Adelaide to Barossa Valley: the five ways to get there

Whether you’re cruising down a scenic route, hitching a bus ride, soaring through the skies, or using your mightiest pedal power, the journey from Adelaide to the Barossa Valley is worth every effort

Situated just over 75 kilometres north-east of Adelaide Airport, the magnificent Barossa Valley is bursting with some of the world’s best wineries, cellar doors and foodie experiences. And the good news is there are several ways to make the trip up there. Just one to one-and-a-half hours via car, and far less than that if you’re hopping on a light plane or helicopter, the journey from Adelaide to the Barossa Valley is rarely complicated.

Driving to the Barossa Valley from Adelaide

Got your own set of wheels? The most direct route from Adelaide to the Barossa Valley is via the Northern Connector, which will get you to Tanunda, central Barossa, and home to plenty of restaurants and shops, in around one hour.

If you want the most direct route, driving is your answer. (Image: South Australian Tourism Commission)

You can also get to Tanunda via Main North Road, which will take you through Lyndoch, home to some of the finest luxury accommodations in the Barossa Valley, before arriving in Tanunda. This route takes about one-and-a-half hours.

If you’re longing for scenery, get onto North East Road from Adelaide Airport and meander through Tea Tree Gully, Chain of Ponds and Williamstown before venturing into the Barossa Valley from the south. It’s another one-and-a-half-hour journey.

There are some good scenic drives on the way to the Barossa. (Image: South Australian Tourism Commission)

Public transport

If you couldn’t manage a car, splitting a taxi from Adelaide Airport to the Barossa Valley between a group won’t set you back as much as you might think. Clocking in somewhere between $150 to $200, it’s obviously as direct a journey as going in your own vehicle.

More affordable, however, is the Adelaide Metro railway service. Catch a one-hour train from Adelaide Railway Station, right in the middle of Adelaide’s CBD, to Gawler Central before transferring to the Barossa via a local LinkSA bus. The 810 bus travels from Gawler Central to Nuriootpa, a top-notch destination for the region’s best winery experiences, via Lyndoch and Tanunda.

Although train and bus services run daily, the journey from Adelaide to the Barossa Valley via public transport is probably the trickiest way to go about things, so check all schedules via their websites just prior to departure day to ensure you’re on track.

Hopping on a train to the Barossa is the most affordable option. (Image: South Australian Tourism Commission)

By air

Getting to Adelaide from anywhere in Australia is easy given Adelaide Airport is serviced regularly with direct flights from cities right across the country. Fly in from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Hobart and more by checking the website of your preferred airline for flights. Once you’ve arrived at Adelaide Airport, you can choose from a range of public transport options, in addition to tackling the approximate one-hour journey in your own vehicle or hire car. You’ll find more information on all domestic and international routes, plus regional and charter services, on Adelaide Airport’s website.

In the mood for something special? You can also travel via light plane to Parafield Airport, located 45 minutes south of the Barossa Valley and 18 kilometres north of central Adelaide. But if it’s the most luxurious of experiences you’re after, Australia by Air offers private chartered Barossa helicopters. And while we’re talking choppers, don’t miss a spin with Barossa Helicopters, who offer a range of food and wine experiences once you’re in wine country.

There’s no better way to see the Barossa than from above. (Image: Dragan Radocaj)

Tours

Explore the best of the region with your own personal tour guide thanks to a range of brilliant tours that travel from Adelaide to the Barossa Valley. Adelaide Sightseeing is a reliable, highly rated option, offering full-day tours from the CBD to some of the region’s most well-known and best-loved wineries.

There’s also Barossa Unique Tours, which provides trips to and from Adelaide in a fleet of classic wheels; a 1966 Ford Mustang convertible, a Jaguar XF and a motorcycle trike. Barossa Taste Sensations dial the festivities up a notch with their ‘Multi-Day Food and Wine Tour’ of the region. You’ll need to book your own overnight accommodation, but these smooth operators are the ones to know if you’re looking for Barossa’s finest indulgences.

See the region’s best wineries through a tour. (Image: Michael Waterhouse Photography)

Bike

Work for your supper by making your way from Adelaide to the Barossa Valley on a bike. Offering the ultimate scenic route, hopping on two wheels is one of the greatest things to do in this neck of the woods, with various routes winding their way from central Adelaide to wine territory.

If you fancy a challenge, make your way from Adelaide to the Barossa Valley on a bike. (Image: South Australian Tourism Commission)

Jump on a train from Adelaide Railway Station in the CBD to Gawler and get on the 40-kilometre, car-free Barossa Trail to Angaston, offering stops in Tanunda and Nuriootpa. You’ll cover some of the region’s best wineries, plus a range of historical sites. There are also various rides from Adelaide along Gorge Road to Williamstown, plus another one along Lower North East Road that links up to Chain of Ponds Road. The South Australian Government offers all the details you’ll need via their ‘Cycle Instead’ initiative.

The ‘Cycle Instead’ initiative will have you working up a sweat. (Image: South Australian Tourism Commission)

Find more experiences, accommodation, eating and entertainment options in our Barossa Valley travel guide.