Australia Transport

All of Australia’s main cities have international airports, since flying is the most practical way to travel into and around this large country. Australia’s national carrier is Qantas, but about 25 other international airlines operate regular services to the country. The main airports are located in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Brisbane. Each of these major international gateways has excellent facilities in their terminals and good transport links into the city.

Kingsford Smith International Airport in Sydney receives the most international visitors, handling more than 30 million passengers annually. The airport has two terminals: the International Terminal and Domestic Terminal. Flights operate to major cities worldwide as well as a host of domestic destination. An underground rail line connects the airport with the city, as do road and bus links.

Air travel is the best way to get around Australia, so there is an excellent domestic air network in place. Perth, Darwin, Cairns and Hobart also have large airports servicing all the main cities in Australia, as well as many regional destinations. The main domestic airlines are Jetstar, Qantas Link, Virgin Blue, and Tiger Airlines. Airline companies such as Rex Regional Express, Air North, Skywest and Macair Airlines handle short-haul flights to even smaller airports in Australia. If you want to get from the east coast to the west, then flying is the only convenient transport option.

Since it’s such as long distance between cities in Australia, most travellers fly. If you want to see some of the scenery, however, there are excellent train and bus services which cover the country.

There are two rail services which traverse the continent from coast to coast. The Indian Pacific runs twice a week from Sydney to Perth taking three days. The Ghan runs between Adelaide and Darwin, passing through Alice Springs twice each week taking two nights to arrive. Both of these lines are reliable, clean and air-conditioned with a number of seat classes. Shorter train links connect cities along the south and east coasts, which are closer together, such as the XPT Express, Sunlander, Prospector and the Spirit of the Outback.

Every town of note in Australia is linked by the country’s efficient coach network operated by Greyhound. The buses are comfortable, but if you are travelling any real distance be prepared for a long and slow journey. A variety of coach passes provide good ticket options to travel around the country by bus. The Aussie Kilometre Pass lets you pay per kilometre and travel in any direction on the Greyhound line network.

Australia has an excellent road network, and renting a car is easy. All the major airports have car hire firms on site, and you need only be 21 years old to rent a vehicle.

Australia’s cities all have very good public transportation systems, so visitors will have no trouble getting to attractions. Every state capital has a suburban train system, with Sydney’s and Melbourne’s being quite extensive. Trams run in Melbourne and Adelaide, and public buses can be found in all the cities. Taxis in Australia use meters and are considered safe and reliable. They can be flagged down on the streets or hired at a taxi rank. Taxi drivers do not expect to be tipped.