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Adelaide sits on the eastern shore of Gulf St Vincent, in the far south of South Australia. The streets of Adelaide's central business district follow a grid pattern, which makes it very easy for visitors to find their way around. Victoria Sq sits in the centre of the grid, and the main street, King William, runs through it. Although not the geographical centre of town, Rundle Mall is the shopping centre of the city, with the big department stores - Rundle St's eastern end has some of the city centre's best dining and boutique shopping. North Tce, running parallel to Rundle St, is the city's cultural centre, a grand boulevard lined with a gallery, museum, state library and university. The River Torrens separates the city centre from North Adelaide, and a green belt of parkland surrounds both areas.
Adelaide airport is about 8km (5mi) west of the city centre, the interstate train terminal is just southwest of the city centre in the suburb of Keswick, and interstate buses arrive at Central, almost smack in the middle of town. Most hostels are in the southeastern corner of the city centre; Hindley St in the city has mid-range options, North Tce has the top-end hotels. Rundle St, Hindley St and North Tce are the main food centres.
Getting There
International flights arrive in Adelaide from all over the world, many of them flying directly to the city. Adelaide is a long way from Australia's other capitals, so flying is often the best option. Australian airlines fly into Adelaide from every other capital city, although you may have to make a stopover if you're coming from Brisbane or Sydney. An airport bus runs from the airport to the city centre - the bus also calls in at the interstate train station if pre-booked.
Bus travel is cheaper than flying, but be prepared for a long haul. Services run to all major cities - you can go with one of the major lines and do the quick-but-dull trip, or take a smaller bus and meander around a bit. Buses also run to Alice Springs and to regional centres in South Australia. Interstate trains run from Adelaide to Alice Springs, Perth, Darwin, Melbourne and Sydney.
Getting Around
Adelaide has an integrated local transport system that includes metropolitan buses and trains, as well as the tram that operates between the city centre and Glenelg, and the O-Bahn busway which runs on concrete tracks between the city centre and the Tea Tree Plaza shopping centre. The airport is 8km (5mi) west of the city and is serviced by an airport bus. Adelaide is a relatively cyclist-friendly city, with good cycling tracks and bicycle lanes on many city streets.
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