Getting There & Away

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 US$19. This tax is usually included with the price of your airline ticket.

Getting Around

Australia is so vast (and so empty in places) that something like 80% of long-distance trips by public transport are made by air. For many years, Qantas and Ansett monopolised the domestic scene and a cosy cooperation between the two ensured that domestic air travel remained relatively expensive. Recently Ansett and the regional airlines it owned have either collapsed or run a skeleton service, while upstart airlines have taken on Qantas, and there's a sense of competition in the air. Few people pay full fare for domestic air travel because the airlines offer a wide range of discounts, including random discounting and air passes.

There are several long-distance bus companies but only one truly national service, Greyhound Pioneer 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 except Darwin. 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). 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.

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