Australia's most expensive hospital, the long-delayed new Royal Adelaide Hospital (RAH) will open its emergency department on September 5.

New hospital features: 800 patient beds, all single rooms

800 patient beds, all single rooms 70 cubicles in emergency department

70 cubicles in emergency department Touch screen kiosks to help people find their way

Touch screen kiosks to help people find their way Kiosks allow personalised print-out of instructions

Kiosks allow personalised print-out of instructions Patients can choose next meal via room computer

Patients can choose next meal via room computer Meal orders taken until 30 minutes before serving

Meal orders taken until 30 minutes before serving Rooftop helipad allows two choppers simultaneously

Rooftop helipad allows two choppers simultaneously 132 consult/treatment rooms for outpatients

Patients will be moved from the old hospital on Adelaide's North Terrace during a planned three-day operation from September 4–6.

The emergency department (ED) will take its first patients on Tuesday, September 5 at 7:00am when the old hospital's ED officially closes.

From mid-August, patient services and some day surgery, oncology and radiology treatments will begin at the site.

The opening date is not set in concrete with Health Minister Jack Snelling saying it could be reviewed over the next 12 weeks due to patient demands, which would stop the old hospital from ramping down.

The hospital, a build worth more than $2 billion, will open after being plagued by delays due to legal action with builders, faults with the building and the need to remediate soil at the site.

Two construction workers died after accidents on the site.

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Today Premier Jay Weatherill and Mr Snelling detailed how about 300 patients would be moved from the old hospital to the new site.

A fleet of ambulances, including the service's multi-patient bus, will move about 100 patients each day and a control centre will monitor road conditions and traffic light sequencing along North Terrace from the old hospital.

The old hospital will have a six-week "ramp down" phase, which will reduce patient numbers from about 600 to 300. Other hospitals will take extra inpatients.

Some non-urgent elective surgery will be postponed.

Mr Weatherill described the hospital's opening as "one of the most significant events in our great state's history".

"Moving to the new site is a huge undertaking of all involved and I know the community is excited about the new hospital opening its doors to inpatients in September," he said.

"This old Royal Adelaide Hospital has been operating for 176 years, so this is an event that only happens every couple of centuries."

Health Minister Jack Snelling and Premier Jay Weatherill at today's announcement. ( ABC News: Nick Harmsen )

Australian Medical Association (AMA) state president William Tan said it was great to finally have an opening date as it gave doctors something firm to plan around.

"There is certainly a lot to be done to get this right and the AMA will be looking to our members to hear that they are confident that patient safety is assured," he said.

The Opposition yesterday called on the Government to avoid moving into the new hospital this winter due to one of the worst starts to a flu season in six years for the state.

The Opposition's health spokesman Stephen Wade said today September was a risky time to move because the month was known for a high number of flu cases.

"The Weatherill Labor Government is delusional if it thinks our hospitals can do without 400 hospital beds in the peak flu season, and not experience even more chronic overcrowding than we currently are," Mr Wade said.

Mr Weatherill said the moving date was based on advice from medical staff and took patient safety into consideration.

"The move in September also allows us to avoid what is essentially some of the busiest times in our hospital," Mr Weatherill said.

"We know there is a peak in hospital services around about July and a further peak in November and December, so the September move represents the best opportunity for us to seamlessly move the old hospital into the new hospital."

Mr Snelling said the hospital was "a game changer for healthcare in South Australia".

"In just a few short months, the expanded services, advanced technology and improvement to the delivery of patient wellbeing will speak entirely for itself," Mr Snelling.

Public tours will be held in July.