Hobart 24-Hour Hop-on Hop-off Bus Ticket
- Duration24 hours from first boarding; a full loop of the route takes about 90 minutes
- Open onDaily, departures every hour from 09:00 to 15:00
- Meeting pointBus stop at 20 Davey Street on the Hobart waterfront, next to the visitor information centre; show your ticket to the driver when boarding
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Overview
The Hobart hop-on hop-off bus ticket is the easiest way to see Tasmania's capital at your own pace. An open-top sightseeing bus follows a 90-minute loop of 20 stops linking the waterfront and Salamanca Place with Battery Point, Sandy Bay, the Cascades valley, North Hobart and the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens, with GPS-triggered commentary in eight languages. Ride the whole loop once for an overview, or hop off wherever you like and catch a later bus; the ticket stays valid for 24 hours from first boarding, so an afternoon start carries over to the next morning. It is a shared, self-guided ticket with no hotel pickup, ideal for cruise passengers, families and anyone with a day or two in Hobart who wants the main sights without parking or planning.
Highlights
- 24-hour ticket on the official open-top sightseeing bus loop of Hobart
- 20 stops including Salamanca Place, Battery Point, Sandy Bay and the Botanical Gardens
- Full loop takes about 90 minutes with buses through the day
- GPS audio commentary in English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin and Spanish
- Printed sightseeing guide to Hobart and free Wi-Fi on board
- Wheelchair-accessible buses
- Starts beside the visitor information centre on the Hobart waterfront
- Ticket validity carries over to the next day if you board in the afternoon
Full Description
Hobart waterfront, Constitution Dock and Salamanca Place
The loop starts at the bus stop on Davey Street beside the visitor information centre, a few steps from the water. This is the historic heart of Hobart: Constitution Dock, where fishing boats and the famous yacht race finishers tie up, the sandstone warehouses of Hunter Street, and Franklin Wharf with its ferries and floating fish punts. The Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery stands a block back, free to enter and a good first stop if you want the island's story in an hour.
A short ride along the water brings you to Salamanca Place, a row of 1830s sandstone warehouses now filled with galleries, cafés and craft shops, and on Saturday mornings the site of the island's best-known open-air market. Most people searching for things to do in Hobart start here, and the Hobart sightseeing bus makes it simple: hop off, browse for an hour or two, and rejoin the next loop from the same stop.
Battery Point and Sandy Bay
Behind Salamanca the bus climbs into Battery Point, Hobart's oldest residential neighbourhood, named for the gun battery that guarded the harbour in 1818. Its lanes of Georgian cottages, the village green of Arthur Circus and the view from Princes Park over the Derwent make it the most photogenic quarter of the city, and the stop lets you explore on foot before continuing. The Kelly Steps, cut into the cliff in 1839, are the short cut back down to Salamanca if you prefer to walk.
Further south the route runs through Sandy Bay, a leafy suburb along the river with the university campus, the marina and a long foreshore where locals walk in the evening. From the open top deck the views back across the Derwent to the eastern shore and up to the summit of kunanyi, Mount Wellington, explain why Hobart is considered one of the most beautifully set cities in Australia.
South Hobart and the Cascades valley
The bus then swings inland and up the Hobart Rivulet valley to South Hobart and the Cascades, the green fold of land beneath the mountain where the city's earliest industries drew water from the stream. The most important stop here is the Cascades Female Factory Historic Site, the convict workhouse where thousands of women transported to Van Diemen's Land were held between 1828 and 1856. It is part of the Australian Convict Sites inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list, and the yards and interpretive displays take about an hour to see.
This part of the loop also passes the start of the walking tracks into Wellington Park and gives the closest view of the mountain's dolerite cliffs, the Organ Pipes, from the city side. If you only have time to hop off twice, Salamanca and the Cascades are the two stops that show both faces of Hobart: the busy harbour and the convict past.
North Hobart, the Queens Domain and the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens
Returning towards the centre the route passes through North Hobart, the city's dining strip along Elizabeth Street, and then skirts the Queens Domain, a large hilltop parkland with the Cenotaph and views over the Tasman Bridge. The final highlight before the loop closes is the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens, established in 1818 and the second-oldest botanical gardens in Australia. Its heated conservatory, Japanese garden, historic walls and the only Subantarctic Plant House in the world justify a stop of at least an hour.
From the gardens the bus runs back along the Derwent past the regatta grounds to the waterfront, completing the circuit. Many visitors ask whether a Hobart bus tour is worth it for a compact city, and the honest answer is that the hills are steep and the sights are spread out; the loop saves your legs and the commentary adds the history, while the 24-hour validity means you can split the stops over two days.
Itinerary
- Board at Davey Street, Hobart waterfrontShow your ticket to the driver at the stop beside the visitor information centre; buses leave roughly hourly between 09:00 and 15:00 and your 24 hours start at first boarding.
- Salamanca Place and Battery PointHop off for the sandstone warehouses, galleries and the Saturday market, or stay on as the bus climbs into the Georgian lanes of Battery Point.
- Sandy Bay foreshoreRide along the river suburb with views across the Derwent and up to the mountain; a stop near the marina if you want a waterside walk.
- South Hobart and the CascadesThe route heads up the rivulet valley to the Cascades Female Factory Historic Site and the foot of kunanyi, Mount Wellington.
- North Hobart and the Queens DomainPass the Elizabeth Street dining strip and the hilltop parkland with the Cenotaph and views to the Tasman Bridge.
- Royal Tasmanian Botanical GardensHop off for the conservatory, the Japanese garden and the Subantarctic Plant House; allow about an hour.
- Return to the waterfrontThe bus completes the 90-minute loop back at Davey Street; rejoin any later bus within your 24 hours to repeat stops or finish the circuit the next morning.
What's included
- 24-hour hop-on hop-off bus ticket
- Open-top sightseeing bus loop of 20 stops around Hobart
- GPS audio commentary in English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin and Spanish
- Printed sightseeing guide to Hobart
- Free Wi-Fi on board
- Wheelchair-accessible buses
Not included
- Entry to attractions along the route
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Food and drinks
Is this right for you?
Great for
- First-time visitors who want the highlights
Think twice if
- You prefer short outings — this takes 1 days
Meeting point
The loop starts and ends at the bus stop at 20 Davey Street on the Hobart waterfront, next to the visitor information centre and a short walk from Salamanca Place and the cruise ship berth. There is no hotel pickup; simply arrive a few minutes before the departure you want, show your ticket to the driver and board. You can also join the bus at any of the other stops on the loop once your ticket is active.
Important information
- Your ticket is valid for 24 hours from the moment you first board, not from the date of purchase, so you can use it across two days.
- Buses run through the day with departures from the waterfront roughly every hour from 09:00 to 15:00; check the timetable at the stop for the last loop.
- Entry fees to attractions along the route, such as the Cascades Female Factory, are not included.
- The top deck is open: bring a hat and sunscreen in summer and a warm jacket at any time of year, as Hobart weather changes quickly.
- Headphones are provided for the GPS commentary; bring your own if you prefer.
- Buses are wheelchair-accessible; let us know in advance if you need the ramp so the driver is ready.
- Children aged 6 to 16 travel on a child ticket; younger children ride free on a parent's lap.
- Keep your printed sightseeing guide: it has the stop map and the walking links between stops.
Good to know
Frequently Asked Questions
Straight answers to what travellers ask us most, before they book.
Is this a shared or a private experience?
It is a shared sightseeing bus that runs on a fixed loop; you ride with other passengers and explore each stop on your own.
How long does the Hobart hop-on hop-off loop take?
The full circuit takes about 90 minutes if you stay on board. Your ticket is valid for 24 hours, so you can hop off as many times as you like.
Is hotel pickup included?
No. The bus starts at Davey Street on the waterfront, and you can board at any of the 20 stops once your ticket is active.
What is included?
The 24-hour bus ticket, GPS audio commentary in eight languages, a printed sightseeing guide to Hobart and free Wi-Fi on board. Entry to attractions is not included.
Is the price per person or per group?
Per person, with a child ticket for ages 6 to 16. The booking panel on this page shows the current price of each option.
Which stops are on the Hobart sightseeing bus route?
The loop links the waterfront, Salamanca Place, Battery Point, Sandy Bay, South Hobart and the Cascades, North Hobart, the Queens Domain and the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens, with 20 stops in total.
Is it suitable for children and people with reduced mobility?
Yes. The buses are wheelchair-accessible, and children enjoy the open top deck. Some stops, such as Battery Point, involve steep streets if you get off to walk.
What should I bring?
A hat, sunscreen, a warm layer, a camera and comfortable shoes for the stops where you hop off.
What is the best time to use the ticket?
Start in the morning to fit in the most stops; a Saturday start lets you combine the loop with the Salamanca market. If you board in the afternoon, your 24 hours carry over to the next morning.
What happens in bad weather?
The buses run in all weather; the lower deck is enclosed, so you can move downstairs if it rains or blows.
Is the Hobart hop-on hop-off bus worth it?
For a first day in Hobart, yes: the city is hilly and the sights are spread between the harbour, the Cascades and the gardens, so the loop saves time and adds commentary you would otherwise miss.
How do I book and confirm?
Pick your date and the number of tickets in the booking panel and send the request; our team confirms on WhatsApp within minutes and sends the ticket to show the driver.
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