Population:  1,119,920

Time Zone:  Adelaide is on Australian Central Standard Time.  Daylight saving time is observed in the summer in Adelaide from late October- early April, and the time is put ahead one hour. When Adelaide returns to standard time in April, the US puts their time ahead one hour, making the time in Adelaide 13.5 hours ahead of the time in New York City year round. 

Telephone:  All numbers for Adelaide and the outskirts of the city begin with 08 and have 8 additional digits. The country code is 61.

Average Temperatures:

When to Visit:  Adelaide has a Mediterranean climate, perfect for enjoying the great outdoors. The average maximum summer temperature during December is 83 while the minimum is 59 on average. The winter months of June-September are moderate.  The climate is ideal year round.  Be sure to prepare for the sun with adequate sunscreen protection. 

Holidays

New Year's Day             January 1

Australia Day                January 26

Good Friday                 March or April

Easter Monday              March or April

Anzac Day                    April 25

Adelaide Cup Day         May 16

Queen's Birthday           2^nd Monday in June

Labour Day                   First Monday in October

Christmas Day              December 25

Christmas Public Holiday (Monday if December 25 falls on a weekend)

Proclamation Day          Day after Christmas public holiday

Getting There

By Air

Adelaide Airport (08) 8308 9211:  is located just six kilometers (four miles) due west of Adelaide’s Central Business District. As the prime gateway to South Australia, Adelaide Airport , through its new state of the art facilities,  is focused on providing more than five million annual passengers with efficient, comfortable and world-class services. The airport construction was completed and it opened in mid-February of 2006.  The airport has direct flights to Singapore and flights to Europe via Sydney or Melbourne

Shuttle Service Direct, 7 day a week JetBus serice links the Airport and the city through to the Northeastern suburbs.  Hours are:  4:50AM-2:05AM.  For most parts of the day, service operates every 15 minutes, 7 days a week.

By Ship 

Cruise ships dock at Outer Harbor in the Port of Adelaide which is served by a railway station that provides fast service into the city every few minutes.

Getting Around:  The city of Adelaide is well laid out and flat and is easily explored on foot.  There is an extensive public transportation system of trains and buses.  The roads are excellent and well maintained. 

Public Transport: The Passenger Transport Board runs the metropolitan bus, train and tram services. There is a free central City Bee Line and City Loop Service. For further information contact the Passenger Transport Board's Infoline on 8210 1000 (7:00am - 8:00pm Monday-Sunday) or visit their web site at : http://www.adelaidemetro.com.au

Metro Trains: TransAdelaide trains provide a fast, reliable and economical way to travel for thousands of passengers each day.  The rail system extends across the metropolitan area via five rail lines - Outer Harbor, Gawler, Noarlunga, Grange and Belair.  The trains are ultra modern,  fast and efficient. 

Adelaide Railway Station is the central terminus of the Adelaide Metro railway system. It is located on the north side of North Terrace, west of Parliament House. The Adelaide Casino is located in part of the building that is no longer required for the station.

Free Transport

There are two Adelaide Free services:  (1)City Loop 96C which circles the city and stops at the Museum, State Library, Art Gallery, Hospital, Botanic Gardens, Rundle Street Mall, Tandanya, the Central Markets, the Hindley Street Precinct, and the University.  The bus connects with the O’Bahn, the Glenelg Tram, the Railway station, and JetBus services to the airport. 

(2)  Bee Line 99B travels through the center of the city and stops at North Terrace, King William Street and  Victoria Square, Rundle Mall, Town Hall, and the Central Markets.  It makes te same connections to other forms of transport as does the 96C (above). 

Currency:  The Australian dollar (100 cents = 1 dollar).  Notes are in $100, $50, $20, $10, and $5 denominations with coins in $2, $1, 50 cent, 20 cent, 10 cent, and 5 cent denominations with prices being rounded to the nearest 5 cents. 

Electric power:  240 volts, 50 Hertz, and you will need an adapter to fit the 3 pin power outlets. US visitors will also need a converter. 

Adelaide's tap water: fresh and safe to drink and conforms with Australian drinking water guidelines.

Banks: open from 9:30am to 4.30pm Monday to Friday. Foreign exchange facilities are also available at airports and in the larger hotels. Acceptance of credit cards varies between establishments - Visa Card, Master Card and Bankcard are the most popular but American Express and Diners Club are also widely accepted. Automatic teller machines accept selected international credit cards. Travellers Cheques can be changed at trading banks, large city hotels and selected trading establishments.

Shopping: venues include department stores, boutiques, specialty stores, arcades and colourful markets. Shopping hours in the city are generally 9:00am to 5:00pm Monday to Thursday & Saturday, 9:00am to 9:00pm Fridays (late night shopping), 11:00am to 5:00pm Sunday.

Tax Refunds

The Tourist Refund Scheme was introduced in 2000 and allows overseas travellers to receive a refund on the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and Wine Equalisation Tax (WET) for goods bought in Australia. Travellers can claim the refund from customs officers at Tourist Refund Scheme booths at international airports or cruise terminals when departing Australia.

Emergency services: for all services dial 000. This applies in every state of Australia.

Road Laws

Australians drive on the left-hand side of the road and seat belts must be worn by both driver and passengers at all times. Visitors wanting to drive a motor vehicle or motorcycle within South Australia must have a license for that type of vehicle.