Canberra has a regionally significant airport and is also served by regular long-distance coaches and trains from major coastal cities.

By air

Most travellers head to Canberra by plane. Distances in Australia are vast, air travel is very frequent and, at the same time, quite cheap.

The city has a single international airport, Canberra CBR.

International flights

Canberra is primarily a domestic hub, and most international flights involve a stopover at Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane airports.

Compare flight prices to Canberra

However, there are also direct international flights to Canberra from several destinations:

• Fiji Airways – Nadi
• Qatar Airways– via Doha to Europe, the Middle East and Africa

Domestic flights

Most flights go to Sydney (1–3 times an hour) and Melbourne or Brisbane (on average once an hour).

Typical prices for one-way tickets to Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide or Brisbane are around 100 aud with low-cost airlines, and it is worth buying tickets roughly 1–5 months before departure.

At the last minute, tickets typically cost between 200 aud and 280 aud.

Compare prices for domestic flights

For domestic flights within Australia, you’ll mainly use the following airlines:

• Jetstar
• Qantas
• Virgin Australia

Long-distance coaches

Buses are the cheapest option for long-distance travel.

All services run to the bus station right in the city centre, in the Jolimont Tourist Centrebuilding, directly opposite the ‘Alinga Street’ tram stop; see the location on the map.

• Novotel Canberra **** – a hotel right next to the bus station

There is a Murrays ticket office at this bus station. For the frequent service to Sydney, you can simply buy your ticket on arrival.

We recommend buying Greyhound tickets online.

Long-distance services to Canberra are mainly operated by two companies from these cities.

• Murrays Coaches
  • Sydney– every hour, journey time 3.5 hours, one-way ticket prices from 47 aud
  • Moruya– once a day, journey time 3.5 hours, one-way ticket prices from 41 aud
  • Batemans Bay– once a day, journey time 2.5 hours, one-way ticket prices from 38 aud
  • Narooma– once a day, journey time 4.5 hours, one-way ticket prices from 49 aud
  • Book tickets atonline.murrays.com.au
• Greyhound Australia
  • Melbourne– once a day, journey time 8 hours, one-way ticket prices from 128 aud
  • Sydney– once a day, journey time 3.5 hours, one-way ticket prices from 53 aud
  • Albury– once a day, journey time 3.5 hours, one-way ticket prices from 91 aud
  • Book tickets atgreyhound.com.au

Long-distance trains

The railway station is situated on the southern outskirts of Canberra; see the location on the map.

You can get from the railway station to the city centre by city bus:

• City centre – routes R2, 182

We provide more information about bus services in the city in the Transport section.

The long-distance train servicebetween Sydney and Canberra is operated by NSW Transport. There are no direct trains to other cities, and to travel to Melbourne you must change at Goulburn station, which is not worth the time; it is more convenient to travel by bus or fly.

• Price – from 54 aud
• Frequency – 3 times a day
• Journey time – 4 hours

Tickets and timetables are available attransportnsw.info/regional-bookings.

Regional buses

You can reach towns closer than Sydney or Melbourne by regional buses, which, like the trains, are operated by Transport for NSW.

You can find journey planners and timetables on thetransportnsw.info website. You can also buy your ticket directly on this website.

All buses depart from Kingston Coach Station in the south of the city, but they usually also stop at the Alinga Street stop in the centre of Canberra:

• Cooma – direct services on routes 771 and 775 run 2–3 times a day
• Wagga Wagga – direct service on route 703 runs once a day