Getting There

By Plane -- Qantas (tel. 13 13 13 in Australia) flies to Adelaide from the other major state capitals. The discount carrier Virgin Blue (tel. 13 67 89 in Australia; www.virginblue.com.au) flies direct from Melbourne, with connections from other state capitals and some major towns. Check the website for cheap deals. Adelaide International Airport is 5km (3 miles) west of the city center. Major car-rental companies (Avis, Budget, Hertz, and Thrifty) have desks in both the international and domestic terminals.

The Skylink (tel. 08/8332 0528; www.skylinkadelaide.com) connects the airport with major hotels and the rail and bus stations. On weekdays, buses leave the terminals at 30-minute intervals from 5:30am to 9:30pm, and on weekends and public holidays hourly (on the half-hour). Adult tickets are A$7.50 (US$6/UK£3) one-way, A$13 (US$10/UK£5) round-trip. Children's tickets cost A$2.50 (US$2/UK£1) each way.

By Taxi -- A taxi to the city from the airport will cost around A$19 (US$15/UK£7).

By Train -- The Keswick Interstate Rail Passenger Terminal, 2km (1 1/4 miles) west of the city center, is Adelaide's main railway station. The terminal has a small snack bar and a cafe.

Contact Great Southern Railways (tel. 13 21 47 in Australia, or 08/8213 4530; www.gsr.com.au) for information, timetables, fares, and bookings for all trains described below.

One of the great trains of Australia, the Indian Pacific transports passengers from Sydney to Adelaide (trip time: 28 hr.) every Saturday and Wednesday at 2:55pm and from Perth to Adelaide (trip time: 36 hr.) on Wednesday and Sunday at 11:55am. One-way tickets from Sydney to Adelaide are around A$665 (US$532/UK£266) for adults and A$527 (US$422/UK£211) for children in first class; A$485 (US$388/UK£194) for adults and A$353 (US$282/UK£141) for children in an economy sleeper; and A$285 (US$228/UK£114) for adults and A$136 (US$109/UK£55) for children in coach. From Perth to Adelaide the one-way fare is A$1,353 (US$1,082/UK£541) for adults and A$926 (US$741/UK£372) for children in first class; A$960 (US$768/UK£384) for adults and A$576 (US$460/UK£230) for children in an economy sleeper; and A$395 (US$316/UK£157) for adults and A$186 (US$149/UK£75) for children in coach. Prices keep going up, so check before you leave home. Sydney-to-Perth prices come in at A$1,790 (US$1,432/UK£716) in first class for adults and A$1,293 (US$1,034/UK£517) for kids; A$1,320 (US$1,056/UK£528) for adults and A$859 (US$687/UK£344) for kids in an economy sleeper, and A$680 (US$544/UK£272) for adults and A$322 (US$258/UK£128) for kids in economy seats (you'd be crazy).

The other legendary Australian train is the Ghan, which runs from Adelaide to Alice Springs and on to Darwin twice a week on Sunday and Wednesday at 2:20pm. Trip time from Alice Springs to Adelaide is 20 hours. From Alice Springs to Adelaide and vice versa, the one-way fare is A$995 (US$796/UK£400) for adults and A$681 (US$544/UK£274) for children in first class; A$685 (US$548/UK£274) for adults and A$417 (US$334/UK£177) for children in an economy sleeper; and A$335 (US$268/UK£134) for adults and A$159 (US$127/UK£164) for children for an economy seat. From Adelaide to Darwin it costs A$1,920 (US$1,536/UK£768) for adults and A$1,496 (US$1,197/UK£1,000) for kids in first class; A$1,390 (US$1,112/UK£556) for adults and A$1,023 (US$818/UK£409) for kids in an economy sleeper; and A$690 (US$552/UK£276) for adults and A$454 (US$363/UK£183) for kids in an economy seat. It's a hard trip in an economy sleeper though, and all those old socks (it's the custom on trains for people to take off their shoes) make it smelly.

The Overland operates four weekly round-trips. It offers daylight service from Adelaide to Melbourne and overnight service from Melbourne to Adelaide (trip time: 12 hr.). From Melbourne to Adelaide, one-way ticket prices are A$139 (US$111/UK£56) for adults and A$98 (US$78/UK£39) for children in first class, and A$89 (US$71/UK£36) for adults and A$55 (US$44/UK£22) for children in an economy seat. The train leaves Adelaide every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and Melbourne on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.

By Bus -- Intercity coaches serve the central bus station, 101 Franklin St. (tel. 08/8415 5533), near Morphett Street in the city center. Greyhound Australia (tel. 13 14 99 in Australia, or 07/4690 9950; www.greyhound.com.au) runs buses between Adelaide and all other major cities. The trip from Melbourne takes 11 hours and costs A$60 (US$48/UK£24); from Sydney, 25 hours and A$138 (US$110/UK£55); and from Alice Springs, 21 hours and A$258 (US$206/UK£103).

Adventurous types should consider traveling to Adelaide from Melbourne (or vice versa) on the Wayward Bus, operated by the Wayward Bus Touring Company, P.O. Box 7076, Adelaide, SA 5000 (tel. 1800/882 823 in Australia, or 08/8232 6646; www.waywardbus.com.au). The fare is A$365 (US$292/UK£146) with backpacker's accommodations and around A$512 (US$410/UK£205) with motel accommodations. You spend about 3 hours a day on the bus, and the driver acts as your guide. The fare includes a picnic or cafe lunch each day and entry to national parks. You can leave the trip and rejoin another later. Reservations are essential. Wayward Bus also runs 8-day overland trips traveling between Adelaide and Alice (or vice versa), via Uluru, Kata Tjuta (Olgas), Kings Canyon, Coober Pedy, Lake Eyre, William Creek, Wilpena Pound, the Flinders Ranges, and the Clare Valley wineries. It's a mix of camping, swags (thick sleeping bags), dugout cave, and hostel accommodations. It costs A$945 (US$756/UK£378). Check the website for more tours, including to Outback South Australia and Kangaroo Island.

Another bus company, the Nullarbor Traveller (P.O. Box 72, Glensside, SA 5065; tel. 08/8364 0407; www.the-traveller.com.au), takes adventurous travelers from Adelaide to Perth in 9 days across the Nullarbor Plain. The tour includes a mixture of camping and pub accommodations and most meals. It costs A$1,295 (US$1,036/UK£518). A good area website is www.nullarbornet.com.au.

By Car -- To drive from Sydney to Adelaide on the Hume and Sturt highways takes roughly 20 hours; from Melbourne it takes around 10 hours on the Great Ocean Road and Princes Highway; from Perth it takes 32 hours on the Great Eastern and Princes highways; and from Alice Springs it takes 15 hours on the remote Stuart Highway. For more information on driving distances, consult www.auinfo.com/distancecalc_process.asp.