Transport for Overland Track

[melinda]

Hi All,
Can anybody recommend a bus company to provide transport from Launceston to Cradle Mtn, and from Lake St Clair to Hobart??? This will be for 8 to 10 people in January.
Cheers,
Melinda

[Chrisbulldog]

Tassielink coaches are the main company linking walks Melinda. If you go to their website you will find info. Looks like you either got to download a timetable or pick one up at their office . Main office is in Launceston . Hope that helps.

[melinda]

Hi Chrisbulldog,
I did my home work on the weekend and had a good look at the http://www.parks.tas.gov.au website.
They have a list of bus companies and we gave a few a call.
We found that Maxwell Coaches will drop us off and pick us up when we want, Tassie link only has fixed services.
We'll see how it goes.
Cheers for your help.
Melinda

[Chrisbulldog]

Great Melinda , and possibly Redline Coaches might be involved to. Out of curiosity i rang Maxwell coaches for an outline of their service. They said they provide service to Hobart or back round to Cradle. They won't run unless there is a minimum of 4. The lady asked me how many people , so as an exercise i said 2. She quoted $280 to Hobart . After rubbing my bruised backside from falling off the chair and catching my breathe , i very tentertively asked how much return trip to Cradle was. Wait for it $320 . Just as i was reaching for the oxygen bottle , she consoled me by saying the more people the cheaper it is , so obviously with your 8 - 10 walkers will be cheaper, BUT think you might have to verify that. Not sure if you have their number , bit hard to find , but it's 64921431
As a comparison i rang Tassielink . They have a once a day service between Lake St Clair and Hobart for $51 per adult , but have no return service to Cradle.

[melinda]

Hi Chris,
Maxwells are charging us $130 each for the 8 to 10 people.
This involves picking us up at Launceston and taking us to the Cradle Mountain Visitors Centre. They will then pick us up at Lake St Clair cafe and take us to Hobart.
Maxwell's' winning offer was that they would allow each person to leave a bag with them when we get off at the start of the walk and deliver them to us when they pick us up at the end.
(Maybe that's just because they didn't want us getting on their nice clean bus in week old, smelly walking clothes. )
Cheers for all your trouble.
Melinda
(PS I hope I'm allowed to publish these sort of details here, Maxwells were very helpful.)

[Son of a Beach]

(PS I hope I'm allowed to publish these sort of details here, Maxwells were very helpful.)

Absolutely. Information is why we're here.

[melinda]

Heh there Son of a Beach,
Great site, information is always good!!!
Cheers Melinda

[sunbernd]

Definitely Tassielink. They have an Overland Track package for the trip you describe for $99 - half price for students. Also will pick up luggage from Launceston and store in Hobart ready for you to pick up when you arrive at $10 per bag. Best deal that I have found.
Cheers

[pinoyeverest]

Hi guys, we're a couple doing the OT later this month, below is out IT:
Dec 23 - Leaving Melbourne via Spirit of Tasmania to Launceston then driving to Hobart
Dec 26 - Driving from Hobart to Lake St Claire
ORGANIZED A TRANSPORT (TAS TOUR COMPANY) TO TAKE US FROM LAKE ST CLAIRE TO CRADLE MTN.
LEAVING AT 0800H AND WILL BE IN CRADLE MTN APPROXIMATELY AT 1100H.

COST OF TRANSPORT IS $330, IF YOU KNOW ANYBODY LEAVING AT THIS DATE WE COULD PROBABLY SHARE. PM ME.

[dhall]

I can highly recommend Outdoor Tasmania.

For a group of 5 of us it was just under $140 a head for pickup @ Launceston, dropped at our accommodation at Cradle Mountain, then picked up again @ Lake St Clair and dropped off in Hobart.

Our driver Paul was very friendly and accommodating, dropping us literally at the door of our cabin on the first night, and on the doorstep of the two different places our group was staying in Hobart. He's also done the Overland numerous times himself & knows the area well, so is full of useful advice.

In my opinion the slightly higher cost over the regular public service is well worth it for the ability to set your own schedule and pickup/dropoff points. When we arrived on the Lake St Clair ferry about 4:30pm Paul was waiting for us, and we drove away from a bunch of very sad looking folks sitting around waiting for the 8pm Tassielink service :)