FAQ’s
Here you will find answers to questions you may have about our service. If you do not find your answer here, please email us at admin@overlandtracktransport.com.au or call us on 0474 172 012
We offer a luggage storage service (1 item per person) for bags you don’t wish to take on the Overland Track with you.
Travelling from Launceston to Cradle Mountain and then from Lake St Clair to Launceston or from Lake St Clair to Hobart with us?
Simply bring these bags with you at pick-up in Launceston and our driver will tag them with your Lake St Clair to Launceston or Hobart travel date and we will then have these available for you at Lake St Clair on the bus that meets you at the end of your adventure. This service is FREE.
Travelling from Launceston to Cradle Mountain but not travelling with us from Lake St Clair? (One-Way)
For passengers travelling ONE-WAY with us only from Launceston to Cradle Mountain, we are still able to offer luggage storage, you will need to nominate your delivery date to your driver when you would like your luggage delivered to Lake St Clair and you will need to collect your luggage from our driver between 1:45pm and 2:00pm. Cost is $40 per item (payable to your driver)
What if I am staying at Cradle Mountain on the night I travel with you. Can you pick-up my bag the following day when I start the Overland Track?
We are unable to pick-up luggage from accommodation but you are able to meet our driver at the Visitor Centre at 9:15am and give them your luggage you wish to store with us. Let our driver know on the day that this is what you intend to do so we can advise our driver on the following day to expect you.
What if I am planning on finishing the Overland Track a day or two before we travel with you. Can you bring my bags earlier than our travel date to Lake St Clair?
Yes, we can do this. Simply advise our driver when we pick you up in Launceston that you require your bags to go to Lake St Clair before your booked travel date and we will tag up your luggage with the requested date and have these bags at Lake St Clair for you to collect from our driver between 1:45pm and 2:00pm. There is no where for us to leave luggage at Lake St Clair (including accommodation) so all luggage must be collected from our driver.
As we have multiple pick ups each morning, our pick ups begin at 6:15am and are available from all central Launceston hotels/motels and backpackers. If you are staying at an Airbnb, please contact us to see where your nearest pick up location is. Due to time restraints, we are unable to pick up from outside of the Launceston CBD area. For a list of pick-up points, please see the list below and click to visit their website.
Discounts on Accommodation: below are our accommodation options where you will receive a discount of 10-20% when booking with your Overland Track Transport code found on your booking receipt.
Best Western Plus 10% off
Coach House 20% off
Grand Hotel 20% off
Hotel Launceston 10% off
Hotel Verge 10% off
Mecure Hotel 10% off
The Pod Inn 10% off
Below is a list of all accommodation we pick-up and drop-off.
Adina Place
Alice’s Cottages
Areca Hotel
Art Hotel
Arthouse Backpackers
Auldington Hotel
Balmoral on York
Best Western Plus
Big 4 Caravan Park
Centenial Hotel
Change Overnight Hotel
Coach House
Commodore Regent
Drive Park Fly
Grand Chancellor
Grand Hotel
Elphin Villas
Florance Hotel
Hideaway on George
Hi George
Hotel Launceston
Launceston Central Apartments
Mantra Charles (bus stop)
Mecure Hotel
The Mews
O’Keefes
Parklane
Penny Royal Leisure Inn
Peppers Seaport
Peppers Silo Hotel
The Pod Inn
Quality Colonial
Sporties Hotel
Star Bar
Stillwater Seven
TRC Hotel
The Verge Hotel
Warratah on York
York Mansions
Please see our list of Hobart CBD drop-off locations, unfortunately as with all cities, we are unable to drop-off to all accommodation spots throughout the cities suburbs. Our drop-off locations are limited to the CBD. If you require to go to the Hobart airport, we drop you to the Skybus terminal in Hobart for you to make the connection to the airport.
Discounts on Accommodation: below are our accommodation options where you will receive a discount of 10-15% when booking with your Overland Track Transport code found on your booking receipt.
Grand Chancellor 10% off
Montacute Boutique Bunkhouse 15% off
Salamanca Inn 10% off
The Old Woolstore Apartments 10% off
Below is a list of all accommodation we drop-off.
The Alabama Hotel
Avalon City Retreat
Backpacker Imperial Hotel
The Best Western
Central Hotel
Customs House
Edinburgh Gallery Bed & Breakfast
Grand Chancellor
Hadley’s Orient Hotel
Henry Jones Art Hotel
Hobart Central YHA
Hobart Hostel & Backpacker
Ibis Styles
MacQ 01
Mantra Collins
Montacute Boutique Bunkhouse
Narrara Backpackers
The Nook Backpackers
The Old Woolstore Apartments
Quest Savoy
Quest Waterfront
Salamanca Inn
Salamanca Wharf Hotel
Somerset On The Pier
Sulivans Cove
Travelodge
Tasmanian Inn
The Waratah Hotel
The Welcome Stranger Hotel
Zero Davey Hotel
In an Alpine environment like the Cradle Mountain/Lake St Clair National Park, we can expect all kinds of weather at any time of year. It is not uncommon to have snow falling on Christmas Day or above 30°. Check out the BOM weather forecast for a view on what is happening this week.
Thinking of driving your car to Lake St Clair and needing transport back to Cradle Mountain?
Our car shuffle page explores your options that can help.
The thought of having your car at Lake St Clair waiting for you when you finish the Overland Track is a great one. To have your dry, warm, clean clothes there in the boot waiting for you is appealing and we understand this.
Unfortunately due to logistics and there not being a direct road linking Lake St Clair and Cradle Mountain, resulting in a 3.5 hour drive via the West Coast, Overland Track Transport does not offer a regular service between the start and finish of the Overland Track.
We have 3 options for you to consider and welcome any further questions you may have to try and resolve the logistics with your car shuffle.
Option 1. Leave your car in Launceston
When arriving on the Spirit of Tasmania, you can drive to Launceston in 1 hour and park your car at your accommodation or long term parking (Drive,Park,Fly). This allows time to do shopping for supplies. This also allows you to avoid a 3 hour drive to Lake St Clair, plus the additional 3 hours back to Launceston or Cradle Mt. You would then spend the night in Launceston and we would pick you up from your CBD accommodation on our regular 6:30am departures the following morning to Cradle Mountain. Once you finish the track at Lake St Clair, catch our regular 2:30pm departure back to Launceston, where we would then return you to your car by 5:30pm.
COST: $165 per person total.
Option 2. Car driven to Lake St Clair.
We will meet you at 1:30pm at Lake St Clair where you can park your car. You would catch our 2:00pm departure back to Launceston where you will arrive at approx. 5:15pm. You can then spend the night in Launceston and catch our 6:30am shuttle to Cradle Mountain the following morning, getting you to Cradle Mt Visitor Centre by 9:15am. (tip – just one person needs to drive the car to Lake St Clair to save additional fares)
COST: $165 per person total (cheaper if only 1 person goes to drop off the car)
Option 3. Car driven to Cradle Mountain.
You and your party can drive to Cradle Mountain and leave your car parked at the Visitors Centre and begin your journey on the Overland Track. Once you arrive at Lake St Clair you can catch our departure at 2:00pm back to Launceston where you will arrive at approx. 5:15pm. The next morning you can then catch our 6:30am departure from Launceston to Cradle Mountain where we will drop you to your car at the Visitors Center. Estimated arrival time is 9:15am. (tip – just one person needs to catch the 6:30am shuttle to Cradle Mountain to save additional fares)
Cost: $165 per person total (cheaper if only 1 person goes to get the car)
Are you thinking of hiring a car to leave at Lake St Clair?
Hiring a car to leave in the car park at Lake St Clair can be an option if you have extra time in your holiday after you have completed the Overland Track. This can be an expensive option to hire a car for 6 days when you are not using it, as well as having a 3 hour drive to get it to Lake St Clair (from Hobart, Launceston or Devonport) and then an additional 3.5 hour drive to Cradle Mountain on a shuttle service. We suggest not hiring a car for this period, spending a night in Launceston to catch our daily 6:30am service to Cradle Mountain and then when you have completed the Overland Track, catch either of our regular services from Lake St Clair to Launceston or to Hobart (both departing Lake St Clair at 2:00pm) and we will drop you to the hire company to collect your car.
As we are the only licenced Regular Passenger Service operators from Lake St Clair, we are able to offer the flexibility that no one else can. If you finish a day earlier than your booking, simply see our drivers in the Lake St Clair car park at 2:00pm to see if there is availability for you to transfer your ticket. As long as we have availability, we offer this at no additional charge.
* Please note that if you have luggage stored with us and you do finish your adventure a day earlier than your booking, we will not have your luggage on board for you (unless you are able to advise us with 24 hours’ notice) If you are travelling to Launceston, your luggage will be delivered to your accommodation at the end of the day (once our driver has dropped everyone else off) If you are travelling to Hobart, your luggage will be delivered the following day (as per your booking) and you will need to meet our driver at your drop off location from the previous day to collect your luggage.
Unfortunately there are no refunds if you find alternative transport. Please see our cancellation policy in our terms and conditions.
We understand that due to weather, sometimes you end up being a day or two longer on the Overland Track than you expected. No problem. As long as there is availability, we’ll get you on the next bus without additional cost. Please contact us as soon as you are able to once you know you are going to miss your booking.
Unfortunately hire gear is only available for passengers travelling from Launceston to Cradle Mountain with us. As we do not have a manned shop front, we are unable to supply hire gear for passengers not travelling to the Overland Track with us.
Unfortunately we do not offer concessions.
Yes, if you have a group of 7 to 13 people and one payment is made and there is one pick-up/drop-off location for all passengers in the group we will cap the price. When booking on our regular services tickets pages, the discount will automatically apply once 7 or more tickets have been selected.
Our group discount for 7 to 10 passengers in the same booking is: 10% off all tickets
Our group discount for 11 to 13 passengers in the same booking is: 20% off all tickets
There are a few products that will make your Overland Track Experience an unforgettable experience. They don’t weigh much but will make a big impact on your walk.
Ear Plugs – Snoring hikers are plenty. Give yourself a good nights sleep.
Lip Balm – Cracked, dry lips. no thanks.
Overland Track Map – With all the information you can ask for, the Overland Track Map will let you know where you are at all times on the track. The names of Mountains, Rivers, Lakes and Landmarks.
Pocket Day Packs– weighing only 68 grams, the 20lt Pocket Day Pack will hold your rain jacket, lunch, camera and water bottle as you take a side trip. Leave your main pack at the turn off and enjoy some free time from your big pack.
Wilderness Wipes – we need say no more.
Hand Sanitizer – Use it. and then use it again.
WonderWool – prevent blisters on your feet and add padding to hip belts and shoulder straps.
Yes, there is no toilet paper provided on the Overland Track. We recommend 1 roll per person (inside a zip lock bag) as well as hand cleaning gel.
Yes, all prices are in Australian dollars.
Please see our Terms and Conditions for our cancellation policy.
Overland Track Transport highly recommends wearing lace-up, waterproof hiking boots (or a mid-boot as a minimum) for safety and comfort.
Gaiters are not used in many other parts of Australia but here in Tassie they are part of the uniform. Gaiters help protect your legs, keep your boots dry and assist with snake protection. You’ll be very glad you used them.
No. there is no power on the track. Please be sure to carry spare batteries or a solar charging unit.
There is very little reception throughout the track once you leave Cradle Mountain. We highly recommend turning the phone off (flight mode if you are using it for a camera) and enjoy “disconnecting” whilst on the Overland Track. Also other walkers don’t want to be quietly sitting watching a Mother and Baby Wombat feeding in the grass and then hear your phone ringing with your Achy Breaky Heart ringtone.
Spring has the wildflowers, Summer has the warm days with swimming in the lakes and Autumn has the amazing colours throughout the park as the deciduous trees prepare for the Winter. Basically, any time of year is the right time to walk the Overland Track.
Well, we all know a man, who knows a man, who once saw something, that might have been a Tiger. Keep your eyes wide and your cameras charged.
