The best way to explore Australia as much as possible is definitely by hire car. For longer distances, however, you should fly; flights are frequent and relatively cheap.

Long-distance coach and rail services are also of a high standard, although they are not very frequent.

By car

Just like in England, they driveon the left in Australia. You’ll get used to it quite quickly. Do bear in mind, however, where you’re looking when crossing the road as a pedestrian.

Car hire companies are located at all Australian airports, as well as in the centres of larger cities. There are a huge number of both multinational and local car hire companies operating in Australia.

Compare prices at booking.com/cars

You can find detailed information about travelling by car in the section ‘Car hire in Australia’.

Air travel

The distances between major cities are considerable. This is one of the reasons why air travel is the most common form of domestic transport.

There are a vast number of airports with scheduled services in Australia, and the routes between major cities are among the busiest in the world.

There are several modern airlines operating in Australia.

Airfares and when to book

You can buy domestic one-way tickets from 110 aud on the shortest routes between major cities.

However, flight prices on longer routes across Australia are quite expensive and can cost over 250 aud for a one-way journey.

The highest fares are found on short regional routes to small communities and locations served only by small aircraft with limited capacity and little competition. Fares on these routes range from 250 aud to 400 aud.

The usual price on the busiest route, Sydney–Melbourne, is between 100 audand 190 aud for a one-way flight.

The cheapest flights are usually available1–3 months before departure.

Book a flight within Australia

Airlines in Australia

There are many airlines operating in the country, including both low-cost carriers, whose cheapest fares do not include checked-in luggage, and traditional airlines offering free checked-in luggage.

Compare flight prices on skyscanner.com

You can buy flights within Australia from these airlines.

• Qantas – the national airline, with checked-in luggage included in the fare, but higher flight prices
• Jetstar – generally the cheapest airline, a low-cost carrier without checked-in luggage, with main hubs in Melbourne and Sydney
• Virgin Australia – another low-cost carrier with no checked-in luggage included, with main hubs in Brisbane, Perth and Sydney
• Rex Airlines – a major regional airline flying to a large number of small towns in the outback
• Link Airways – a regional airline flying to small towns, mainly from Brisbane
• Airnorth – a regional airline flying to small towns, mainly from Darwin or Alice Springs
• FlyPelican – a small regional airline operating from Newcastle

Rail transport

Regular rail services are concentrated mainly in the south-eastern and eastern parts of the country, although two lines extend across the entire continent as far as Perth and Darwin.

There are several rail operators in Australia:

• NSW Trainlink: operates services around Sydney and long-distance routes between Sydney and Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, and Sydney and Canberra
• Queensland Rail: services around Brisbane and within the state of Queensland
• Transwa: a rail operator serving Western Australia around the city of Perth
• V/Line: mainly runs from Melbourne to surrounding towns

Ideally, buy your tickets online at least one week in advance on the websites of the companies listed above.

Ticket prices and routes

Examples of the most popular routes are as follows:

Route	Price from	Frequency
Sydney – Melbourne	84 aud	Twice daily
Sydney – Brisbane	73 aud	Once a day
Sydney – Canberra	37 aud	3 times a day
Sydney – Newcastle	25 aud	3 times a day

Scenic railways across Australia

Long-distance luxury trains travelling across Australia from north to south and from east to west are very popular.

All these tourist routes are operated by Journey Beyond Rail.

Routes, bookings and ticket prices

We recommend booking tickets well in advance, particularly for the longest routes from Adelaide to Perth and from Adelaide to Darwin, where tickets can sell out several months in advance.

Please book your tickets on thejourneybeyondrail.com.au website.

The Ghan

The Ghan route is considered one of the most spectacular train journeys in the world.

The trains travel across the Australian outback from north to south along the following route:

• Adelaide – Manguri – Marla – Alice Springs – Katherine – Darwin
• The route is 2,790 km long in total

Tickets are available in several options:

• Full route: Adelaide – Darwin
  • prices from 4 090 aud
  • journey time 52 hours
• Adelaide – Alice Springs
  • Prices from 2 175 aud
  • journey time 25 hours
• Darwin – Alice Springs
  • Prices from 2 175 aud
  • journey time 26 hours
• Book tickets:journeybeyondrail.com.au/the-ghan

Indian Pacific

The world’s longest railway line runs through the desolate southern desert from west to east, continuing through the mountains to Sydney on the Pacific coast.

The trains run along the following route:

• Sydney – Blue Mountains – Broken Hill – Adelaide – Cook – Rawlinna – Kalgoorlie – Perth
• The total length of the route is 4,352 km

Tickets are available in several options:

• Full route: Perth – Sydney
  • prices from 3 980 aud
  • journey time 73 hours
• Adelaide – Perth
  • Prices from 3 600 aud
  • journey time 40 hours
• Book tickets:journeybeyondrail.com.au/indian-pacific

Great Southern

A major route through south-eastern Australia from Brisbane to Adelaide, running partly along the coast and partly through the interior.

Trains run along the following route:

• Brisbane – Coffs Harbour – Newcastle – Grampians – Adelaide
• The total length of the route is 2,885 km

Tickets are available in the following options:

• The entire route from Brisbane to Adelaide
  • prices from 3 100 aud
  • journey time 55 hours
• Book tickets:journeybeyondrail.com.au/great-southern

The Overland

The shortest of Journey Beyond’s routes runs only from Melbourne to Adelaide.

You can find tickets for this route here:

• Full Melbourne–Adelaide route
  • prices from 145 aud
  • journey time 13 hours
• Book tickets:journeybeyondrail.com.au/the-overland

Long-distance coaches

Buses are another affordable option. Among the best-known operators are the red Greyhound buses. It’s an ideal way to travel for solo travellers as well as groups. 

Long-distance buses are fairly reliable and relatively cheap, but the journeys are lengthy, and it’s still true that travelling by plane will be much more comfortable and, if you’re travelling with just one piece of luggage, often quicker too.

Ideally, buy your tickets online at least one week in advance on the websites of the companies listed below.

Buses only run between major cities, particularly in the south-eastern part of the country

The main bus operators:

• Greyhound Australia: provides services across virtually all populated areas of Australia
• Premier: Greyhound’s competitor on routes along the east coast from Sydney to Cairns
• Firefly Express: frequent services from Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney
• Integrity: the largest coach operator in Western Australia, serving the Perth area
• V/Line: a coach and train operator serving mainly southern and south-eastern Australia
• Murrays Coaches: frequent services from Canberra to Sydney and other coastal cities

Ferries

The only regular ferry services for ordinary foot passengers and cars run to the island of Tasmania and on two routes from the city of Darwin.

Tasmania

Passenger ferries operate on theGeelong–Devonport route.

• Spirit of Tasmania:spiritoftasmania.com.au/sailing-fares/sailing-schedule
• 1–2 times a day
• Journey time approx. 11 hours
• Prices from 115 aud for pedestrians / from 336 aud with a car

Darwin

Regular ferries sail to the Tiwi Islands 3–4 times a week. For detailed information, please visitsealink.com.au/tiwi-islands/ferry-information/ferry-timetable.