Adelaide to Darwin drive
Adelaide to Darwin is about 3,030 km on the sealed Stuart Highway, roughly 1,530 km to Alice Springs and 1,500 km on to Darwin. Allow about 14 to 18 hours of driving to reach Alice Springs alone, and Northern Territory Tourism recommends at least 14 days for the full Explorers Way with Uluru. Fuel is only every 200 to 300 km, and the Territory advises a 15 minute break every two hours.
Updated
Key facts
- Total distance
- About 3,030 km from Adelaide to Darwin (846 km to Coober Pedy, 685 km on to Alice Springs, then 1,498 km to Darwin)
- Drive time to Alice Springs
- About 8 to 10 hours from Adelaide to Coober Pedy, then 6 to 8 hours on to Alice Springs
- Itinerary distance
- The 17-day Adelaide to Darwin plan, which includes the Uluru and Kings Canyon detour, covers 2,943 km
- Alice Springs to Darwin
- 1,498 km in five legs: 508 km, 400 km, 167 km, 106 km and 317 km
- Adelaide to Coober Pedy
- 846 km
- Recommended time
- The Explorers Way is recommended over a minimum of 14 days, on a sealed highway
- Fuel spacing
- Fuel is available every 200 to 300 km on the Stuart Highway, with 10 or more fuel stops
- Northern Territory speed limits
- The default outside built-up areas is 110 km/h; some Stuart Highway sections are signed up to 130 km/h
- Rest breaks
- Stop for 15 minutes every two hours of driving
- Water
- Carry 4 to 6 litres of water per person per day; if you break down, stay with the vehicle
- EV charging gap
- Gaps between charging points can exceed 400 km, particularly between Coober Pedy and Erldunda
Adelaide to Darwin
about 3,030 km (846 km to Coober Pedy, 685 km to Alice Springs, 1,498 km to Darwin) ยท about 14 to 18 hours of driving to Alice Springs, then a further 1,498 km to Darwin; the Explorers Way is recommended over at least 14 days
Port Augusta
Where the Stuart Highway starts and the last big town before the outback, so fill the tank here. Tourism NT suggests stopping in as a base for the Flinders Ranges.
Coober Pedy
846 km
Roughly 8 to 10 hours from Adelaide. Fuel is available every 200 to 300 km on this highway, and this is the last big town before the long run north.
Erldunda
The junction with the Lasseter Highway to Uluru, which has four fuel stops and a longest gap of 250 km. Charging points between Coober Pedy and here can be more than 400 km apart.
Alice Springs
about 1,531 km (846 + 685)
Coober Pedy is 685 km south, about 6 to 8 hours. Fast chargers for electric cars are at 28 Railway Terrace.
Tennant Creek
about 2,039 km (1,531 + 508)
508 km north of Alice Springs. Karlu Karlu (Devils Marbles) is on this leg, and a fast charger is at the Threeways Roadhouse just north of town.
Daly Waters
about 2,439 km (2,039 + 400)
400 km north of Tennant Creek. Lunch at the Daly Waters Pub, built in 1930 and just off the Stuart Highway, is a Tourism NT recommendation.
Katherine
about 2,712 km (2,439 + 167 + 106)
Past Mataranka's thermal pools. Nitmiluk National Park is close, and Darwin is a further 317 km.
- Darwin
How far and how long is the drive from Adelaide to Darwin?
Adelaide to Darwin is about 3,030 km on the Stuart Highway. Adelaide to Coober Pedy is 846 km and takes about 8 to 10 hours, Coober Pedy to Alice Springs is 685 km and about 6 to 8 hours, and Alice Springs to Darwin is 1,498 km.
The Alice Springs to Darwin leg breaks into 508 km to Tennant Creek, 400 km to Daly Waters, 167 km to Mataranka, 106 km to Katherine and 317 km to Darwin. Northern Territory Tourism's 17 day plan totals 2,943 km because it detours to Uluru and Kings Canyon, and it recommends a minimum of 14 days for the Explorers Way.
Is it safe to drive from Adelaide to Darwin?
The whole route is sealed and the Territory describes its highways as well maintained, so you do not need a 4WD. The risk is distance and fatigue rather than the surface: the Territory advises a 15 minute rest every two hours, 4 to 6 litres of water per person per day, and staying with the vehicle if it breaks down because help may be many hours away, particularly at night.
Check Road Report NT before each day's drive, on roadreport.nt.gov.au or 1800 246 199. Wet season flooding (November to April) can close roads in the Top End, and closed roads carry heavy fines.
Where do you get fuel on the Stuart Highway?
There are 10 or more fuel stops between Adelaide and Darwin, with fuel available every 200 to 300 km. Diesel and unleaded are both sold along the route. Remote service stations keep restricted hours and prices vary, so check Visitor Information Centres and FuelWatch for outages before leaving.
The practical rule is to fill up at every roadhouse rather than waiting for the gauge. Side trips are longer: on the Lasseter Highway to Uluru the longest gap between fuel stops is 250 km.
What are the speed limits on the Stuart Highway?
In the Northern Territory the default limit outside built-up areas is 110 km/h, and some sections of the Stuart Highway are signposted up to 130 km/h. Follow the signs rather than assuming 130 km/h everywhere.
Can you add Uluru to an Adelaide to Darwin drive?
Yes, and most itineraries do. Northern Territory Tourism's plan runs Adelaide to Coober Pedy (846 km), Coober Pedy to Uluru (734 km), Uluru to Kings Canyon (300 km) and then on to Alice Springs. The Uluru turn-off is at Erldunda, on the Lasseter Highway. If you only want Uluru, Tourism Central Australia puts Alice Springs about five hours' drive from it, and the Alice Springs to Uluru guide covers that leg.
Keep to the sealed Lasseter and Luritja highways in a two-wheel-drive hire car. The itinerary reserves the Mereenie Loop for four-wheel-drive vehicles.
Can you hire a car one way from Adelaide to Darwin?
Sometimes. For example, Hertz's Australian terms say a one way fee may apply when you return the car to a different location, and that you are told at reservation whether the return is permitted and what it costs. The same terms say a daily kilometre allowance may apply depending on the vehicle and pick-up location, so check the allowance for a trip this long before you book.
Look at the agreement's list of prohibited roads too. For example, Hertz bars unsealed roads generally, and bars some Northern Territory roads during the wet season from November to April or whenever Road Report NT shows them closed. The sealed Stuart Highway is not the issue; side roads to gorges and stations can be.
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Questions people ask
How long does it take to drive from Adelaide to Darwin?
It is about 3,030 km, and roughly 14 to 18 hours of driving gets you from Adelaide to Alice Springs before another 1,498 km to Darwin. Northern Territory Tourism recommends a minimum of 14 days for the Explorers Way, which includes Uluru and Kings Canyon, and advises a 15 minute break every two hours.
Is it safe to drive from Adelaide to Darwin?
The route is sealed and well maintained. The main risks are fatigue, distance between fuel stops and wet season closures in the Top End. Check Road Report NT daily and carry water.
Is the road from Adelaide to Alice Springs sealed?
Yes. The Stuart Highway is sealed all the way, and Adelaide to Coober Pedy is 846 km of it, with Alice Springs a further 685 km north. Fuel is available every 200 to 300 km.
What is the speed limit on the Stuart Highway?
The Northern Territory default outside built-up areas is 110 km/h, and some Stuart Highway sections are signed up to 130 km/h. Follow the posted signs.
Can I take a hire car from Adelaide to Darwin?
Possibly. Whether the company allows a one way return and what fee applies is set by the company and shown when you search. Read the kilometre allowance and prohibited-roads clauses first.
Where can I charge an electric car on the Stuart Highway?
Charging points are sparse. Tourism Central Australia lists fast chargers in Alice Springs and at Threeways Roadhouse near Tennant Creek, and warns that gaps can exceed 400 km between Coober Pedy and Erldunda.