Australia is a big place with loads to see and do. You’ve got the magnificent coast line with its pristine beaches, islands and Great Barrier Reef. The outback and Central Australia. Then you have the vibrant cities plus everything else in between. How are you going to get to see it all? Usually the quickest option to travel around Australia is often the most expensive option. Depending on your time frame you might want to include a number of Australian transport options. To help you work out the best way to travel Australia, here are the most popular transport options to travel Australia.
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How to Travel Australia?
If travelling Australia is on your agenda then you will want to know the best ways to travel Australia. Plus, you will want to know how to get around Australia on the cheap and within your budget. To decide on the best Australia transportation option for you, ask yourself the following questions”
- How long are you travelling Australia for?
- How far will you be going?
- What is your budget?
- As well as travel options, what kind of accommodation will you be looking for? A bed in a hostel? A room in a hotel? Taking your accommodation with you in the form of a tent or van? Or are you thinking to do some house sitting in Australia?
TIP: Don’t limit yourself to just one travel option – combine them for the best travel experience.
Keep these questions in mind while discovering which transport options you could choose to travel around Australia.
Best Transportation in Australia
There are some great transport in Australia. For your trip around Australia you could use one Aussie transport option or combine a number of them. Here’s what I think are the best ways to travel around Australia.
#1 Air Travel in Australia
Flying is the quickest way to travel Australia. It gets you from point-to-point fast but you do miss out on what’s between A and B. If you are limited for time, or don’t want to spend many hours or days in a car, bus or train then this may be the easiest way to get around Australia. Flying is great for weekend getaways, business trips and holidays or anytime you need to be somewhere fast. If you are limited for time, then choosing air travel in Australia is your best and fastest option.
The airlines flying Australia are:
To get the best deal on an airfare check out the airlines’ websites directly. Keep an eye out for their special deals and sales to take advantage of cheap flights. Or visit a website / app where you can compare and book an airfare such as on Skyscanner. After including your travel requirements, Skyscanner will list the airfare options available. These can be the cheapest airfare, fastest flight and the different times available.
TIP: Fly during the week (Tuesday – Thursday) as it is often cheaper.
#2 Coach / Bus Travel in Australia
Some people call them coaches while others call them buses, either way, they are a great way to travel around Australia. Traversing Australia by coach or bus is a popular way to travel. The routes covered are extensive so you can count on being able to visit all the major places you want to see, and more. Different tickets can be purchased from a one way ticket to a flexible hop-on hop-off pass. The main downside of bus travel is they are slower than other forms of transport. This is because of the distances involved.
I can vouch for this having spent 18 hours on a bus from Alice Springs to Darwin, while another time it was 10 hours spent on the bus from Melbourne to Sydney. There are stops at roadhouses but only really to stretch your legs, go to the toilet and grab a bite to eat. The biggest advantage with bus travel in Australia is it often the cheapest transport option to travel Australia. This makes it a popular choice of transport in Australia with backpackers and budget travellers. Even some couples and families with with kids travel on the bus system in Australia. The major coach lines include:
- Greyhound Pioneer Australia (for all of Australia)
- Firefly (Sydney-Melbourne, Melbourne-Sydney, Melbourne-Adelaide, Adelaide-Melbourne)
- Premier Motor Service (for the South Coast – Sydney-Eden)
There are also some backpacker buses that travel Australia. Since covid lockdowns a number of the backpacker bus tour operators in Australia have folded, but not all. If you are a younger backpacker or working holiday maker to Australia and are looking to have fun, party and hang out with other like-minded travellers, then you may be interested in to travel Australia with a specialist backpacker organisation. Check out the following for more details:
#3 Organised Tours of Australia
Australia has many tour operators offering organised tours in and around Australia. They usually include your transport, accommodation, most meals and entrance fees. And take you to the places you want to see. Tour companies include (and are not limited to)
#4 Train Travel in Australia
Rail map of Australia showing the limited rail routes
Travelling Australia by train is an option to consider. Train routes in Australia aren’t as extensive as the bus routes in Australia but there are still some wonderful trips to take. And they are mostly in the eastern states of Australia. You can purchase point to point travel i.e. Sydney to Melbourne, Sydney to Tamworth, Melbourne to Bendigo or you could purchase any one of a number of passes allowing you to hop on and hop off the trains. Queensland has some good passes available. Unfortunately Australia doesn’t have a national train system, they are state based. To find out more information about travelling by train in each state, check out their official websites.
- NSW – NSW Rail
- Victoria – V/Line
- Queensland – Queensland Rail
One advantage to using the trains is that on the longer trips you can get a ‘sleeper’ on overnight train journeys. This will offset having to pay for accommodation. Australia also has a number of famous train routes. The most well-known is The Indian Pacific which takes three days to travel between Sydney and Perth. There is also The Ghan that runs between Adelaide and Alice Springs to Darwin and is an alternative to driving the Stuart Highway road trip. These are great to sit in and watch Australia unfold.
#5 Car / Van / Caravan / Motobike Travel in Australia
Flexibility is the name of the game when you travel by car, van, motorbike or if towing a caravan. You can go where you want, when you want and include out-of-the-way places that plane, coach and train travellers will miss. Most people choose this option to drive the big lap of Oz.
There are different ways to get your hands on a vehicle, all legal of course! The type of vehicle best for any drive around Australia will depend on what type of travelling you will be doing and for how long. When looking at which vehicle to drive around Australia consider:
- how long are you travelling Australia for?
- will you be going off-road? will this include driving on dirt roads and free camping on beaches and in the mountains?
- how many of you are travelling?
- do you want to tow a caravan? if so, your vehicle will need to be able to tow a certain weight.
- would you like to live in a van or RV?
I you don’t own a vehicle already that is suitable to drive around Australia in, then you have options:
Rent a Vehicle
If you don’t have a vehicle, you could rent a car or campervan, relocate a car or campervan, or share a lift. There are lots of companies available offering vehicle rentals including Avis, Hertz, Britz, Budget and AutoEurope. Get a great deal on a rental by comparing vehicles, pricing and availability through DiscoverCars.
Some people buy or rent a camper van or caravan so it is not only their transport but their home. Having your transport and accommodation all in the one place makes travelling considerably cheaper.
If you’d like to rent a Campervan check out the following:
- Jucy Campervans
- Britz Campers
- Hippie Campers
- Apollo Campers
- Travellers Auto Barn
- Camplify – this is a website/app where you can rent camper vans directly from the owners
Relocate a Vehicle
There are organisations in Australia that need vehicles relocated. This could have been because a vehicle was rented one-way and it needs returning to its original rental office. These organisations often charge a lower daily rate for you to relocate the vehicle plus petrol. And you usually need to deliver it to its destination within a time-frame. If you are happy to relocate a vehicle at a cheaper rate check out the following:
Ride Share
Car sharing or ride sharing is a popular option to travel around Australia. Check out hostel notice boards where people advertise looking for, or offering to share a lift. Also check out Facebook groups such as the Australian Backpacker Hub. Now car sharing is a great travel option to get you around Australia however, get to know your travel partner or partners first including what their travel goals are. If they want to stop at different places to you, you may have to re-think your travel plans with them. Some ride share organisations include:
GET SOME ROAD TRIP INSPIRATION HERE
#6 Local Public Transport in Australia
Though not a transport option to travel around Australia, use local transport to travel in the Australian town or city you are in. There is some good public transportation in Australia including trains, trams, buses and ferries being available in many cities. Ticket prices vary and sometimes they are free. For instance, Melbourne has a free tourist city circle tram that you can hop on and off.
#7 Walking
I wouldn’t walk around Australia myself, but people have and will continue to do so. As you travel Australia you will find there is a lot of walking involved. You will be walking along city streets checking out the sites, stores or heading to a cafe or restaurant. Walking or hiking to see fabulous views. Plus doing general walking from your vehicle to the toilet block! Walking doesn’t cost you anything to do – well maybe for a good pair of walking shoes – so get ready to do a lot of walking.
So What’s The Best Way To Travel around Australia?
The best way to travel Australia will depend on your circumstances – your budget, time frame and whether you are travelling solo, in a couple or with your family. My biggest tip would be to mix and match your transport options. At a glance, and you need some inspiration, here’s my run down on my top picks for different travel types based on my own travels in Australia for you to consider.
- Cheapest way to travel around Australia for those wanting budget transport – by bus or coach
- Most flexible way to travel around Australia – by your own vehicle
- Best way to travel Australia for solo travellers – bus or coach pass or your own vehicle
- Best way to travel for couples or families travelling Australia with kids – by car staying in hostels or hotels or towing a caravan will give you the most flexibility
- Quickest way to get from A to B – flying is the fastest way to travel in Australia
- Most comfortable way to travel Australia – train
Are You Ready to Discover Australia Now?
Whatever mode of transport you choose to travel around Australia, I’m sure you will have the time of your life. My best tip is to mix and match your travel options to work out the best for you. Happy travels around Australia! I’d love to hear in the comments following about your travel choices or answer any questions you might have.
And don’t forget to have appropriate insurance to cover you, your vehicle and possessions for your Australian travels.
I like the sound of the trains. Shame they don’t go completely around Australia. I am here for 12 months how long within that 12 months should I budget to go completely around Australia?
Hi Sarah, Australia is a great place to travel. We suggest anywhere between 3-6 months to go around Australia and up/down the middle. Enjoy your travels and we would love to hear how your travels are going?
Great info here. We’re planning our first trip to Australia and will be on an organized tour. But we’re hoping for a few days before the start in Melbourne. We’d like to see the Great Ocean Rd and doo some birding. But don’t want to drive ourselves. Do you have suggestions for tours or guides? Thanks!
You can check out tours on GYG or there are small tour companies you can organise a day tour from your hotel concierge. Hope that helps.