The route at a glance
The Alice Springs–Darwin corridor.
Alice Springs to Darwin is one of the great Australian outback coach journeys: 1,500 kilometres straight up the Stuart Highway through the heart of the Northern Territory. Greyhound runs the only scheduled service on the corridor, departing Alice Springs in the late afternoon and arriving in Darwin the following afternoon after stops at Tennant Creek, Daly Waters and Katherine. The journey is two nights on the coach for most through-passengers, who often break it at Tennant Creek or Katherine.
Journey essentials
- Onboard
- Wi-Fi · Toilet · USB charging · Wheelchair access
- Luggage
- 1 × 40kg checked bag
- Overnight option
- Available on this corridor
Compare operators
Who runs this route.
Greyhound Australia
Overnight serviceWi-FiToiletUSB chargingWheelchair accessEco-friendly40kg luggageBookon Greyhound AustraliaFrom$303Services
Depart Arrive Runs 5:30 PM 3:05 PM+1 Mon–Sat
Fares are indicative. Live pricing may vary by date and availability. AusBus earns a small commission on some bookings at no extra cost to you.
Spotted an error or a missing operator on this route? Let us know.
Day bus or night bus?
Choosing your departure.
Board in the evening, sleep through the drive and arrive the next morning, saving a night's accommodation. Overnight services here are run by Greyhound Australia. Bring a neck pillow and layers, as the air-conditioning runs cool.
Travel tips
What to know before you go.
Riding the full corridor in one shot is genuinely tough: 22 hours, two overnights on the coach. Most travellers break it at Katherine (for Nitmiluk Gorge / Katherine Gorge) or Tennant Creek. Greyhound Outback passes are by far the best value if you are doing more than one segment. The Stuart Highway has limited phone coverage between major towns; download offline maps and entertainment before you board. Wet season (November to April) can flood sections of the highway, so build a flexible day into the itinerary if you are travelling then. Window seats on the left-hand side give you the best of the West MacDonnell Ranges as you leave Alice in the late afternoon.
Worth timing your trip for
What's on in Darwin
JulyDarwin, NTDarwin Cup CarnivalJuly racing carnival culminating in Darwin Cup Day, first Monday of August
JulyDarwin, NTDarwin Beer Can RegattaOne Sunday in mid-July
AugustDarwin, NTDarwin Festival18 days in early-to-mid August
Route FAQs
Alice Springs to Darwin, answered.
- About 22 hours through-service, with stops at Tennant Creek, Daly Waters and Katherine. Most travellers break the journey at one of these towns rather than riding straight through.
- Greyhound Australia is the only scheduled operator on this corridor; they run daily services year-round.
- Through-fares start from around $303 one-way. For the full corridor (and Adelaide–Darwin), Greyhound's National Whimit pass starts from $465.
- Most travellers do. Katherine is the gateway to Nitmiluk Gorge and is a sensible halfway-point stop. Greyhound passes let you stop without paying extra.
- Yes, the Stuart Highway is fully sealed and dual-carriageway in some sections. Wet season (November to April) can occasionally close sections south of Katherine due to flooding.
Keep going
Onward from Darwin.
Continuing past Darwin? These coach corridors carry on from your arrival city.
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