport

Free pick-up from the airport if you stay at this place....

Wilderness Lodge Backpackers Welcome to the Wilderness Lodge Backpackers. Surrounded by tropical gardens in the heart of the city, Wilderness Lodge is a naturalist’s delight. Our location in Darwin is the ideal spot for you to stay whilst you discover the many attractions of the Top End Such as Kakadu, Katherine and Litchfield National Parks. 24 HOUR CHECK-IN, free airport & bus pick-up (conditions apply), air conditioned double, twin & dormitory rooms, free breakfast and heaps more... Browse availability and book online now

 

Flights to Darwin:

If you are already in Australia then go to our page Cheap Domestic Flights in Australia for a good choice in cheap domestic airfares to Darwin.

 

If you are still in your home country then you will need to get an international flight to Darwin.

 

ZUJI is an online travel agent with offices throughout the Asia Pacific region, offering you a choice of more than 400 airlines and 60,000 hotels, as well as car hire and travel insurance.

Feel more comfortable to book your airfares to Darwin online with a travel business from your own country that you know and trust?

Then choose your home country here:

 

Bicycle

A lot of Australia is not very bike friendly but Darwin has an excellent network of bicycle tracks. If you're from overseas be aware that in Australia it is illegal to ride a bicycle without a helmet!

Bus in Darwin

The Darwin bus service is a pretty good way to get around Darwin, the main base is on Harry Chan Avenue, near the Smith St. mall.

The Tourtub is an open sided bus that will take you around all the sights from 9am till 4pm for a flat fee of $25.- a day. Get on at the Knuckey St. end of the Smith St. mall.

Bus to Darwin

Adventure Tours is an Australian company that can take you across the country in a fun and adventurous way to show you the real Australia. Of course it is quicker to fly to Adelaide, but crossing Australia by road is the only way to fully appreciate its amazing vastness.

18 Day Melbourne to Darwin Safari - Departs from Melbourne and travels via (in alphabetical order) Ayers Rock (Uluru), Alice Springs, Adelaide, Great Ocean Road, Flinders Ranges, Kata Tjuta (The Olgas), Otway Ranges, Coober Pedy, Kings Canyon, Wilpena Pound, Grampians, Bells Beach, Kakadu National Park, Katherine Gorge, Litchfield National Park, Clare Valley, Mary River Wetlands, Ubirr, Jim Jim Falls, Tennent Creek, Halls Gap, Port Augusta, Lorne, Apollo Bay, Yourambulla Caves and Quorn, MacKenzie Falls, Warren Gorge and arrives in Darwin. More info and reservations....

 

7 Day Cairns to Darwin - This 7 day adventure through the outback and the Gulf of Carpenteria includes all the highlights suuch as Atherton Tablelands, Undarra, Karumba, Normanton, Lawn Hill National Park, Hells Gate, Borroloola, Southern Lost City, Roper River, We of the Never Never,- Mataranka Springs and Katherine. More info and reservations....

 

11 Day Broome to Darwin - Departs from Broome and travels via Kununurra, Bungle Bungles, Fitzroy Crossing, Gibb River Road, Halls Creek, El Questro Station, Edith Falls and Katherine Gorge. More info and reservations....

Bus from Darwin

7 Day Darwin to Alice Springs via Uluru - Departs from Darwin and travels via Ayers Rock (Uluru), , Kata Tjuta (The Olgas), Kings Canyon, Kakadu National Park, Katherine Gorge, Litchfield National Park, Mary River Wetlands, Jim Jim Falls and Tennent Creek and arrives in Alice Springs. More info and reservations....

Campervans

A fantastic way to arrive in Darwin, or depart from Darwin, is to do it by campervan, this allows you to really see and appreciate the vastness of the Northern Territory. Driving up to Darwin instead of flying will give you a much better sense of how remote this place really is.
Renting a campervan for your transport also allows you to explore and stay in other Northern Territory highlights, such as Litchfield Park, Kakadu, Katherine Gorge and Ayers Rock / Uluru.

 

See our page Campervan hire in Australia for more useful info and links on renting a camper or RV in Australia

 

Rental car

There is a wide choice of car rental companies where you can book your car or campervan online to be assured of a car on your arrival in Darwin , and most offer one way rentals between major cities. Nothing beats the freedom of having your own car to explore and stop when and where you want.

Budget Car Hire needs little introduction, the name says it all: car hire at Budget Prices with a car hire company with an international reputation, and this sites makes it even easier to find yourself a cheap hire car, or anything else with wheels: trucks,buses, campervans, utes, four wheel drives etc.

 

If you rent a car in Darwin don't park it anywhere near the airport, especially during airforce exercises. This one happened in Berrimah outside a panelbeaters workshop on a Friday evening. At the time Tony Travers was preparing a BBQ for himself at his workplace and residence at # 2 Strath Road, Berrimah ( Datto's Rust Repairs), which unfortunately has gone out of business since then due to all this.
As this was the year 2000 and the Japs had stopped bombing about 55 years ago this was a rather unusual scenario but soon it was revealed that an Australian Airforce plane doing exercises in the 2000 Operation Pitch Black exercise had accidentally dropped the missile during its landing approach to Darwin airport. Though it was not laden with explosives the weight of it and the speed with which it hit was enough to completely destroy the four wheel drive. The wrecked vehicle is still on display outside Berrimah Radiators.

Tony Travers, also known as Datto, next to the rooted Toyota 4WD that was bombed in an airforce blunder in 2000

Taxi

Darwin has, besides the normal taxis, a taxi bus service that will drive you anywhere in and near the city centre, and as far as Fannie Bay, for only $2.- The two companies that run this can be contacted on 89281100 and on 89415358

Normal taxis you can call on 131008, a national number that will get you a taxi in any city.

Train to Darwin

This train ran from Adelaide, S.A. to Alice Springs, N.T. but since end 2003 has been continued another 1420 km. all the way to the top to Darwin. It now stretches nearly 3000 km. and is named the Ghan after the Afghan camel drivers that first opened up the harsh central desert territory thanks to their camels.
The Ghan is a great way to get to Darwin and see the outback in comfort, it departs Adelaide on Fridays and Sundays, the return journey starts in Darwin on Wednesdays.
You can book your Ghan adventure online via Great Rail Journeys:

 

 

About Darwin - Accommodation - Tours and what to do - Transport and car hire - Photos - Map