Newcastle launches cruise passenger shuttle loop
The 24-seat service links the city’s visitor centre with the east end as Newcastle begins a cruise season expected to draw more than 35,000 tourists.
A new shuttle bus loop has begun operating in Newcastle under the city’s Passenger Experience Project, connecting the Visitor Information Centre with the corner of Hunter and Watt streets.
East End Collective chair Lukas Thodas said the 24-seat bus would complete the loop every 20 minutes, picking up cruise passengers and dropping them in the east end. About 20 local businesses are participating in the project and providing special offers to cruise visitors.
The project is among 16 initiatives sharing $925,000 from the City of Newcastle’s Special Business Rates program.
The council said 18 cruise ships were scheduled to call at Newcastle between October 2026 and April 2027. It forecast that the season would bring more than 35,000 tourists and contribute an estimated $7 million to the local economy.
The 113,561-tonne Crown Princess entered Newcastle Harbour at the opening of the cruise season.