Understand the idea.
Ready time comes before departure
A connection is a later service you board after arriving on an earlier one. Arrival alone does not make you ready: add any walking or transfer time first. Then compare each departure with this earliest ready time.
Under the stated times, a departure is possible only when it is at or after the ready time. The whole arrival-to-departure gap includes the transfer; the spare time after transferring is only what remains of that gap.
| Service | From | Departs | Arrives |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Suburb to Central | 08:10 | 08:35 |
| B | Central to Museum | 08:43 | 09:05 |
| C | Central to Museum | 08:50 | 09:12 |
| D | Central to Museum | 09:10 | 09:32 |
Check delays and alternatives
Read the timetable in departure order and reject each service that leaves too soon. The first feasible connection is the earliest departure you can actually reach, rather than simply the first departure printed after your arrival.
If the first service is delayed, recalculate its arrival and then add the unchanged transfer duration. Keep the other departures fixed unless told otherwise. A small delay can change the connection and make the final arrival much later.
See the method in action.
A ten-minute transfer
Service A arrives at Central at 08:35. The transfer needs 10 minutes. Which Museum service is the first possible connection?
| Service | From | Departs | Arrives |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Suburb to Central | 08:10 | 08:35 |
| B | Central to Museum | 08:43 | 09:05 |
| C | Central to Museum | 08:50 | 09:12 |
| D | Central to Museum | 09:10 | 09:32 |
Worked solution
- 1
Find when the group is ready at Central.
The ten-minute transfer must be completed before boarding the next service.
- 2
Reject the earlier Museum departure.
Service B leaves two minutes before the group is ready.
- 3
Select the first reachable departure.
Service C leaves five minutes after the ready time and comes before service D.
- 4
Read the selected service’s arrival.
The arrival must come from the same row as the chosen departure.
Service C; it arrives at the Museum at 09:12.
A delayed arrival
Service A is 7 minutes late. The transfer still needs 10 minutes. Which is the first possible connection?
| Service | From | Departs | Arrives |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Suburb to Central | 08:10 | 08:35 |
| B | Central to Museum | 08:43 | 09:05 |
| C | Central to Museum | 08:50 | 09:12 |
| D | Central to Museum | 09:10 | 09:32 |
Worked solution
- 1
Apply the delay to service A.
A seven-minute delay moves the first arrival seven minutes later.
- 2
Add the transfer duration.
The walk still takes ten minutes even though the arrival changed.
- 3
Compare the remaining departures.
Service C leaves too soon; service D is the next possible departure.
- 4
Read service D’s destination arrival.
The delayed journey now uses the later connection’s arrival time.
Service D; Museum arrival 09:32.
Try it yourself.
Check your understanding
A train arrives at 10:18. Transfer time is 8 minutes. Is a 10:25 departure possible?
Show answer & reasoning
No.
The traveller is ready at . The departure is one minute earlier, so the connection is not possible.
Keep practising
6 worksheet questions · 11 marks
Read the questions online
- A bus arrives at 11:20. The next bus departs at 11:42. How long is the gap?1 mark
- A train arrives at 14:08. Walking to the bus takes 9 minutes. Find the earliest ready time.1 mark
- Use the connections table. After A arrives, a transfer needs 10 minutes. Explain why B cannot be boarded.2 marks
Practice bus connections Service From Departs Arrives A Suburb to Central 08:10 08:35 B Central to Museum 08:43 09:05 C Central to Museum 08:50 09:12 D Central to Museum 09:10 09:32 - Use the connections table. After A arrives, a transfer needs 10 minutes. How much spare time remains after walking if C is chosen?2 marks
Practice bus connections Service From Departs Arrives A Suburb to Central 08:10 08:35 B Central to Museum 08:43 09:05 C Central to Museum 08:50 09:12 D Central to Museum 09:10 09:32 - A traveller arrives at 15:36 and needs 12 minutes to transfer. Services leave at 15:45, 15:50 and 16:05. Which is the first possible service?2 marks
- Use the connections table. A is 7 minutes late and the transfer needs 10 minutes. Compared with the original first possible connection, how much later is Museum arrival?3 marks
Practice bus connections Service From Departs Arrives A Suburb to Central 08:10 08:35 B Central to Museum 08:43 09:05 C Central to Museum 08:50 09:12 D Central to Museum 09:10 09:32
Read the worked solutions
Equivalent correct methods earn the corresponding marks. Include units where asked.
- A bus arrives at 11:20. The next bus departs at 11:42. How long is the gap?1 mark
11:20 to 11:42 is 22 minutes.
22 minutes - A train arrives at 14:08. Walking to the bus takes 9 minutes. Find the earliest ready time.1 mark
.
14:17 - Use the connections table. After A arrives, a transfer needs 10 minutes. Explain why B cannot be boarded.2 marks
Practice bus connections Service From Departs Arrives A Suburb to Central 08:10 08:35 B Central to Museum 08:43 09:05 C Central to Museum 08:50 09:12 D Central to Museum 09:10 09:32 .
The bus leaves 2 minutes too early.
Ready time is 08:45, but B leaves at 08:43. - Use the connections table. After A arrives, a transfer needs 10 minutes. How much spare time remains after walking if C is chosen?2 marks
Practice bus connections Service From Departs Arrives A Suburb to Central 08:10 08:35 B Central to Museum 08:43 09:05 C Central to Museum 08:50 09:12 D Central to Museum 09:10 09:32 Ready time is 08:45.
C leaves at 08:50, so 5 minutes remain.
5 minutes - A traveller arrives at 15:36 and needs 12 minutes to transfer. Services leave at 15:45, 15:50 and 16:05. Which is the first possible service?2 marks
Ready time is 15:48.
15:45 is too early. 15:50 is the first departure at or after 15:48.
15:50 - Use the connections table. A is 7 minutes late and the transfer needs 10 minutes. Compared with the original first possible connection, how much later is Museum arrival?3 marks
Practice bus connections Service From Departs Arrives A Suburb to Central 08:10 08:35 B Central to Museum 08:43 09:05 C Central to Museum 08:50 09:12 D Central to Museum 09:10 09:32 Without the delay, C reaches the Museum at 09:12.
With the delay, D is first possible and arrives at 09:32.
09:12 to 09:32 is 20 minutes.
20 minutes later
Curriculum reference & lesson scope
Australian Curriculum v9 / SA Curriculum Mathematics
Year 6: itineraries, elapsed time and feasible journey planning, including connections and 24-hour time.
Official curriculum source ↗