Getting there & Getting around

Getting there

Air travel is Australia's best friend, with most visitors taking a long haul flight to get here.

Virtually all visitors to Australia arrive by air. The main international airports are Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, followed by Perth, Adelaide, Hobart, Darwin and Cairns. There are plenty of connections to Asia, Europe and the USA, but Australia's remoteness makes flights relatively expensive and long. Many flights are heavily booked, so make plans well in advance. Departure tax on international flights is 27.00. This tax is usually included in the price of your airline ticket.

Getting around

With distances between cities so great, flying is the most favoured and speedy option, although buses and trains provide a more scenic, if lengthy alternative. Within the major cities, you will find thorough and convenient rail and bus systems.

Australia is so vast (and so empty in places) that something like 80% of long-distance trips are made by air. Qantas is Australia's main domestic airline and has a budget subsidiary called Jetstar. A competing carrier that flies all over the country is Virgin Blue. Few people pay full fare for domestic air travel because the airlines offer a wide range of discounts, including random discounting and Internet fares.

There are several long-distance bus companies but only one truly national service, Greyhound Australia. Buses are comfortable, but if you're travelling between major cities, be prepared for a long trip. Australia has a skeletal rail network linking all major cities.

Many visitors group together and hire or purchase a car. The latter can be an economical way of travelling around Australia, as long as you don't have too many mechanical failures. Highway 1 circumnavigates the continent, sticking close to the coast much of the way. Watch out for monstrous road trains (trucks with multiple trailers) on outback roads; naturally it's wise to give way to anything bigger than yourself.

Few people travel long distances by train because it's usually the slowest mode of overland transport and remains relatively expensive (though it is generally more comfortable for overnight trips).

Visa information

Every nationality except New Zealanders need visas. Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) visas are valid for 12 months, allowing travellers to stay for up to three months at a time within this period. The processing of ETAs costs around 20.00. Tourist visas, which are valid for stays of up to three months but which can be extended, cost 75.00. European Union nationals can apply for a tourist visa (three-month stay maximum) online for free at the Department of Immigration and Citizenship website.