Image via Adelaide City Council.
Gather Round 2025 is quickly approaching, and in a move to make travel easier for South Aussies, the Malinauskas Labor Government is lifting restrictions on metropolitan rideshare and chauffeur drivers. Commencing this week, these drivers will be able to operate statewide without needing separate accreditation for areas outside the metro.
With this change, rideshare services will be available for locals and visitors year-round, offering more convenient and accessible travel to South Australia’s world-renowned wine regions and scenic countryside.
This change will particularly benefit regions like the Barossa Valley, which will become an even more popular destination than usual during the upcoming AFL Gather Round weekend in April.
Up until now, drivers were allowed to finish trips outside the metropolitan boundary – which extended as far north as Gawler and as far east as Mount Barker – but couldn’t start and end a trip outside the boundary without additional approval. Country taxi services were exempt from this restriction, an exception that will now be extended to all taxis and rideshare operators.
Transport Minister Tom Koutsantonis said “Our thorough and wide-ranging review recognised that current arrangements needed to adapt to better service outer-urban and regional residents, as well as to support greater tourism and access to popular regional attractions and events such as Gather Round.”
“This will be a major boon for regional communities, which will be evidenced during Gather Round when it will make it easier for footy fans to get to and from SA’s footy festival.”
Beyond the rideshare restrictions being lifted, the state government is also bringing back its free Footy Express services for the 2025 AFL season, ensuring fans can travel easily to and from Adelaide Oval each week. For Gather Round in April, additional services will be available, including shuttle buses from the city to Barossa Park and extra train services to Gawler, all free for valid event ticket holders.
“Gather Round fans bound for Barossa Park may have got the first win of the season”, said Koutsantonis, “but all SA footy fans are winners yet again this year, with free Footy Express services back for the 2025 AFL season, making it easy for fans to get in and out of the city every week without the stress.”
“Adelaide Metro will put on about 300 extra bus, train and tram trips for every Crows and Port home game at Adelaide Oval – as well as for every single game during Gather Round.”
For those attending the footy, it’s good news all around, as the state ramps up transport options, ensuring everyone can get to the game and back with ease.
For more information about Gather Round, click here.
More News
