Getting Around Australia

Australia is enormous—about the same size as the USA (minus Alaska), but with a fraction of the population. Its 23 million inhabitants mainly live around the east and south coasts, as well as on the island of Tasmania. The west and north coasts are very sparsely populated, and the desert interior even more so. 

Given Australia’s huge size, many travelers focus on one part of the country, or a couple of regions, rather than try to see the whole thing, which wouldn’t be possible in a single trip. Flying is the quickest and most convenient way of getting around, and most points of interest to travelers can be visited this way.

Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane are the largest cities in Australia, and most travelers will fly into an airport in one of these cities. Canberra is the capital, but it’s actually quite a small city and many travelers give it a miss. Most major cities and towns are well connected to other parts of Australia by air.

Driving is also a popular way of getting around, despite—or perhaps because of—the large distances. To do any road trip itinerary justice, you’d need at least two weeks in the country, preferably more. Highways and other roads in the east and south are generally in good condition. 

While some of the more popular outback routes, such as to Uluru, are in pretty good shape, other outback roads are very remote, with long distances between settlements. It’s important to have emergency supplies if traveling long distances through the interior of Australia. 

Trains are also an option for certain parts of the country. Standard (ie, non-luxurious) trains run between Melbourne and Sydney, and Sydney and Brisbane. More luxurious services specifically for travelers run some of the longer routes, such as between Adelaide and Darwin (via Alice Springs), and Brisbane to Cairns. Long-distance trains aren’t cheap, but they are the most comfortable way of traveling overland in Australia.