Alice Springs to Uluru
465 km · about 5.5 hours
The main long drive. Add fuel and rest stops and set off early. Uluru-Kata Tjuta's site also lists rental from Ayers Rock Airport and Yulara, but advises booking a few weeks ahead.
Alice Springs Airport car hire
Alice Springs Airport (ASP) is 17 km from the town centre, and its website lists six hire companies: Thrifty, Enterprise, Hertz, Europcar, Budget and Avis. Uluru is 465 km away, about 5.5 hours without stops, so check the kilometre allowance and your return plan before you book. The Mereenie Loop shortcut to Kings Canyon is gravel and Tourism Central Australia recommends four-wheel drive; it describes a fully sealed alternative via the Stuart Highway, Lasseter Highway and Luritja Road.
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Alice Springs Airport at a glance
- Airport code
- ASP, on Santa Teresa Road
- Distance to town
- About 17 km from the town centre
- Companies listed
- Thrifty, Enterprise, Hertz, Europcar, Budget, Avis
- Terminal hours
- Opens 1.5 hours before the first departure and closes 15 minutes after the last
- Alice Springs to Uluru
- 465 km by road, about 5.5 hours driving directly
- Airport shuttle
- Bus between the airport and the town centre, hotels, motels and hostels
Compare cars at Alice Springs Airport
Prices are shown in Australian dollars. Before you book, open the offer and check where that company's desk or depot is, the bond, and what the agreement says about the roads you plan to drive.
Preparing live car hire search
Collecting your car at Alice Springs Airport
These six companies are the airport's car hire partners. Your confirmation gives the collection point.
| Company | Where |
|---|---|
| Thrifty | Listed by the airport |
| Enterprise | Listed by the airport |
| Hertz | Listed by the airport |
| Europcar | Listed by the airport |
| Budget | Listed by the airport |
| Avis | Listed by the airport |
Collecting the car
- 1
Check your confirmation for the company and pick-up point; the airport's page names six companies but not their positions.
- 2
Note that the terminal opens 1.5 hours before the first departure and close 15 minutes after the last. If your flight lands late, confirm your company's collection hours.
- 3
Ask the counter three things before you sign: is it unlimited kilometres, may the car go on unsealed roads, and can it be returned in Yulara or another city.
- 4
Buy the NT Parks Visitor Pass online if you are going to West MacDonnell or Kings Canyon ($10 for one adult day), and the Uluru pass ($38 for 3 days, adult) before you reach the park.
Returning a car at Alice Springs Airport
- 1
Return to the point on your confirmation. Your company will tell you the return area.
- 2
Public parking is prohibited at the terminal kerbside; if someone is dropping you, the short-term car park gives 10 minutes free with a ticket.
- 3
The airport shuttle runs between the airport and town, and taxis (13 Cabs and Alice Springs Taxis) are available.
Drives from Alice Springs Airport
Distances are approximate and measured along the road.
Alice Springs to Kings Canyon via the Mereenie Loop
about 332 km
Gravel road with a permit (about $5 per vehicle, valid three days) and a recommendation for four-wheel drive vehicles. Limited fuel at Glen Helen, Hermannsburg, Kings Creek Station and Kings Canyon Resort.
Alice Springs to Glen Helen
132 km
The western stretch of the Red Centre Way from Alice Springs. Tourism NT notes a completely sealed loop alternative for 2WD vehicles, and a short unsealed section on the standard route.
Kings Canyon to Uluru
300 km
Links the two parks if you drive the Red Centre Way loop; Tourism NT says to allow at least six days for the Red Centre Way.
Alice Springs to Darwin
about 1,500 km
The Stuart Highway north via Tennant Creek and Katherine.
Guides for trips from Alice Springs Airport
Alice Springs to Kings Canyon sealed roadSealed route from Alice Springs to Kings Canyon via the Stuart Highway, Lasseter Highway and Luritja Road, with Ernest Giles Road and Mereenie Loop notes.Alice Springs to Uluru driveAlice Springs to Uluru is 465 km by road, about 5.5 hours directMereenie Loop permit and hire carsThe Mereenie Loop is unsealed, needs a permit and is recommended for 4WD onlyOutback driving, fuel and distancePlan outback drives around fuel, water, rest stops and road trains, and check the kilometre allowance on your hire agreement before you leave town.Red Centre Way self drive itineraryThe Red Centre Way loop is 1,135 km and needs at least six days by 4WD; a completely sealed 2WD loop is 1,750 kmDriving at Uluṟu and park passesAn Uluṟu park pass is required: adults pay $38 for three days or $50 annually; under-18s enter freeNT park passes for a road tripNT Parks Visitor Pass covers Litchfield and Watarrka, but Kakadu and Uluṟu need separate passesUluru to Kings Canyon DriveDrive about 300 km from Uluru to Kings Canyon on the sealed Lasseter and Luritja highwaysUnsealed roads and hire carsA 4WD does not give a hire car access to every gravel road, beach or trackDarwin to Alice Springs driveDarwin to Alice Springs is almost 1,500 km on the sealed Stuart Highway
Driving around Alice Springs Airport
Mereenie Loop: 4WD recommended
Tourism Central Australia recommends four-wheel drive vehicles and says to confirm your rental vehicle is permitted on unsealed roads. Camping along the loop is not permitted.
Fill up: fuel gaps are long
NT Road Safety says the distances between fuel and water stops can span hundreds of kilometres. On the Mereenie Loop, only Glen Helen, Hermannsburg, Kings Creek Station and Kings Canyon Resort have limited fuel and supplies.
Road trains and stock on the road
Trucks can be nearly 60 m long, and there are wandering animals on the road; take a break every two hours.
Heat and cold
Alice Springs Airport has a January mean maximum of about 36.6 C and a July mean minimum of about 3.9 C, so plan water and clothing for the season you travel in.
Alice Springs Airport car hire questions
Rental terms differ by company. Where an answer depends on your agreement, we say so.
Which car hire companies are at Alice Springs Airport?
The airport's car hire page names Thrifty, Enterprise, Hertz, Europcar, Budget and Avis. Your confirmation shows the counter location and return area.
How far is Alice Springs from Uluru by car?
About 465 km by road, roughly 5.5 hours if you drive straight there without long stops.
Is there unlimited kilometre car hire in Alice Springs?
That depends on the company, so check it in the offer before you book. A return drive to Uluru is roughly 930 km, so check the included kilometres before you book.
Can I hire a car in Alice Springs and drop it at Uluru?
Uluru-Kata Tjuta's site says rentals are available from Ayers Rock Airport, Yulara or Alice Springs, and advises booking a few weeks ahead as Yulara availability is limited. Enter Alice Springs and Ayers Rock as your pick-up and return in the search box to see if it's offered.
Can a hire car drive the Mereenie Loop?
Tourism Central Australia recommends four-wheel drive vehicles on the Mereenie Loop and says to confirm your rental vehicle is permitted on unsealed roads. Whether a specific company allows it is set by your rental agreement.
How do I get from Alice Springs Airport to town without a car?
The airport shuttle bus transfers passengers between the airport and the town centre, hotels, motels and hostels; taxis are also available. The airport is about 17 km from the town centre.
Nearby and often combined
Ayers Rock Airport (Uluru / Yulara)Uluru and Kata Tjuta from YularaDarwin cityLitchfield and Kakadu from the cityAdelaide AirportGateway to the Hills, Barossa and FleurieuNorthern Territory car hireEvery Northern Territory pickup, road rules and seasonsCar hire in AustraliaLicences, tolls and where to fly in, state by state
Compare Alice Springs Airport car hire
Search live prices in Australian dollars, then check the pickup point and conditions on the offer.