Getting Around

Remember what I said about distances? Possibly the biggest mistake tourists make Down Under (apart from getting horribly sunburned) is failing to comprehend the distances between popular locations. You won't be able to see Uluru (Ayers Rock) from your Sydney hotel room window. It's 2,841km (1,761 miles) away. One of the urban legends that grew up around the 2000 Olympics was the tale of the tourist who asked where in Sydney Harbour he could catch the boat to the Great Barrier Reef. That's a mere 2,800km (1,736 miles) north. My best advice is don't try to cram too much into your trip.

Traveling overland may make sense in Europe or North America, but in Australia flying is often the best way between most points. People who go by train, bus, or car are often disappointed at Australia's flat vistas of desert, wheat fields, and gum trees -- the same landscape can go on for days. A good compromise is to take to the air for long trips and save the land travel for short hops of a few hours. Try not to backtrack, which eats up valuable time and money.

By Plane

Australia is a big country with a small population to support its air routes, so airfares may be higher than you are used to paying. Australia's air network is not as well developed as that of North America or Europe, so don't assume there is a direct flight to your chosen destination, or that there is a flight every hour or even every day.

Most domestic air travel is operated by Qantas (tel. 800/227-4500 in the U.S. and Canada, 0845/7747 767 in the U.K. or 208/600 4300 in London, 1/407 3278 in Ireland, 09/357 8900 in Auckland, 0800/808 767 in New Zealand, or 13 13 13 in Australia; www.qantas.com.au) or Virgin Blue (tel. 13 67 89 in Australia, or 07/3295 2296; www.virginblue.com.au), its sibling company Pacific Blue (tel. 13 16 45 in Australia, or 07/3295 2284; 0800/67 0000 in New Zealand; www.virginblue.com.au), or Qantas-owned newcomer Jetstar (tel. 13 15 38 in Australia, or 03/8341 4901; 0800/800 995 in New Zealand; www.jetstar.com.au). Regional Express (tel. 13 17 13 in Australia; www.regionalexpress.com.au) serves regional New South Wales, South Australia, Victoria, and northern Tasmania.

Between them, Virgin Blue and Qantas and its subsidiaries, QantasLink and Jetstar, service every capital city, as well as most major regional towns on the east coast, Tasmania, and such places as Broome in Western Australia. Melbourne has two airports: the main international and domestic terminals at Tullamarine, and Avalon Airport, about 50km (31 miles) from the city, which is used by some Jetstar flights. Make sure you check which one your flight leaves from before you book. Competition is hot, so it's likely that all airlines will have added to their route networks by the time you read this.

A newcomer to Australian skies in the past year is low-cost Singapore-based carrier Tiger Airways (tel. 03/9335 3033; www.tigerairways.com), which flies into Darwin and Perth from Singapore; and domestically between Melbourne and Darwin, Perth, Alice Springs, Canberra, Adelaide, Newcastle, Launceston, and Hobart in Tasmania; and the Queensland coastal ports of Mackay, Rockhampton, Sunshine Coast, and Gold Coast. It is likely the network will have expanded even more before you arrive.

Note: All flights in Australia are nonsmoking.

Fares for International Travelers -- Qantas typically offers international travelers a discount of around 30% off the full fares that Australians pay for domestic flights bought within Australia. To qualify, quote your passport number and international ticket number when reserving. Don't assume the fare for international travelers is the best deal, though -- the latest deal in the market that day (or even better, perhaps, a package deal with accommodations thrown in) may be cheaper still.

Air Passes -- If you are visiting from the U.S. or Canada and plan on whipping around to more than one city, purchasing a Qantas Aussie AirPass is much cheaper than buying regular fares. The pass is good for travel on certain flights between Los Angeles, San Francisco, Honolulu, or Vancouver and Sydney, Melbourne, or Brisbane, and also gives you up to another three destinations within Australia (or more for an extra A$110/US$100/£50 each).

The AirPass price starts from A$1,209 to A$1,759 (US$1,099-US$1,599/£550-£800), depending on the season, and is for economy-class travel only. Prices also vary according to which "zone" you are traveling to. Zone 1 covers travel to Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Adelaide, Hobart, and Launceston. Zone 2, which costs an extra A$220 (US$200/£100), will take you to Cairns, Townsville, Hamilton Island, Rockhampton, Mackay, Gladstone, Alice Springs, Ayers Rock (Uluru), and Darwin. Zone 3, costing an extra A$440 (US$400/£200), will get you as far as Perth, Broome, and Hayman Island.

If you are starting your trip in the U.S. from somewhere other than Los Angeles or Honolulu, special fares are available -- but only from San Jose; San Diego; Seattle; Portland; Las Vegas; Dallas; Denver; St. Louis; Chicago; New York (JFK and Newark); Washington, D.C.; Miami; and Boston.

From Canada, special fares are available from Calgary, Edmonton, Ottawa, Montreal, Toronto, and Halifax. Check with Qantas (tel. 800/227 4603; www.qantas.com) for details.

The AirPass is also only available on certain flights, but you can pay a surcharge to travel on other flights and still get an AirPass.

The Aussie AirPass has a minimum stay of 7 days and a maximum of 21 days from your first trans-Atlantic flight.

You must buy the pass before you arrive in Australia. Residents of Europe, New Zealand, and Australia cannot purchase this pass.

Aerial Tours -- The great thing about aerial touring is that it allows you to whiz around the vast Australian continent to see many highlights, and you get to skip all the featureless countryside that typically separates Australia's most fascinating bits. Much of the landscape (such as the weird Bungle Bungles formations in the Kimberley) is best seen from the air, anyhow. Aircruising Australia (tel. 1800/252 053 in Australia, or 02/9693 2233; 0800/445 700 in New Zealand; www.aircruising.com.au) operates upscale aerial tours of 8 to 12 days in a private aircraft, usually a 38-passenger Dash 8, which is nimble enough to "flight-see" as low as 300m (1,000 ft.). One factor you may regard as a plus is that the company mainly markets within Australia, so your fellow passengers are likely to be Aussies. Perhaps because the tours are expensive for Australians, most passengers are over 55. Those who have taken these tours recommend them, saying they are extremely well organized, with lots of time for the land-based sightseeing, some free time, and a maximum 2 hours in the air most days. Accommodations are usually the best available, and the itineraries include "fun extras." Fares in 2008 ranged from A$9,095 to A$12,595 (US$8,186-US$11,336/£4,093-£5,668) per person sharing a double or twin room.

You may not think of Antarctica as part of your Australian vacation, but Antarctica Sightseeing Flights (tel. 1800/633 449 in Australia, or 03/8814 5701; tel. 0800/445 477 in New Zealand; www.antarcticaflights.com.au) offers once-in-a-lifetime visits to the icy continent. The 12-hour journey offers spectacular viewing over the frozen beauty of Antarctica -- a truly memorable experience that comes at a high price for a day trip. Flights are seasonal (Nov-Feb) and include a New Year's Eve flight. Most leave from Sydney or Melbourne, with connections from Brisbane, Canberra, and Adelaide. The tours have been running since 1994, operated by Croydon Travel with chartered Qantas jumbo jets carrying 350 passengers. You reach the Antarctic coastline after about 4 hours flying and spend the next 4 hours above some of the world's most pristine and spectacular territory. Below are magnificent glaciers, mountain ranges, soaring coastal cliffs, and ice floes. There's no problem viewing all this, despite the fact that you might not have a window seat -- everyone moves around and takes turns, and a rotating seating system works well. In 2007-08, fares ranged from A$999 (US$899/£450) in an economy center seat to A$5,499 (US$4,949/£2,475) in first class -- but this is unlike any other flight you've been on.

By Train

Australia's trains are clean, comfortable, and safe, and for the most part service standards and facilities are perfectly adequate. The rail network in Australia links Perth to Adelaide, and continues on to Melbourne and north to Canberra, Sydney, Brisbane, and right up the coast to Cairns. There's also a line from Adelaide to Alice Springs and Darwin. Some rural towns, such as Broken Hill, also have rail service. Trains generally cost more than buses but are still reasonably priced. Two trains that are more than a mere mode of transport -- the Indian Pacific and the Ghan (described below) -- are a bit more expensive, but worth it for the experience.

Most long-distance trains have sleepers with big windows, air-conditioning, electric outlets, wardrobes, sinks, and fresh sheets and blankets. First-class sleepers have en-suite (attached private) bathrooms, and fares often include meals. Second-class sleepers use shared shower facilities, and meals are not included. Some second-class sleepers are private cabins; on other trains you share with strangers. Single cabins are usually of broom-closet dimensions but surprisingly comfy, with their own toilet and basin. The food ranges from mediocre to pretty good. Smoking is banned on all Australian rail networks.

Different entities manage Australia's rail routes. They are the private enterprise Great Southern Rail (tel. 13 21 47 in Australia, or 08/8213 4592; www.gsr.com.au), which runs the Indian Pacific, the Overland, and the Ghan, and these government bodies: Traveltrain Holidays, the long-distance train division of Queensland Rail (tel. 1800/872 467 in Australia, or 07/3235 1122; www.traveltrain.com.au), which handles rail within that state; Countrylink (tel. 13 22 32 in Australia; www.countrylink.info), which manages travel within New South Wales and from Sydney to Canberra, Melbourne, and Brisbane; and Transwa (tel. 1300/662 205 in Western Australia, or 08/9326 2600; www.transwa.wa.gov.au), which operates trains in Western Australia.

Outside Australia, the umbrella organization Rail Australia (www.railaustralia.com.au) markets these rail journeys through major travel wholesalers and travel agents.

Great Southern Rail's Indian Pacific is a glamorous train linking Sydney, Broken Hill, Adelaide, Kalgoorlie, and Perth in a 3-day Outback run twice a week. Slightly less posh but still comfortable, the Ghan (named after Afghani camel trainers who traveled the Outback in the 19th century) travels between Adelaide and Darwin twice a week via Alice Springs, with connections from Sydney and Perth on the Indian Pacific and from Melbourne on the Overland. The Overland was refurbished and relaunched in mid-2007 to provide greater levels of comfort. It travels in daylight between Adelaide and Melbourne three times a week. All three trains offer a choice of economy seats and second- or first-class sleepers.

Countrylink runs daily trains from Sydney to Melbourne, Canberra, Brisbane, and a number of New South Wales country towns.

Queensland Rail's Traveltrain operates two trains on the Brisbane-Cairns route: The Sunlander runs twice a week from Brisbane to Cairns, offering a choice of the premium, all-inclusive Queenslander Class; single-, double-, or triple-berth sleepers; or economy seats. Two services also run as far as Townsville on this route without Queenslander Class. The high-speed Tilt Train operates three weekly trips on the same route in less time -- by about 5 hours -- with business-class-style seating. Tilt Trains also serve Rockhampton daily (except Sat) from Brisbane. Traveltrain also operates trains to Outback towns. All Traveltrain and most Countrylink long-distance trains stop at most towns en route, so they're useful for exploring the eastern states.

Rail Passes -- Rail passes are available from Rail Australia at its overseas agents. Passes are not valid for first-class travel, but upgrades are available.

The national Austrail Flexipass is good for economy seats and second-class sleepers on all long-distance trains (except Transwa services in Western Australia) and is even good for suburban CityRail trains in New South Wales. It allows you to travel for 15 or 22 days, consecutive or not, within a 6-month period. Prices are A$950 (US$855/£428) for a 15-day Flexipass to A$1,330 (US$1,197/£599) for a 22-day Flexipass.

Great Southern Rail (tel. 13 21 47 in Australia, or 08/8213 4592; www.gsr.com.au) also offers a pass for international visitors traveling in Red Service Day or Nighter seats. The Rail Explorer Pass gives 6 months unlimited travel for A$690 (US$621/£311) on any of its trains.

Queensland's Traveltrain Holidays (tel. 1800/872 467 in Australia, or 07/3235 1122; www.traveltrain.com.au), has the new East Coast Discovery and Stopover rail passes. The East Coast Discovery fare provides 6 months of unlimited one-way travel in economy seating on coastal trains between Cairns, Brisbane, Sydney, and Melbourne. The Brisbane-Cairns fare costs A$281 (US$253/£126). Pass holders also receive up to 50% discounts for return journeys on any of the Queensland's Outback rail services. The Stopover fare lets travelers choose to stop up to four times (including their final stop) in 4 weeks when traveling on the Tilt Train. Prices vary depending on the number of stops.

Countrylink's Backtracker pass gives you unlimited economy class trips in both directions between Melbourne and Brisbane for up to 6 months. You also receive four bonus CityRail passes: a DayTripper ticket for all-day travel on Sydney trains, buses, and ferries, a return bus/train ticket to Bondi Beach, and two one-way train tickets to Katoomba in the Blue Mountains. A 14-day pass costs A$232 (US$209/£104), a 1-month pass A$275 (US$248/£124), a 3-month pass A$298 (US$268/£134), and a 6-month pass A$420 (US$378/£189).

These passes are available only to holders of non-Australian passports.

By Bus

Bus travel in Australia is a big step up from the low-rent affair it can be in the United States. Terminals are centrally located and well lit, the buses -- called "coaches" Down Under -- are clean and air-conditioned, you sit in adjustable seats, videos play onboard, and the drivers are polite and sometimes even point out places of interest along the way. Some buses have restrooms. Unlike Australia's train service, the extensive bus network will take you almost everywhere. However, there is no bus service across the Nullabor Plain, from South Australia to Western Australia; and the only bus service into Perth comes from Darwin. Buses are all nonsmoking.

Australia has one national coach operator: Greyhound Australia (tel. 1300/473 946 in Australia, or 07/3868 0937; www.greyhound.com.au; no relation to Greyhound in the U.S.). The company does not operate within Tasmania, which is serviced by Redline Coaches (tel. 1300/360 000 in Australia; www.redlinecoaches.com.au). In addition to point-to-point services, Greyhound Australia also offers a limited range of tours at popular locations on its networks, including Uluru, Kakadu, Monkey Mia in Western Australia, and the Great Ocean Road in Victoria.

Note: Fares and some passes are considerably cheaper for students, backpacker cardholders, and Hostelling International/YHA members.

Bus Passes -- Bus passes are a great value. There are several kinds: day passes (3-30 days), hop-on-hop-off passes for 45 days or 6 months, micropasses, preset itinerary passes, and kilometer passes. Micropasses allow you to travel between two destinations with a limited number of stops on the way to sightsee, and are valid from 10 to 14 days depending on the route chosen. Look into the one that suits you best. Note that even with a pass, you may still need to book the next leg of your trip 12 or 24 hours ahead as a condition of the pass; during school vacation periods, which are always busy, booking as much as 7 days ahead may be smart.

If you know where you are going and are willing to obey a "no backtracking" rule, consider Greyhound Australia's Aussie Explorer predetermined itinerary pass. These passes allow unlimited stops in a generous time frame on a preset one-way route (you are permitted to travel the route in either direction). There is a huge range of itineraries to choose from. As an example, the Aussie Highlights pass allows you to travel Darwin-Cairns-Brisbane-Sydney-Melbourne-Adelaide-Alice Springs. The pass is valid for 6 months and costs A$1,696 (US$1,526/£763). You don't have to start in Sydney; you can start at any point along any of the pass routes, in which case the pass may be cheaper. The All Australian Pass costs A$2,827 (US$2,585/£1,292) and is valid for a year.

The Aussie Kilometre Pass, valid for 12 months, allows unlimited stops in any direction within the mileage you buy. Passes are available for 500km (310 miles) at A$99 (US$89/£45), 750km (465 miles) for A$142 (US$128/£64), and 1,000km (620 miles) for A$185 (US$167/£83), and then in increments of 1,000km (620 miles). A 2,000km (1,240 miles) pass -- enough to get you from Cairns to Brisbane -- will cost A$360 (US$324/£162), and from there you can go up to A$2,207 (US$1,986/£993) for a whopping 20,000km (6,200 miles).