Darwin to Alice Springs drive
Darwin to Alice Springs is almost 1,500 km on the sealed Stuart Highway, so a normal 2WD hire car handles the road itself. It breaks into five legs of 106 to 508 km, and a 15 minute rest every two hours is the standard advice. The thing people get wrong is the traffic: road trains can be over 50 m long and need a long, clear stretch to pass.
Updated
Key facts
- Distance
- Almost 1,500 km between Alice Springs and Darwin on the Stuart Highway
- Road surface
- The main Red Centre and Top End highlights on the route are reachable on bitumen roads, with no need for a 4WD; the Stuart Highway is a sealed highway
- Leg lengths
- Katherine to Darwin 317 km, Mataranka to Katherine 106 km, Daly Waters to Mataranka 167 km, Tennant Creek to Daly Waters 400 km, Alice Springs to Tennant Creek 508 km
- Speed limit
- 110 km/h outside built-up areas unless signed otherwise; some Stuart Highway sections are signed at up to 130 km/h
- Road trains
- Can have three trailers and be over 50 m long; overtaking one can take up to 2.5 km at 100 km/h, with at least 1 km of clear road ahead
- Animals
- Many NT roads are unfenced; animals are most active at sunrise, sunset and at night
- Fuel spacing
- Fuel is available every 200 to 300 km on the Stuart Highway
- Road conditions
- Road Report NT: roadreport.nt.gov.au or freecall 1800 246 199, including roads on Aboriginal land
Darwin to Alice Springs
almost 1,500 km on the Stuart Highway ยท Plan around the legs; rest 15 minutes every two hours
Katherine
317 km from Darwin
The first leg out of Darwin is 317 km. Katherine Hot Springs and Nitmiluk National Park are nearby.
Mataranka
423 km from Darwin (317 + 106)
Known for the palm-lined, spring-fed Mataranka Hot Springs.
Daly Waters
590 km from Darwin (423 + 167)
The Daly Waters Pub was built in 1930.
Tennant Creek
990 km from Darwin (590 + 400)
The 400 km leg to Daly Waters starts here. Kunjarra (The Pebbles), a sacred site, is 11 km north of town.
Karlu Karlu (Devils Marbles)
On the Tennant Creek to Alice Springs leg, where the landscape is dotted with mammoth formations.
Alice Springs
about 1,498 km from Darwin (990 + 508)
The Tropic of Capricorn marker is 30 km north of Alice Springs, on the last stretch of the drive.
How far is it from Darwin to Alice Springs, and how long does it take?
The drive is almost 1,500 km. The legs from Alice Springs are 508 km to Tennant Creek, 400 km to Daly Waters, 167 km to Mataranka, 106 km to Katherine and 317 km to Darwin, which add up to 1,498 km. The distances from Darwin on this page are that sum worked out in the other direction.
The two longest stretches are the 400 km Tennant Creek to Daly Waters leg and the 508 km run between Alice Springs and Tennant Creek. Split the drive into daily sections at the towns above and stop for 15 minutes every two hours.
Is it safe to drive from Darwin to Alice Springs?
The highway is sealed, so the risks are distance, fatigue, animals and heavy vehicles rather than the surface. Take a 15 minute rest break every two hours. Many roads are unfenced, so kangaroos, cattle, horses, camels and birds can be on the road, and animals are most active at sunrise, sunset and at night, so take extra care then. If an animal is ahead, slow down and sound your horn rather than swerving.
Wet season flooding from November to April can close roads, and closed roads carry heavy fines. Check Road Report NT before each day's drive.
How do you pass a road train on the Stuart Highway?
Road trains are common in the Territory. They can have three trailers and be over 50 m long, and it can take up to 2.5 km to overtake one at 100 km/h. You need to see at least 1 km of clear road ahead before you pull out. Do not cut in front of one, and make sure the driver can see you in one of their mirrors.
On a single-lane highway, when a road train approaches from the front, slow down, pull off the road and drive slowly on the shoulder. At 100 km/h a car needs 157 m to stop and a truck needs 194 m, so leave more room in dust or wind.
Where do you get fuel between Darwin and Alice Springs?
Fuel is available every 200 to 300 km on the Stuart Highway, with more than ten fuel stops between Adelaide and Darwin. Remote service stations have restricted opening hours, and stations can have limited supply or temporary outages, so phone ahead or check myfuelnt.nt.gov.au or a Visitor Information Centre if you are near empty.
Fuel spacing matters most on the two longest legs, 400 km from Tennant Creek to Daly Waters and 508 km from Alice Springs to Tennant Creek, so top up at each roadhouse rather than relying on the gauge.
Can you hire a car in Darwin and drop it in Alice Springs?
It depends on the company. 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 it is allowed and what it costs. The same terms say a daily kilometre allowance may apply depending on the car and pick-up location, so check the allowance for a 1,500 km trip.
The Stuart Highway itself is not the problem. Side roads to gorges and stations can be. For example, Hertz lists driving on unsealed roads as a prohibited use, allows some Northern Territory outback roads only in a 4WD and only from May to October, and bars driving in Arnhem Land. Rental companies may restrict where you can drive, so read the prohibited roads clause before you book.
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Questions people ask
How long is the drive from Darwin to Alice Springs?
It is almost 1,500 km on the sealed Stuart Highway. The legs run from 106 km to 508 km, so split it at Katherine, Daly Waters and Tennant Creek and take a 15 minute break every two hours.
Is it safe to drive from Darwin to Alice Springs?
Yes for a careful driver: the highway is sealed. The risks are fatigue, road trains, animals at dawn, dusk and night, and wet season closures from November to April. Check Road Report NT each day.
Can I drive from Alice Springs to Darwin in a 2WD hire car?
Yes, the Stuart Highway is sealed and the main highlights along it are on bitumen. The limits that matter are in your rental agreement, especially any unsealed road clause.
Where are the fuel stops between Darwin and Alice Springs?
Fuel is available every 200 to 300 km on the Stuart Highway. Katherine, Mataranka, Daly Waters and Tennant Creek all sit on the route, and the two longest legs are Alice Springs to Tennant Creek (508 km) and Tennant Creek to Daly Waters (400 km). Roadhouse hours vary, so phone ahead.
What is the speed limit on the Stuart Highway in the Northern Territory?
The default outside built-up areas is 110 km/h unless a sign says otherwise. Some Stuart Highway sections are signed at up to 130 km/h.