A new Launceston bus network took effect on 19 January 2020.
All services in the Launceston urban area and surrounds, including those operated by Metro, are affected. The changes are part of the Department of State Growth’s state-wide review of bus services.
Click here to plan your travel on the new network.
Click here to view the new timetables.
Read more about changes in your area by clicking the tabs below.
The new urban network is based on a 2016 Metro review and feedback the Department of State Growth received during public consultation in April and June 2019. It aims to make services:
Easier to understand
- Metro’s current 41 routes will be simplified to 22, with fewer variations
- Departure times will be more consistent to make timetables easier to remember
- Route numbers will be consistent state-wide and all school services will start with the number 8 to clearly identify them
More frequent
- Some services will operate more often, including on Invermay Road (every 10 minutes), Hobart Road until Kings Meadows (every 15 minutes), and Westbury Road (every 30 minutes) on weekdays
- More evening and Sunday services to the Casino via Westbury Road, and Youngtown via Kings Meadows
- New Sunday services to Hadspen
More reliable and convenient
- Timetables will be based on current traffic conditions to make them more reliable and save you time between transfers
- More direct routes using main roads will help us to get you there faster
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Where can I see the new timetables?
You can view Metro’s new timetables here.
For all other timetables, visit the Transport website by clicking here.
Why have bus services changed?
These changes are the result of a government review of all general access and school bus services in Launceston and surrounding areas. The review aims to improve public transport by making services work together better.
Have other bus services changed too?
Yes – all general access and school services operated by all bus companies in Launceston and surrounding areas have changed. Timetables and route maps for these services are available on www.transport.tas.gov.au. This includes services in Legana, Riverside, West Tamar, George Town, Perth, Evandale, Cressy, Longford, St Helens, Scottsdale, and Bridport.
When did the changes take effect?
The new network took effect on 19 January 2020.
What consultation was done?
Metro consulted with the community in late 2016 to understand local transport needs. This included:
- 11 public roadshows, attended by around 2,000 people
- Meetings with 41 representatives from community groups and local stakeholders
- 16,000 leaflets into letter boxes and 4,000 leaflets distributed in buses and at roadshows
- Nearly 7,000 people reached via Metro’s social media channels
- 145 surveys completed online and 118 surveys received by mail
The feedback told us Launceston wanted bus services that are easier to understand, run more frequently and get to their destinations faster.
The Department of State Growth used this feedback, and the input they collected from community meetings, forums, online, phone and face to face comments, to identify the best ways to improve services.
From April to June 2019, the Department asked the community for feedback on a proposed new urban Launceston network and northern regional network, then made some changes based on your comments. Some routes and timetables were refined, to achieve the right balance between smart route design and quicker journeys, and ensuring services are accessible.
To learn more about this public consultation process, and view the Northern Consultation Response Report, click here.
Where can I get more information?
Our customer service team is available to help you understand the changes to Metro services. You can send us an email at correspondence@metrotas.com.au or call us on 13 22 01 (between 7am and 6pm)
For information about changes to other bus companies, the review, or consultation, visit www.transport.tas.gov.au or phone 6166 3343 (between 9am and 5pm)
Northern suburbs
Rocherlea
Rocherlea services will travel via Reservoir Road and Blackwood Dr in both directions instead of looping via Lilydale Road and Waratah Road
University of Tasmania, Newnham Campus
There will be a new route from the University to Kings Meadows, via Launceston City, Launceston General Hospital and South Launceston. Service levels will better reflect the number of passengers
Newnham (Alanvale) and Mayfield
Services will travel direct via Invermay Road instead of via the University
Ravenswood
At night and on the weekend, services will travel directly via Faraday Street, Lambert Street and Henry Street, and continue to/from Waverley and St Leonards. This will improve travel times
Ravenswood Village services will operate Monday to Saturday via Warring Street and Castlemain Road. At night and on Sundays, catch Waverley services.
There will be a limited trial service between Waverley and Mowbray via Ravenswood on school days
Waverley and St Leonards
St Leonards routes will operate via St Leonards Road, Waverley and Hoblers Bridge Road in both directions
Limited services will travel via Penquite Road in peak hour only, to match demand and improve travel times
On weekdays, services between Launceston City and St Leonards, will travel via Hoblers Bridge Road and Elphin Road. At night and on weekends, services will travel via Ravenswood.
All services will travel the same simplified route through Waverley
To improve travel time, services will no longer travel via Emita Parade and Kigoma Street
There will be a limited trial service between Waverley and Mowbray via Ravenswood on school days
Youngtown, Kings Meadows, Norwood
Services between Kings Meadows and Launceston City will operate at least every 15 minutes between 7am and 7pm on weekdays
More services via Kings Meadows will operate at night and on weekends. Evening and Sunday services will operate at least hourly
All services between Kings Meadows and Launceston City will travel via Launceston General Hospital
A new direct service between Kings Meadows and the UTAS Newnham campus will operate on weekdays, meaning passengers will not need to transfer in the City
To improve travel time for Youngtown residents, services via Norwood will travel direct along Opossum Road instead of Charlton Street
Most services from Launceston City to Youngtown via Kings Meadows will return via Norwood and vice versa. Some services at night and on Sundays via Kings Meadows will terminate at Youngtown and return via Kings Meadows
Services in both the Belgrave Parade and Risely Street areas will operate during weekday peak hours only
Dedicated Glen Dhu services will be withdrawn, however alternative services will be available on Hobart Road and Connaught Crescent
Prospect, Casino, Hadspen and Blackstone Heights
Due to increased demand:
Services in each direction along Westbury Road will operate every 30 minutes during weekday daytime hours, and at least every 60 minutes at night and on weekends
A number of new Sunday services will operate between Hadspen and Launceston
An additional service from Blackstone Heights to Launceston City will operate in the mornings on school days
To improve travel times, buses to and from Launceston City will follow more direct routes:
Prospect, Blackstone Heights, Hadspen, and the Casino: via Westbury Road and Launceston General Hospital
Blackstone Heights: via Panorama Road instead of Neptune Parade and Glover Ave. Services will no longer deviate via Chris Street, Mace Street and Prospect
Hadspen: along Main Street instead of via South Esk Dr
Normanstone Road and Meredith Crescent: via Westbury Road.
Services to Prospect and the Casino will no longer form a loop via Summerhill and West Launceston
West Launceston and Summerhill
There will be a new route between Launceston City and Prospect Marketplace which will travel via West Launceston and Summerhill
Services will no longer continue to the Casino or form a loop via Prospect – to travel along Westbury Road, change buses at Prospect Marketplace
Most West Launceston services will travel via a consistent route along Connaught Crescent, with limited peak hour services travelling via Hillside Crescent
Riverside and Trevallyn
To reduce service duplication, services on West Tamar Road will be provided by Manions Coaches buses travelling to Legana
Metro will operate a limited trial service between Launceston City and Cormiston Road via Trevallyn
A new early morning weekday service from West Riverside to Launceston via Trevallyn will arrive in Launceston City at 6:59am
To improve travel times and consistency:
- Services between West Riverside (Penrith Street and Riverside Dr) and Launceston City will travel via Trevallyn
- All services will travel through Trevallyn via Pomona Road, Pitt Ave and Gorge Road
- General access services will no longer travel via loops at Delungra Road/Dandenong Road and New World Ave. School services will continue to connect to Riverside schools