Multi day tour of Tasmania using Public Transport

Multi-day tour of Tasmania using public transport

Exploring Tasmania without a car is easily possible thanks to the state’s network of public buses and ferries. This suggested itinerary provides a framework for travellers to craft their own multi-day tour of Tasmania using public transport. Along the way, you’ll explore the cultural museums of Hobart, Launceston, Burnie and Devonport, hike through magnificent Freycinet National Park and experience the island’s “Wild West” in Strahan and Queenstown.

This multi-day Tasmania itinerary can be started from any of the major hubs (Hobart, Launceston, Burnie or Devonport), with the flexibility to spend as long in each destination as you desire. If you’re short on time, you can just do a section of the itinerary, based on the attractions that most appeal to your interests. Links to public bus timetables and fare information can be found here to help you plan your journey.

Multi-day tour of Tasmania using public transport from Hobart

Begin your adventure in the Tasmanian capital, Hobart, home to the world-renowned Museum of Old and New Art and historic Battery Point. Wine and dine in the restaurants that occupy the sandstone warehouses of Salamanca, which provide a backdrop to the legendary Salamanca Market. Watching over the city is the towering peak of kunanyi/Mount Wellington where you’ll find countless hiking trails.

When you’re ready to leave Hobart, catch the 3:45 pm (3:00 pm Saturday/Sunday/Public Holidays) 734 bus from the Hobart City, Town Hall Stop D4, which is headed for the Tasman Peninsula. Alight at the Port Arthur General Store (around 5:39 pm or 4:44 pm Saturday/Sunday/Public Holidays) and spend the night in this sleepy town. The following day, visit the UNESCO-listed ruins of the Port Arthur Historic Site, which preserves the remains of a massive penitentiary. Join a guided tour to learn about life here during the 18th and 19th centuries and soak up the spectacular scenery on a harbour cruise.

At 6:11 am (8:00 am Saturday/Sunday/Public Holidays), the 734 bus departs from the Port Arthur General Store for Hobart. Alight at Sorell’s Park and Ride on Station Lane (around 7:20 am or 9:43 am Saturday/Sunday/Public Holidays) for a few hours in this regional hub. As you wait for your bus connection for the East Coast, you can go berry picking at the Sorell Fruit Farm, shop for vintage treasures at the Sorell Antique Centre or go birdwatching at the Orielton Lagoon.

At 3:10 pm (4:40 pm Saturday/Sunday/Public Holidays), be back at the Sorell Park and Ride to catch the 736 bus north to Swansea, arriving around 4:45 pm (6:15 pm Saturday/Sunday/Public Holidays). This pretty seaside village is clustered with historic buildings and offers magnificent views across Great Oyster Bay. Spend the following day at the beach or delve into the past at the local history museum before taking advantage of Swansea’s inviting cafes.

The 737 bus north departs from Swansea’s Victoria Street stop at 6:15 pm, stopping in Bicheno where you’ll change service to the 745 bus to continue to Freycinet National Park. Dominated by the dramatic granite peaks of the Hazards, this protected natural area is traversed by scenic hiking trails, the most popular of which accesses beautiful Wineglass Bay. Spend a day (or few) exploring everything that Freycinet has to offer, from blissful beaches to boat cruises and great wildlife spotting.

From the Freycinet Visitor Centre in Coles Bay, the 744 bus leaves at 7:10 am (3:15 pm Sunday/Public Holidays) for the journey to Launceston (including a change of bus to the 740 service in St. Marys). You’ll arrive at the Launceston Transit Centre around 10:45 am (6:10 pm Sunday/Public Holidays). Serving as Tasmania’s northern hub, Launceston boasts beautiful colonial buildings and magnolia-fringed parks, as well as several fine museums. Don’t miss the Queen Victoria Museum and its sister Art Gallery or a ride on the chairlift that spans Cataract Gorge.

When you’re ready to leave, catch the 9:05 am (1:00 pm Saturday/Sunday/Public Holidays) 705 bus from the Launceston Transit Centre to Deloraine. Centred around a National Trust-listed streetscape, this pretty riverfront town is worthy of a day’s exploration, with elegant Georgian and Victorian buildings. Galleries, craft shops and antique stores line its streets and the town hosts Australia's biggest working craft fair each November.

At 9:50 am (1:50 pm Saturday/Sunday/Public Holidays), the 705 bus departs from the corner of Emu Bay Road and Church Street in Deloraine for Devonport. Not only is this coastal city the arrival point of the Spirit of Tasmania, but it’s home to the engaging Bass Strait Maritime Centre. Discover Tasmania’s seafaring past before admiring the artworks on display at the Devonport Regional Gallery. You can ride the heritage Don River Railway, admire the Mersey Bluff Lighthouse or learn about Tasmania’s indigenous history at the Tiagarra Aboriginal Cultural Centre.

Once you’ve had your fill, depart on the 11:00 am (3:00 pm Saturday/Sunday/Public Holidays) 705 bus from Devonport for Burnie, a former industrial centre that is now emerging as a creative hub. Get hands on at the Maker’s Workshop or hop between artist studios while admiring Burnie’s fine Federation and Art Deco buildings. At the Little Penguin Observation Centre, you can watch these adorable birds waddling to shore at dusk.

At 3:00 pm (4:15 pm Saturday or 6:00 pm Sunday/Public Holidays), the 747 bus departs from outside the Advocate on Mount Street for the 3.5-hour journey from Burnie to Strahan. Serving as a gateway to Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park, this charming harbour-side village is the launching point for cruises along the Gordon River. Marvel at the old-growth forests that line its banks and learn about the area’s historic logging settlements before visiting the notorious penal settlement of Sarah Island.

From Strahan, ride the West Coast Wilderness Railway to Queenstown through Tasmania’s World Heritage-listed Southwest Wilderness to the historic mining community of Queenstown. You can join a tour to see the early settlement of Lynchford and its 19th-century mine relics or try your hand at chipping for copper ore at Mount Jukes. Take time to admire the atmospheric old buildings that cluster in Queenstown’s centre and see the immense open-cut mine from the Ironblow Lookout.

At 9:15 am, depart from Queenstown on the West Coast Link to Hobart (NB: This service only runs on Tuesday and Friday). Alight at New Norfolk at 1:40 pm and spend the next 24 hours exploring this attractive town. Centred around a traditional village green, it is home to the oldest Anglican church in Australia, St. Matthews, and the legendary Bush Inn, which has been serving drinks since 1825. You can shop for antiques at Willow Court, which occupies what was one of the largest asylums in the Southern Hemisphere, then splurge with a meal at the acclaimed Agrarian Kitchen.

Around 4:20 pm, the X22 bus (722 bus Saturday/Sunday/Public Holidays) departs from the corner of Benjamin Terrace and Phillips Avenue in New Norfolk for the journey to Hobart, arriving around 5:45 pm.

Please note that bus timetables are subject to change, so check current services closer to your departure date. When planning your itinerary, keep in mind that the West Coast Link bus from Queenstown to Hobart only operates on Tuesday and Friday.