How to travel from Alice Springs to Canberra, Australia

The distance between Alice Springs and Canberra is around 2,281km (1,418 miles) and the quickest way to get there is to fly which takes around 4h 30m.

4 routes found

We've found 4 different ways to get from Alice Springs to Canberra by plane, bus, train and car. The recommended routes, which include information on duration, ticket price, and level of difficulty, can be found below.

👋 Also check out CanberraAlice Springs if you're planning a return trip.

🚀 Fastest
1
plane
+

Fly

Fly from Alice Springs (ASP) to Canberra (CBR).

  • Duration4h 30m
  • Flight time3h 50m
  • Typical cost
    A$480($325)
Operated by

Qantas

+ 1 others
💰 Cheapest
2
3 x bus
+

Bus

Take the bus to Adelaide then Albury and then to Canberra.

  • Duration1 day 13h
  • Departsonce daily
  • Typical cost
    A$455($305)
Operated by

Multiple bus operators

3
3 x train
+

Train

Take the train to Adelaide Parklands then Central Station and then to Canberra Station.

  • Duration2 days 7h
  • Departsonce a week
  • Typical cost
    A$990($665)
Operated by

Multiple train operators

4
car
+

Drive

Drive to Canberra.

  • Duration1 day 2h
  • Distance2,566km (1,595 miles)
Get turn-by-turn directions

Frequently asked questionsabout travel between Alice Springs and Canberra

There are several options for getting from Alice Springs to Canberra by plane, bus, train and car. The cheapest option is to take the bus which costs around A$455 ($305) and will take around 1 day 13h. If you need to get there more quickly, you can fly and arrive in approximately 4h 30m, though it is a bit more costly at approximately A$480 ($325).

The distance between Alice Springs and Canberra is around 2,281km (1,418 miles). In a direct line (as the crow flies), the distance is 1,953km (1,214 miles)

It takes around 4h 30m to get from Alice Springs and Canberra by plane. If you are travelling by car it will take around 1 day 2h to drive there.

The quickest way to get from Alice Springs to Canberra is to fly which takes around 4h 30m and will set you back approx A$480 ($325).

The cheapest way to travel between Alice Springs and Canberra, if you exclude driving, is to take the bus which will typically cost around A$455 ($305) for a standard one-way ticket.

Train travel

Yes there is a train service that runs between Alice Springs and Canberra. It typically takes around 2 days 7h and departs once a week.

There are no direct train services that runs from Alice Springs to Canberra. However, you can instead can take several connecting trains with a changeover in Adelaide Parklands and Central Station. These services run once a week and will take a minimum of 2 days 7h.

Great Southern Rail - The Ghan, Great Southern Rail - Indian Pacific and NSW TrainLink run train services between Alice Springs and Canberra. Trains depart once a week and will take around 2 days 7h, however, this may vary depending on the particular service and whether it runs express or stops all stations.

Bus travel

Yes there is a bus that runs regularly from Alice Springs and Canberra. It typically takes around 1 day 13h and departs once daily.

There are no direct bus services that runs from Alice Springs to Canberra. However, you can instead can take several connecting buses with changeovers in Adelaide and Albury. These services run once daily and will take a minimum of 1 day 13h.

Greyhound Australia and V-Line run regular bus services between Alice Springs and Canberra. Buses run once daily and take around 1 day 13h on average but will vary depending on you book with.

Flights and Airlines

Yes you can fly from Alice Springs and Canberra. Flights depart from Alice Springs (ASP) and arrive at Canberra (CBR) - via Sydney (SYD). The flight takes around 3h 50m.

There is no direct flight from Alice Springs to Canberra. There is however a flight that goes via Sydney (SYD). This services will take at least 4h 30m (not including layover time).

The flight from Alice Springs to Canberra typically takes around 3h 50m. Flights depart from Alice Springs (ASP) and and arrive into Canberra (CBR).

The closest major airport to Canberra is Canberra International Airport (CBR) (CBR) which is approximately 8km (5 miles) from Canberra. Moruya Airport (MYA) (MYA) and Wagga Wagga Airport (WGA) (WGA) are also nearby and might be a better alternative airport depending on where you are flying from.

Drive yourself

Yes it is possible to drive from Alice Springs and Canberra. The distance is around 2,566km (1,595 miles) by road and it will take around 1 day 2h in normal traffic conditons.

If you don't have a car, the easiest way to get from Alice Springs to Canberra is to fly which takes, on average, 4h 30m and will usually cost around A$480 ($325).

How do I get from Alice Springs to Canberra

Compare travel optionsbetween Alice Springs and Canberra

Transport options from Alice Springs to Canberra
Transport optionDurationCostFrequencyDistance
Fly
4h 30m
A$480($325)
every 30 mins2,281km (1,418 miles)
Bus
1 day 13h
A$455($305)
once daily2,800km (1,740 miles)
Train
2 days 7h
A$990($665)
once a week3,559km (2,211 miles)
Drive
1 day 2h
A$340($230)
on demand2,566km (1,595 miles)

Top Carriersoperating between Alice Springs and Canberra

Train operators

Airlines

Bus companies

Airports near Canberra

The following major airports near Canberra offer regular flights to various popular destinations within Australia and internationally.

CBR
Canberra International Airport (CBR)
International Airport
Distance
8km (5 miles) from Canberra
MYA
Moruya Airport (MYA)
Domestic Airport
Distance
116km (72 miles) from Canberra
WGA
Wagga Wagga Airport (WGA)
Domestic Airport
Distance
149km (93 miles) from Canberra