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Travel to and within states and territories

States & Territories
Capital Cities


Sydney
Melbourne
Hobart
Adelaide
Perth
Darwin
Brisbane

NEW SOUTH WALES

The city of Sydney is the hub of passenger transport into and out of the state.

Air: Sydney International Airport is the only airport in NSW through which international passengers pass. It has full immigration and customs facilities. The airport also services the majority of interstate and Intra-state flights and and out of NSW. All the major regional cities and towns have airports and are serviced by flights to and from Sydney.

National

  • Sydney - Brisbane: 1 hour 25 minutes
  • Sydney - Sunshine Coast: 1 hour 35 minutes
  • Sydney - Gold Coast: 1 hour 20 minutes
  • Sydney - Whitsunday Islands (Proserpine): 4 hours 40 minutes via Brisbane
  • Sydney - Whitsunday Islands (Hamilton Island): 2 hours 30 minutes
  • Sydney - Norfolk Island: 4 hours 5 minutes
  • Sydney - Cairns: 3 hours 10 minutes
  • Sydney - Darwin: 6 hours (8 hours via Brisbane)
  • Sydney - Perth: 5 hours 5 minutes
  • Sydney - Adelaide: 2 hours 10 minutes
  • Sydney - Melbourne: 1 hour 30 minutes
  • Sydney - Hobart: 1 hour 55 minutes
  • Sydney - Broome: 9 hours 40 minutes via Perth
  • Sydney - Dubbo: 1 hour 5 minutes

International:

  • Sydney - Auckland: 3 hours
  • Sydney - London: 22 hours
  • Sydney - Frankfurt: 22 hours
  • Sydney - New York: 21 hours
  • Sydney - Los Angeles: 13 hours 30 minutes
  • Sydney - Toronto: 21 hours
  • Sydney - Vancouver: 12 hours 30 minutes
  • Sydney - Honolulu: 7 hours 5 minutes
  • Sydney - Nadi: 3 hours 45 minutes
  • Sydney - Singapore: 7 hours 30 minutes
  • Sydney - Hong Kong: 5 hours 50 minutes
  • Sydney - Bangkok: 7 hours 40 minutes
  • Sydney - Dempasar (Bali): 7 hours 35 minutes
  • Sydney - Kula Lumpur: 7 hours 30 minutes
  • Sydney - Johannesburg: 14 hours 10 minutes
  • Sydney - Santiago: 17 hours 10 minutes

Rail: Sydney is connected by rail to Adelaide and Perth via the Indian Pacific (connects in Adelaide to The Overland to Melbourne, and The Ghan to Darwin via Alice Springs). The train operates between Sydney's Central Station and Keswick Rail Terminal in Adelaide, the journey is completed in 24 hours 40 minutes. Perth is connected to Adelaide by the Nullarbor Plain leg of the Indian Pacific's east to west coast journey.
Daily XPT services in both directions connect Sydney to the interstate capitals of Melbourne and Brisbane. The regional NSW cities of Dubbo (via Bathurst and Orange), Broken Hill (via Bathurst, Orange and Parkes), Moree (via Newcastle and Narrabri), Armidale (via Tamworth), Griffith and Albury (via Goulburn, Junee and Cootamundra) are also serviced by daily XPT trains to and from Sydney. All trains depart Sydney from Central Station.

  • Sydney - Central Coast (Gosford): 1 hour 25 minutes
  • Sydney - Blue Mountains (Katoomba): 2 hours 6 minutes
  • Sydney - Dubbo: 6 hours 40 minutes (via XPT)
  • Sydney - Broken Hill: 15 hours 45 minutes (via Indian Pacific)
  • Sydney - Albury: 7 hours 40 minutes (via XPT)
  • Sydney - Canberra: 4 hours 20 minutes (via XPT)
  • Sydney - Brisbane: 16 hours 5 minutes (via Tweed Heads)
  • Sydney - Melbourne: 11 hours 10 minutes (via XPT)
  • Sydney - Adelaide: 22 hours 15 minutes (via Indian Pacific)
  • Sydney - Perth: 2 days 20 hours 10 minutes (via Indian Pacific)

Road (coach): Numerous operators provide coach services between Sydney and Brisbane (coastal and New England routes); Canberra; Melbourne; Adelaide (via Mildura and Canberra). Services to other cities and towns across Australia are by connections to one of those destinations. The main routes followed are -

  • Sydney to Brisbane via Newcastle, Armidale, Toowoomba (17 hrs. 45 minutes)
  • Sydney to Brisbane via Newcastle, Forster, Byron Bay, Coffs Harbour (15 hrs. 25 minutes)
  • Sydney to Melbourne via Albury (12 hours)
  • Sydney to Adelaide via Mildura and Canberra (22 hours)
  • Sydney to Canberra (4 hours)

Road (private motor vehicle): NSW's towns in the southern region are linked to each other, and to towns and cities in other states by a network of well signposted, well maintained sealed highways and major roads which allow for easy travel between localities.

In NSW, the speed limit on the open road is generally 110 kilometres per hour. In NSW, a driver’s licence from your home country or another Australian state will usually suffice for up to three months, as long as it has photo identification and it’s for the same class of vehicle you intend to drive. If you’re staying more than three months, you’ll need to get a NSW drivers licence.


AUST. CAPITAL TERRITORY

Air: All of the Australian Capital Territory's air traffic passes through Canberra International Airport. The airport has immigration and customs processing facilities though most flights into and out of Canberra are domestic services. The main routes followed, on which numerous services throughout the day to and from each destination are provided by Australia's domestic airlines, are -

Interstate

  • Canberra - Brisbane: 1 hour 40 minutes
  • Canberra - Melbourne: 1 hour 10 minutes
  • Canberra - Sydney: 55 minutes
  • Canberra - Perth: 4 hours 40 minutes
  • Canberra - Adelaide: 1 hour 45 minutes
  • Perth - Esperance: 1 hour 40 minutes

Rail: Canberra's only rail link to the outside world is via the NSW Government's Countrylink rail service. It is a daily service using XPT trains. Canberra has no suburban rail service.

  • Sydney - Canberra: 4 hours 20 minutes (via XPT)

Road (coach): Numerous operators provide coach services between Canberra and Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and Adelaide.

Road: Canberra is accessed by road from Sydney via Hume Highway and then Federal Highway. From Melbourne, Canberra is approached by road via Hume Highway, and then taking the Barton Highway from Yass. The Monaro Highway gives road access to Canberra from the Monaro Plains region; Kings Highway gives road access to Canberra from the NSW South Coastal region.
In the ACT, the speed limit on the open road is generally 110 kilometres per hour and on some sections of highway is 110 kilometres per hour. In the ACT, a driver’s licence from your home country or another Australian state will usually suffice for up to three months, as long as it has photo identification and it’s for the same class of vehicle you intend to drive. If you’re staying more than three months, you’ll need to get an ACT drivers licence.

Road (private motor vehicle): Canberra's unusual road system featuring many circular streets and roundabouts are major contributing factors towards it being an easy place to travel in and around by road. Unlike most other capital cities in Australia, the city and suburbs have been designed with motor vehicle traffic in mind. There is relatively quick access and minimal traffic congestion along Canberra's roadways, but the layout of many roads in circles can be confusing to visitors and studying a map prior to travelling from one part of Canberra to another is recommended for drivers unfamiliar with the city.

Public Transport: Canberra is serviced by a bus-based public transport system, called ACTION, short for Australian Capital Territory Internal Omnibus Network, as the city has no railway system other than an interstate railway that terminates in the suburb of Kingston. The ACTION bus service provides comprehensive services for Canberra residents. A private bus service also operates between Queanbeyan and Canberra.


VICTORIA

The city of Melbourne is the hub of the state of Victoria, with all forms of transport radiating out from it.

Air: Most domestic and international air traffic into Victoria is through Tullamarine International Airport on Melbourne's northern outskirts. Avalon Airport near the city of Geelong to the south of Melbourne handles a limited amount of interstate flights, particularly those of Jeststar from Sydney. Flights to Victoria's regional centres and the islands of Bass Strait depart from either Tullamarine Airport or Moorabbin Airport in Melbourne's south-east. Daily direct flights to and from all other Australian capital cities operate out of Melbourne's Tullamarine Airport. The main routes followed are -

  • Melbourne to Sydney: 1 hour 30 minutes
  • Melbourne to Darwin: 4 hours 40 minutes
  • Melbourne to Hobart: 1 hr. 15 minutes
  • Melbourne to Adelaide: 1 hr. 20 minutes
  • Melbourne to Perth: 4 hours 10 minutes
  • Melbourne to Gold Coast: 2 hours 5 minutes
  • Melbourne to Sunshine Coast: 2 hours 15 minutes
  • Melbourne to Alice Springs: 2 hours 55 minutes

Rail: Only two interstate capital cites are linked to Melbourne by rail - Sydney by an XPT service via Albury-Wodonga, and Adelaide via The Overland. The Overland is now operated by private company Great Southern Railway, the train completes three return trips a week, travelling mostly during daylight. The train operates between the Melbourne terminal of Southern Cross Station, and Keswick Rail Terminal in Adelaide, and covers 828 kilometres between capitals in 10 hours 40 minutes. The service offers onboard buffet meals and first and economy class seats and a lounge car. The Melbourne - Sydney XPT, based on the British 125 High Speed train, operates a twice daily service between the cities, one during the day and the other overnight. The service offers onboard buffet meals and first and economy class seats with first class bunk sleeping births on the overnight runs. The train operates between the Melbourne terminal of Southern Cross Station, and Central Station, Sydney, with a running tome of 10 hours 40 minutes.
V/Line rail services operate daily between Melbourne and East Gippsland, terminating at Bairnsdale (3 hours 35 minutes); Melbourne and Albury (3 hours 34 minutes); Melbourne and Shepparton (2 hours 18 minutes); Melbourne and Echuca via Bendigo (3 hours 20 minutes); Melbourne and Swan Hill via Bendigo (4 hours 8 minutes); Melbourne to Ararat via Bendigo (2 hours 10 minutes); Melbourne to Warrnambool via Geelong (3 hours 14 minutes).

Ferry: The Spirit of Tasmania Car and Passenger Ferry operates daily from Station Pier, Melbourne to Devonport in Tasmania, running overnight, with additional trips in daylight hours during peak travel periods (mainly Summer); duration approx. 12 hours.

Road (coach): Numerous operators provide coach services between Melbourne and Sydney, Canberra, Brisbane and Adelaide. Services to other cities and towns across Australia are by connections to one of those destinations. The main routes followed are -

  • Melbourne to Sydney (12 hours min.) via Canberra (8 hours min.)
  • Melbourne to Sydney (19 hours 10 minutes) via Sale (5 hours) and Bega (9 hours 50 minutes)
  • Melbourne to Brisbane (22 hours 30 minutes min.) via Ballarat, Dubbo and Moree
  • Melbourne to Adelaide via Stawall and Ballarat (9 hours 45 minutes)
  • Melbourne to Adelaide via Gt Ocean Road and Grampians.

Road (private motor vehicle): Victoria's towns and cities are linked to each other, and to towns and cities in other states by a network of well signposted, well maintained sealed highways and major roads which allow for easy travel between localities. The capital cities are linked by highways that, in the main, bypass the smaller towns on the way, making the journey relatively uninterrupted. There are few parts of the state of interest to visitors that can't be reached in motoring comfort, although lesser roads, whilst sealed, do tend to be narrow. The major routes through regional Victoria are -

  • Sydney via Morwell, Sales, Bairnsdale, Bega, Batemans Bay, Wollongong (Princes Highway)
  • Sydney via Wangaratta, Albury, Yass (Hume Highway)
  • Sydney via Wangaratta, Albury, Wagga Wagga, Cootamundra, Young, Bathurst (Gt Western, Mid Western, Olympic, Hume Highways)
  • Canberra via Morwell, Sale, Bairnsdale, Orbost, Bombala, Cooma (Princes, Cann Valley, Monaro Highways)
  • Canberra via Wangaratta, Albury, Gundagai, Yass (Barton and Hume Highways)
  • Adelaide via the Great Ocean Road (Geelong, Apollo Bay, Warrnambool, Heywood, Mt. Gambier, Kingston SE, Meningie)
  • Adelaide via Ballarat, Ararat, Horsham, Bordertown (Dukes and Western Highways)
  • Adelaide via Geelong, Camperdown, Mortlake, Hamilton, Casterton, Mt. Gambier, Keith (Princes, Hamilton, Glenelg Highways)
  • Brisbane via Seymour, Tocumwal, Forbes, Moree, Goondawindi, Warwick (Newell and Cunningham Highways)
  • Mildura via Seymour, Shepparton, Echuca, Kerang, Swan Hill (Hume, Goulburn Valley, Murray Valley Highways)
  • Mildura via Kyneton, Bendigo, Kerang, Swan Hill (Calder, Loddon, Murray Valley Highways)
  • Mildura via Ballarat, Daylesford, Castlemaine, Maryborough, Avoca, St Arnaud, Birchip (Midland, Pyrenees, Sunraysia Highways)
  • Albury via Morwell, Sale, Bairnsdale, Omeo, Mt. Beauty (Princes, Omeo, Keiwa Valley Highways, Alpine Tourist Road)
  • Hobart via car ferry from Port Melbourne to Devonport, then by road via Launceston, Campbell Town (Tasman and Midland Highways)
  • Sale via Dandenong, Wonthaggi, Forster, Yarram (Gippsland Highway)

In Victoria, the speed limit on the open road is generally 100 kilometres per hour and on some sections of freeway, 110 kilometres per hour. In Victoria, a driver’s licence from your home country or another Australian state will usually suffice for up to three months, as long as it has photo identification and it’s for the same class of vehicle you intend to drive. If you’re staying more than three months, you’ll need to get a Victorian drivers licence.


QUEENSLAND

Air: All international flights into Queensland pass through Brisbane or Cairns. The main domestic routes in and out of Queensland are -

Interstate

  • Brisbane to Sydney: 1 hour 25 minutes
  • Brisbane to Darwin: 3 hours 45 minutes
  • Brisbane to Cairns: 2 hours 25 minutes
  • Brisbane to Townsville: 1 hr. 40 minutes
  • Sunshine Coast to Sydney: 1 hour 35 minutes
  • Sunshine Coast to Melbourne: 2 hours 15 minutes
  • Gold Coast to Sydney: 1 hour 20 minutes
  • Gold Coast to Melbourne: 2 hours 5 minutes
  • Whitsunday Islands (Proserpine) to Sydney: 4 hours 40 minutes via Brisbane
  • Whitsunday Islands (Hamilton Island) to Sydney: 2 hours 30 minutes
  • Cairns to Sydney: 3 hours 10 minutes
  • Cairns to Melbourne: 3 hours 15 minutes

Rail: Brisbane is linked to Sydney by a daily XPT service. Queensland Rail operates rail services from Brisbane to major regional centres throughout Queensland.

  • Brisbane - Sydney: 16 hours 5 minutes
  • Brisbane - Charleville: 16 hours 45 minutes
  • Brisbane - Rockhampton: 11 hours 30 minutes
  • Rockhampton - Townsville: 11 hours 55 minutes
  • Rockhampton - Longreach: 13 hours 40 minutes
  • Townsville - Cairns: 6 hours 55 minutes
  • Townsville - Mt. Isa: 20 hours 55 minutes (via The Inlander)
  • Normanton - Croydon: 5 hours (via The Gulflander)
  • Cairns - Kuranda: 1 hour 45 minutes (via Kuranda Scenic Railway)
  • Cairns - Forsayth: 11 hours 15 minutes (via The Savannahlander)

Road (coach): Numerous operators provide coach services between the major cities and regional centres of Queensland.

Road (private motor vehicle): Queensland's towns are linked to each other, and to towns and cities in other states by a network of well signposted, well maintained sealed highways and major roads which allow for easy travel between localities.
In Queensland, the speed limit on the open road is generally 110 kilometres per hour. In Queensland, a driver’s licence from your home country or another Australian state will usually suffice for up to three months, as long as it has photo identification and it’s for the same class of vehicle you intend to drive. If you’re staying more than three months, you’ll need to get a WA drivers licence.

Road travel distances -

  • Brisbane to Sydney: 980km
  • Brisbane to Rockhampton: 637km
  • Brisbane to Townsville: 1,369km
  • Brisbane to Cairns: 1,715km
  • Brisbane to Toowoomba: 128km
  • Brisbane to Charleville: 746km
  • Brisbane to Mt. Isa: 1,813km
  • Townsville to Mt. Isa: 850km
  • Rockhampton to Longreach: 680km
  • Charleville to Longreach: 500km

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

The city of Adelaide is one of only a few Australian capital cities that are not the hub of transport into and out of the state. In South Australia, that honour belongs to Port Augusta. It is the central point of Australia's vast web of communications, where highways and railways from Adelaide and Melbourne to the south, Queensland and New South Wales to the east, Western Australia to the west and the Northern Territory in the north, come together - due to the unique nature of the town's geography.

Air: All domestic and international air traffic into South Australia is through Adelaide International Airport, which is 4 km from the city centre in the suburb of West Beach. The airport is connected with the public transport system (Bus ticket around A$5.00) or taxi (around A$18) and the city centre can be reached with 15-25 minutes. Skylink Adelaide operates a regular service to most commuter specified destinations within the CBD area from the airport (A$7.50), as well as services out to Keswick Interstate Railway Terminal (A$4).The main flight routes are -

  • Darwin to Adelaide: 3 hours 35 minutes
  • Melbourne to Adelaide: 1 hr. 20 minutes
  • Sydney to Adelaide: 2 hours 10 minutes
  • Perth to Adelaide: 3 hours 30 minutes

Within South Australia, there are several small regional airlines offering services throughout the State.

  • Regional Express flies daily to a number of regional towns around South Australia and interstate.
  • O'Connor Air flies daily to Whyalla Eyre Peninsula and Mt. Gambier Limestone Coast
  • Airlines of South Australia flies daily to Port Lincoln Eyre Peninsula and weekdays to Port Augusta Flinders Ranges

Rail: Melbourne is linked by rail to Adelaide via The Overland. This train is now operated by a private company - Great Southern Railway. The train completes three return trips a week, travelling during daylight. The train operates between the Melbourne terminal of Southern Cross Station, and Keswick Rail Terminal in Adelaide, and covers 828 kilometres between capitals in 10 hours 40 minutes. Sydney is connected by rail to Adelaide via the Indian Pacific. The train operates between Sydney's Central Station and Keswick Rail Terminal in Adelaide, the journey is completed in 24 hours 40 minutes. Perth is connected to Adelaide by the Nullarbor Plain leg of the Indian Pacific's east to west coast journey. The trip between East Perth Terminal and Keswick Rail Terminal in Adelaide takes 22 hours. The Ghan travels between Adelaide and Alice Springs in 1 day 1 hours 25 minutes. The second leg of the journey, from Alice Springs to Darwin takes 23 hours 50 minutes.

Road (coach): Numerous operators provide coach services between Adelaide and Sydney, Canberra, Brisbane, Perth, Alice Springs and Adelaide. Services to other cities and towns across Australia are by connections to one of those destinations. The main routes followed are -

  • Adelaide to Melbourne via Stawall and Ballarat (9 hours 45 minutes)
  • Adelaide to Melbourne via Gt Ocean Road and Grampians.
  • Adelaide to Perth - At the time of publication, there were no regular scheduled coach service across the Nullarbor Plain between Perth and Adelaide. People wishing to travel by road may wish to consider one of the adventure oriented tours that include camping and sightseeing.
  • Adelaide to Alice Springs via Stuart Highway (19 hours 30 minutes)
  • Adelaide to Sydney via Mildura and Canberra (22 hours)
  • Adelaide to Canberra via Mildura (15 hours 30 minutes)

Road (private motor vehicle): South Australia's towns in the southern region are linked to each other, and to towns and cities in other states by a network of well signposted, well maintained sealed highways and major roads which allow for easy travel between localities. The capital cities are linked by highways that, in the main, bypass the smaller towns on the way, making the journey relatively uninterrupted. The only sealed road north of Port Augusta is Stuart Highway to Alice Springs via Woomera and Coober Pedy. The major routes through regional South Australia are -

  • Darwin via Pt. Augusta, Woomera, Alice Springs, Tennant Creek (Stuart Highway)
  • Melbourne via Murray Bridge, Bordertown, Horsham, Ballarat (Dukes and Western Highways)
  • Melbourne via the Great Ocean Road (Meningie, Mt. Gambier, Heywood, Warrnambool, Apollo Bay, Geelong)
  • Melbourne via Keith, Mt. Gambier, Casterton, Hamilton, Mortlake, Camperdown, Geelong (Princes, Hamilton, Glenelg Highways)
  • Sydney via Renmark, Mildura, Wagga Wagga, Yass (Sturt and Hume Highways)
  • Sydney via Burra, Peterborough, Broken Hill, Cobar, Nyngan, Dubbo, Bathurst (Western, Mitchell, Barrier Highways, Main North Road)
  • Sydney via Murray Bridge , Pinnaroo, Ouyen, Hay, West Wyalong, Cowra, Bathurst (Gt Western, Mid Western, Murray Valley, Ouyen, Mallee, Princes Highways)
  • Perth via Ceduna, Eucla, Norseman, Coolgardie, Merredin (Gt Eastern, Eyre and Princes Highways, Port Wakefield Road)
  • Port Lincoln and Eyre Peninsula via Pt. Augusta, Whyalla (Port Wakefield Road, Princes and Lincoln Highways)
  • Mt. Gambier via Victor Harbour, Tailem Bend, Kingston SE (Princes Highway)
  • Yorketown and Yorke Peninsula via Port Wakefield, Maitland (Port Wakefield, Maitland and Yorketown Roads)

In South Australia, the speed limit on the open road is generally 110 kilometres per hour. In South Australia, a driver’s licence from your home country or another Australian state will usually suffice for up to three months, as long as it has photo identification and it’s for the same class of vehicle you intend to drive. If you’re staying more than three months, you’ll need to get a South Australian drivers licence. Be aware that some areas require you to surrender fruit and vegetable matter at a state border or upon entry into a fruit growing area to prevent Fruit Fly infestation, that could decimate the fruit industry.


NORTHERN TERRITORY

Road, rail and air all play a significant roll in getting into, out of and around the Northern Territory.

Air: Darwin is the Australia's major northern international gateway, being on the main air route into Australia from Asia, Europe and The Middle East. It has full customs and immigration processing facilities. It is also the gateway to The Territory's Top End for domestic air travellers. Because it has no night landing curfews, Darwin's airport is operational (and busy) right around the clock. Alice Springs and Uluru both have airports that cater only for domestic air travel from the Australian states.

  • Darwin - Melbourne: 4 hrs. 40 minutes
  • Darwin - Alice Springs: 2 hrs.
  • Darwin - Adelaide: 3 hrs. 35 minutes
  • Darwin - Perth: 3 hrs. 55 minutes
  • Darwin - Brisbane: 3 hrs. 45 minutes
  • Darwin - Cairns: 2 hrs. 35 minutes
  • Darwin - Gove (Nhulunbuy): 1 hr. 5 minutes
  • Alice Springs - Melbourne: 2 hrs. 55 minutes
  • Alice Springs - Perth: 2 hrs. 40 minutes
  • Alice Springs - Sydney: 3 hrs. 25 minutes
  • Uluru - Sydney: 3 hrs. 40 minutes
  • Gove (Nhulunbuy) - Cairns: 1 hr. 50 minutes

Rail: The privately operated Ghan provides a passenger rail service between Darwin and Adelaide via Alice Springs. The two legs of the journey (Darwin to Alice Springs and Alice Springs to Adelaide) each have a duration of approx. 24 hours, with a 4 hour stopover at Katherine on the northern leg. The Ghan travels twice a week in each direction from May to November and once a week in each direction at other times. The journey can be broken at both Alice Springs and Katherine, allowing a stopover in both places to explore the towns and surrounding regions.

Road (coach): Numerous operators provide coach services to and from Darwin. Destinations include

  • Perth via Kununurra, Broome, Carnarvon (57 hrs.)
  • Adelaide via Alice Springs, Coober Pedy, Port Augusta (43hrs 55min)
  • Sydney via Alice Springs, Adelaide (43hrs 55min to Adelaide, then 25 hrs. 30 minutes on connecting route to Sydney)
  • Brisbane via Tennant Creek, Mt. Isa (69 hrs. 20 minutes)
  • Townsville via Tenant Creek, Mt. Isa (55 hrs.).

Road (private motor vehicle): The major highways in and out of Darwin to Perth (via Katherine and Great Northern Highway), Alice Springs and Adelaide (Stuart Highway) are all sealed. The Savannah Way, linking Darwin to Cairns via Katherine, Borroloola and Normanton includes both sealed and unsealed sections, the latter varying in their condition between the wet and dry seasons.
The Outback Way is unofficially Australia’s longest shortcut, linking WA and Qld from Laverton to Winton via Alice Springs. Unsealed most of the way, it is made up of seven inter-connecting roads including The Great Central Road (WA); Tjukaruru Road, Lasseter Highway, Stuart Highway and Plenty Highway (NT); and Donohue Highway and Min Min Byway (QLD). 
Lasseter Highway is a fully sealed 244 kilometre highway that connects Yulara, Kata Tjuta and Uluru east to the Stuart Highway.
Arnhem Highway is the major road accessway from the Stuart Highway (Darwin to Adelaide) to Kakadu National Park. It is sealed all the way.
The remainder of highways in the Northern Territory tend to the branch from the Stuart Highway, generally providing either an interstate connection (e.g. Plenty Highway), a connection between highways (e.g. Buchanan Highway), or a connection to a significant locality (e.g. Lasseter Highway). Roads such as Tanami Road or Tjukaruru (Docker River) Road provide important interstate connections yet do not get a ‘Highway’ name.

In the Northern Territory, the speed limit on the open road is generally 130 kilometres per hour. A driver’s licence from your home country or an Australian state will usually suffice for up to three months, as long as it has photo identification and it’s for the same class of vehicle you intend to drive. If you’re staying more than three months, you’ll need to get a Northern Territory drivers licence.


WESTERN AUSTRALIA

The city of Perth is the hub of the state of Western Australia, with all forms of transport radiating out from it.

Air: All of Western Australia's international and interstate air traffic passes through Perth International Airport. The airport has immigration and customs processing facilities. The main routes followed are -

Intrastate

  • Perth - Broome: 2 hours 25 minutes
  • Perth - Kununurra: 3 hours 25 minutes
  • Perth - Kalgoorlie: 1 hour
  • Perth - Geraldton: 1 hour 20 minutes
  • Perth - Exmouth: 1 hour 55 minutes
  • Perth - Esperance: 1 hour 40 minutes

Interstate

  • Perth - Darwin: 3 hours 25 minutes
  • Perth - Alice Springs: 2 hours 40 minutes
  • Perth - Adelaide: 3 hours 30 minutes
  • Perth - Melbourne: 4 hours 10 minutes
  • Perth - Sydney: 5 hours 5 minutes

International

  • Perth - Johannesburg: 10 hours 20 minutes
  • Perth - Singapore: 5 hours 25 minutes
  • Perth - London: 20 hours 45 minutes

Rail: Western Australia is linked to the eastern states by rail via the Indian Pacific, which departs from Perth and stops at Kalgoorlie before proceeding on to Adelaide and then Sydney. Between April and August and During the month of December, the service operates once a week in both directions. Between September and the beginning of December, and January to March, two services a week operate in both directions. The Indian Pacific's terminus is at East Perth.
TransWA operates a number of regional rail series: The AvonLink and MerredinLink provides a rail passenger service between Perth and town in the Eastern Wheatbelt.
The Australind provides two train services each way each day, including Sundays, between Bunbury and Perth
The Prospector provides daily rail services between Perth and Kalgoorlie.

  • Perth - Kalgoorlie: 6 hours 35 minutes (via The Prospector)
  • Perth - Bunbury: 2 hours 30 minutes (via The Australind)
  • Perth - Adelaide: 1 day 19 hours (via Indian Pacific)
  • Perth - Sydney: 2 days 20 hours 10 minutes (via Indian Pacific)

Road (coach): Numerous operators provide coach services between Perth and Darwin via Geraldton, Carnarvon, Exmouth, Dampier, Broome and Kununurra.
TransWA provides coach services to a large number of localities with the southern section of Western Australia. Many of these services link with trains.

Road (private motor vehicle): WA's towns are linked to each other, and to towns and cities in other states by a network of well signposted, well maintained sealed highways and major roads which allow for easy travel between localities.
The major highways out of Western Australia are The Eyre Highway, which travels east from Norseman across the Nullarbor Plain to South Australia, and Great Northern Highway which links Perth to the Northern Territory via Meekatharra and the Kimberley region of WA. It joins the Stuart Highway at Katherine.
In WA, the speed limit on the open road is generally 100 kilometres per hour and on some sections of freeway, 110 kilometres per hour. In WA, a driver’s licence from your home country or another Australian state will usually suffice for up to three months, as long as it has photo identification and it’s for the same class of vehicle you intend to drive. If you’re staying more than three months, you’ll need to get a WA drivers licence.


TASMANIA

Because it is an island, Tasmania is the only state of Australia that cannot be reached by road, unless of course you take the car ferry from Melbourne to the north coastal Tasmanian port of Devonport. This is a popular option for mainlanders as one needs a motor vehicle when touring Tasmania as public transport options are limited.

Air: Hobart, Launceston, Burnie and King Island are all gateways for domestic air traffic from the mainland to Tasmania. The majority of flights are from Melbourne and Sydney and go to Launceston or Hobart. The latter is still classified as an International Airport with full customs and immigration facilities, but the airport has not had a regular scheduled international passenger service since the 1990s (from Christchurch, New Zealand). Qantas, Virgin Blue, Jetstar, Tasair, REx and Tiger Airways provided regular services to the mainland. Tasair caters also for internal air travel, with daily scheduled flights connecting Hobart, Launceston, Burnie, Devonport, King Island and Flinders Island.

  • Melbourne to Hobart: 1 hr. 15 minutes
  • Melbourne to Launceston: 1 hr. 10 minutes
  • Melbourne to King Island: 55 minutes
  • Melbourne to Burnie: 1 hr. 10 minutes
  • Sydney to Hobart: 1 hr. 55 minutes
  • Sydney to Launceston: no direct flights
  • Devonport to King Island: 1 hr. 20 minutes
  • Burnie to King Island: 50 minutes
  • Hobart to Devonport: 35 minutes

Sea: Tasmania is linked by sea to the mainland view the car and passenger ferries Spirit of Tasmania I and II, which ply the waters of Bass Strait every night (duration: 10hrs 30 minutes), and during daylight hours in the summer months. Getting on and off with a car is an easy, painless experience; the only delay is likely to be going through the quarantine check at Devonport which is slow in peak periods. Once that is behind you, there's something magic about heading along the coastal road to Devonport to Burnie just after sunrise with the road to yourself, with cows grazing on the lush green grass beside the shoreline.

Road (coach): Numerous operators provide coach services around Tasmania, linking the cities and regional centres.

Road (private motor vehicle): Tasmania's towns and cities are linked by a network of well signposted, well maintained sealed highways and major roads which allow for easy travel between localities. The major routes through regional Tasmania are -

  • Bass Highway - Burnie to Devonport and Launceston
  • Brooker Highway - Hobart to New Norfolk
  • Midlands Highway - New Norfolk to Launceston
  • Tasman Highway - Hobart to Launceston via east coast
  • Lyell Highway - Hobart to Queenstown
  • Marlborough Highway - Bronte to Deloraine via The Great Lake

In Tasmania, the speed limit on the open road is generally 110 kilometres per hour. In Tasmania, a driver’s licence from your home country or another Australian state will usually suffice for up to three months, as long as it has photo identification and it’s for the same class of vehicle you intend to drive. If you’re staying more than three months, you’ll need to get a Tasmanian drivers licence.

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