What to know about Canberra - Queanbeyan
- The ACT Legislative Assembly at 196 London Circuit says school or charter buses can set down visitors at the designated stop on Civic Square, that those spaces may not be available and that there is no parking at the Assembly building.Source: ACT Legislative Assembly
- Access Canberra lists tour and charter bus services that collect passengers within the ACT, and long distance or interstate services that pick up passengers in the ACT, among the bus services that need accreditation in the territory.Source: Access Canberra
- To hold the 'O' (public bus) condition on an ACT public vehicle driver licence, a driver needs a full Australian C class or heavy vehicle licence suited to the bus, held for at least 1 year in the last 3, and a current Working with Vulnerable People registration.Source: Access Canberra
- On the NSW side of the border, Service NSW says a bus driver authority is needed to drive a public passenger bus or coach that seats 13 or more people.Source: Service NSW
- The Canberra - Queanbeyan Significant Urban Area had 490,517 people at the 2021 Census.Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics
Getting groups around Canberra and Queanbeyan
The Canberra - Queanbeyan urban area had 490,517 people at the 2021 Census, spread from Gungahlin and Belconnen down through Woden to Tuggeranong, with Queanbeyan and Jerrabomberra just over the NSW border. A charter request can start in any of them and end at a conference venue, a school, a sports ground or one of the national institutions.
Set-down points in central Canberra are worth sorting out before the day. The ACT Legislative Assembly at 196 London Circuit says school or charter buses can set down visitors at the designated stop on Civic Square, but those spaces may not be available and there is no parking at the building. Tell the operator each Canberra stop on your list so they can plan where to drop off, wait and collect.
ACT rules, and NSW rules for Queanbeyan pickups
Access Canberra lists tour and charter bus services that collect passengers within the ACT among the bus services needing accreditation in the territory. Drivers who carry members of the public need a public vehicle driver licence, and for a public bus that means the 'O' condition, which calls for a full Australian C class or heavy vehicle licence held for at least 1 year in the last 3 and a current Working with Vulnerable People registration. Both are fair questions to put to a Canberra operator before a school excursion.
A pickup in Queanbeyan or Jerrabomberra starts in New South Wales, where Service NSW says a bus driver authority is needed to drive a public passenger bus or coach that seats 13 or more. If your Canberra trip begins on the NSW side, ask the operator about their arrangements on both sides of the border.
Once you have dates and numbers for the Canberra group, send a request. We aim to pass your request to a local charter operator within one business day.
Canberra and Queanbeyan charter hire: questions
I live in Queanbeyan. Should I choose NSW or ACT on the form?
Choose NSW and type Queanbeyan or Jerrabomberra. Both towns are matched to the Canberra - Queanbeyan region, the same as a pickup in Belconnen or Woden.
Can I arrange a school excursion to the national attractions in Canberra?
Yes. Give the school's pickup point, each place you plan to visit and the times, and the request goes to one Canberra charter operator. Ask how they will handle set-down at each stop, since places such as Civic Square have limited designated space for buses.
Which parts of Canberra are covered?
Civic, Braddon, Dickson, Kingston, Manuka and Barton in the centre, plus Belconnen, Gungahlin, Woden, Weston Creek, Molonglo and Tuggeranong. Queanbeyan across the border is covered too. For a trip starting further out, see the other service areas.