Yulara to Uluru
about 20 minutes
A park pass is required (adult $38 for 3 days). Kata Tjuta is about 45 minutes from Yulara.
Ayers Rock Airport car hire
Ayers Rock Airport (AYQ) is in Yulara, a roughly 20-minute drive from Uluru, and has car hire kiosks. Uluru-Kata Tjuta's official page says rentals are available from the airport, Yulara or Alice Springs, and warns to book a few weeks ahead because Yulara availability is limited.
Updated
Ayers Rock Airport (Uluru / Yulara) at a glance
- Airport code
- AYQ, on Coote Road in Yulara
- Distance to Uluru
- About 20 minutes by road from Yulara
- Car hire
- Kiosks at the airport; your booking confirmation names the company
- Book ahead
- Uluru-Kata Tjuta advises booking a few weeks ahead as availability in Yulara is limited
- Uluru park pass
- Adult $38 for 3 days or $50 annual; under-18s free
- Road distance to Alice Springs
- 465 km, about 5.5 hours driving directly
Compare cars at Ayers Rock 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 Ayers Rock Airport
The airport has car hire kiosks, and the company depends on your booking. Your booking confirmation will show the company and collection point.
Collecting the car
- 1
Book well ahead. Uluru-Kata Tjuta says to book a few weeks ahead because availability in Yulara is limited.
- 2
Look for the car hire kiosks at the airport and use your confirmation to identify your company.
- 3
Buy your park pass before or on entry: adults pay $38 for 3 days (or $50 annual) and under-18s are free. Passes can be bought online or at the entry station.
- 4
Ask the counter whether the rental has unlimited kilometres and what the agreement says about unsealed roads, especially if you plan to drive on to Kings Canyon or back to Alice Springs.
Returning a car at Ayers Rock Airport
- 1
Return to the point on your confirmation; check the return hours with your company.
- 2
Contact the airport on 08 8956 2020 if you need details about facilities; the airport's page says the resort offers free return transfers between the airport and Ayers Rock Resort for its guests.
- 3
If you are returning the car in Alice Springs instead, that is 465 km and about 5.5 hours; ask whether a one-way rental is offered.
Drives from Ayers Rock Airport
Distances are approximate and measured along the road.
Uluru to Kings Canyon
300 km
Part of the Red Centre Way; Tourism NT says the route includes a short unsealed section and that a completely sealed loop alternative is available for 2WD vehicles.
Uluru to Alice Springs
465 km · about 5.5 hours
A long single-day drive if you are returning the car in Alice Springs, so plan fuel and rest stops.
Guides for trips from Ayers Rock Airport
Driving at Uluṟu and park passesAn Uluṟu park pass is required: adults pay $38 for three days or $50 annually; under-18s enter freeUluru to Kings Canyon DriveDrive about 300 km from Uluru to Kings Canyon on the sealed Lasseter and Luritja highwaysAlice 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 onlyRed 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 kmNT park passes for a road tripNT Parks Visitor Pass covers Litchfield and Watarrka, but Kakadu and Uluṟu need separate passes
Driving around Ayers Rock Airport
Rental stock is tight
Uluru-Kata Tjuta advises booking a few weeks ahead because rental availability in Yulara is limited, so avoid leaving it until you land.
Long distances between fuel
NT Road Safety says distances between fuel and water stops can span hundreds of kilometres; fill up before you leave Yulara.
Road trains and animals
Trucks can be nearly 60 m long, and animals wander onto roads. Take a break every two hours.
Heat
If you drive on to Alice Springs, its airport has a January mean maximum of about 36.6 C.
Ayers Rock Airport (Uluru / Yulara) car hire questions
Rental terms differ by company. Where an answer depends on your agreement, we say so.
Can you hire a car at Ayers Rock Airport?
Yes. The airport says it has car hire kiosks, and Uluru-Kata Tjuta lists Ayers Rock Airport, Yulara and Alice Springs as places to arrange a rental. It advises booking a few weeks ahead.
How far is Ayers Rock Airport from Uluru?
About a 20-minute drive to Uluru itself; the airport is next to Yulara.
How much is a park pass for Uluru?
Adults pay $38 for 3 days or $50 for an annual pass, and children and teenagers under 18 go free. You can buy online or at the entry station.
Can I hire a car at Uluru and return it in Alice Springs?
Alice Springs is 465 km away, about 5.5 hours; enter Ayers Rock and Alice Springs as your pick-up and return in the search box to check.
Is there unlimited km car hire at Uluru?
It varies by company and rental. If you plan to drive to Alice Springs or Kings Canyon (300 km), check the included kilometres before you book.
Nearby and often combined
Alice Springs AirportRed Centre, West MacDonnells and UluruAdelaide AirportGateway to the Hills, Barossa and FleurieuDarwin cityLitchfield and Kakadu from the cityNorthern Territory car hireEvery Northern Territory pickup, road rules and seasonsCar hire in AustraliaLicences, tolls and where to fly in, state by state
Compare Ayers Rock Airport car hire
Search live prices in Australian dollars, then check the pickup point and conditions on the offer.