Planning a Trip

Visitor Information

Tourism Tasmania (tel. 1300/733 258 in Australia, or 03/6230 8235; www.discovertasmania.com.au) is the official tourism body and operates visitor centers in more than 20 towns throughout the state. The Tasmanian Travel and Information Centre, 20 Davey St. (at Elizabeth St.), Hobart (tel. 1800/990 440 in Australia, or 03/6230 8233; www.hobarttravelcentre.com.au) can arrange travel passes, ferry and bus tickets, car rentals, cruises, and accommodations. It is open weekdays 8:30am to 5:30pm, and 9am to 5pm weekends and public holidays (closed Christmas Day).

When to Go

The best time to visit Tasmania is between October and April, when the weather is at its best. By May, nights are getting cold, days are getting shorter, and the deciduous trees are starting to turn golden. Winters (June-Aug), especially in the high country, can be quite harsh -- though that's the best time to curl up in front of a blazing fire. The east coast is generally milder than the west coast, which is buffeted by the "Roaring 40s" -- the winds that blow across the ocean and the 40-degree meridian from as far away as Argentina.

The busy season for tourism runs December through February, as well as during public- and school-holiday periods. Unlike the rest of Australia, Tasmanian schools have three terms. Term dates are from the second week in February to the last week in May, the third week in June to the first week in September, and the fourth week in September to the first or second week in December.

Getting There

The quickest way to get to Tasmania is by air. Qantas (tel. 13 13 13 in Australia; www.qantas.com) flies from Sydney and Melbourne to Hobart and Launceston. Virgin Blue (tel. 13 67 89 in Australia; www.virginblue.com.au) offers discounted trips from Melbourne to Hobart and Launceston, with connections from other capitals. Jetstar (tel. 13 15 38 in Australia; www.jetstar.com.au) flies to Hobart from Brisbane and to Launceston from Brisbane and Sydney. Newcomer Tiger Airways (tel. 03/9335 3033; www.tigerairways.com.au) flies to Launceston and Hobart from Melbourne. Regional Express (tel. 13 17 13 in Australia; www.regionalexpress.com.au) flies from Melbourne to Burnie in the state's north.

Two high-speed ferry services connect Melbourne and Tasmania. The Spirit of Tasmania I and II can each carry 1,400 passengers as well as cars. They make the crossing from Melbourne's Station Pier to Tasmania's Devonport (on the north coast) in around 10 hours. The ferries leave both Melbourne and Devonport at 8pm and arrive at around 7am. From roughly December 20 to April 27, there's also day service on weekends, leaving both ports at 9am and arriving at 6pm. Prices are based on "shoulder" and "peak" times: The shoulder seasons run from roughly January 24 to May 1, and from September 1 to December 14. A one-way seat costs A$114 to A$168 (US$103-US$151/£51-£76) for adults depending on season, and A$102 to A$131 (US$92-US$118/£46-£59) for children under 16. Three- to four-berth cabins cost from A$212 to A$272 (US$191-US$245/£95-£122) for adults and A$118 to A$146 (US$106-US$131/£53-£66) for kids depending on the season and whether you have a porthole. Twin cabins cost A$236 to A$302 (US$212-US$272/£106-£136) for adults and A$128 to A$162 (US$115-US$146/£58-£73) for children. Deluxe cabins cost A$326 to A$418 (US$293-US$376/£147-£188) for adults and kids. Transporting a standard car costs A$61 to A$103 (US$55-US$93/£27-£46), depending on size, year-round.

Make reservations for any of the ferries through TT-Line (tel. 1800/634 906 in Australia, or 03/6421 7209; www.spiritoftasmania.com.au). Special offers are regularly available. Tasmanian Redline Coaches (tel. 1300/360 000 in Australia, or 03/6336 1446; www.redlinecoaches.com.au) connect with each ferry and transfer passengers to Launceston and Hobart.

Getting Around

The regional airline Tasair (tel. 03/6248 5088; www.tasair.com.au) flies between Hobart and Burnie (Wynyard Airport), and operates services to King Island from Burnie and Devonport. Par Avion (tel. 1800/144 460 in Australia or 03/6248 5390; www.paravion.com.au) concentrates on the southwest World Heritage areas of the state and also operates wonderful sightseeing tours. A half-day southwest wilderness tour including a spectacular scenic flight and boat trip to Bathurst Harbour, for example, costs A$180 (US$162/£81).

Tasmanian Redline Coaches (tel. 1300/360 000 in Australia, or 03/6336 1446; www.redlinecoaches.com.au) and Tassielink (tel. 1300/300 520 in Australia, or 03/6230 8900; www.tigerline.com.au) operate coach service statewide and offer a series of coach tours to major places of interest. Hobart Coaches (tel. 13 22 01 in Australia) runs regional bus services out of Hobart.

The cheapest way to get around by coach is to buy a travel pass. The Tassielink Explorer Pass, which covers all Tassielink routes, comes in four categories: A 7-day pass good for travel within 10 days is A$189 (US$170/£85); a 10-day pass for travel in 15 days is A$225 (US$203/£101); a 14-day pass for travel in 20 days is A$260 (US$234/£117); a 21-day pass for travel in 30 days is A$299 (US$269/£135). Kids' passes are half-price.

Driving a car from Devonport on the north coast to Hobart on the south coast takes less than 4 hours. From Hobart to Strahan on the west coast also takes around 4 hours, while the journey from Launceston to Hobart takes about 2 hours. The Royal Automobile Club of Tasmania, Murray and Patrick streets, Hobart (tel. 13 27 22 in Australia or 03/6232 6300), can supply maps.

Tasmania's Tricky Roads -- Driving in Tasmania can be dangerous; there are more accidents involving tourists on Tasmania's roads than anywhere else in Australia. Many roads are narrow, and bends can be tight, especially in the mountainous inland regions, where you may also come across black ice early in the morning or at anytime in winter. Marsupials are also common around dusk, and swerving to avoid them has caused countless crashes.