| Travelling Australia: Public Transport |
 There's no cheaper way of getting around, particularly if the place you are attempting to get around is a capital city. Most regional towns and centres have some form of public transport - usually buses - but it is generally geared towards the requirements of locals, and so in most cases is not an option for the visitor, particularly after dark. Such is not the case in the capital cities, particularly Sydney and Melbourne, where public transport can take you to just about anywhere visitors are likely to want to go. In both of those cities, and to a lesser degree in the other capitals, you can leave your car at your hotel (or if you have flown there, don't even bother hiring a car unless you want to do some serious exploring) and do all your travelling by bus, train, tram or ferry.
Avoid travelling in peak hours (7.30am to 9am and 4.30pm to 6.00pm) and late at night (for safety reasons). In most capital cities you can buy a day ticket that allows you unlimited travel across the public transport network after 9am on weekdays and all day on Saturdays and Sundays for less than $10 per person.
If you aim towards commencing your city and suburban journeys between 9am and 4.30pm, you'll find public transport easy to use, relatively stress free and unbeatable in terms of value for money.
City by City guide to what you can see by public transport in Australia's capital cities
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By bus: Parliament House; Yarralumla; Australian War Memorial; Telstra Tower; Ginninderra Gold Creek Villages; Cockington Green Gardens; Royal Australian Mint; Australian Insititute of Sport; National Zoo and Aquarium; Questacon National Science and Technology Centre; National Museum of Australia
On Foot (from city centre): Old Parliament House; Lake Burley Griffin; National Capital Exhibition; Captain Cook Memorial Globe and Water Jet; National Carillon; CSIRO Discovery Centre; the National Gallery; Commonwealth Park (home of Floriade)
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By rail: Sydney Airport; Cronulla Beach; The Blue Mountains; Parramatta; Olympic Park; Royal National Park; Kings Cross; Sydney Showground; Zig Zag Tourist Railway; Dangar Island; Illawarra Coast; Central Coast
By ferry: Taronga Zoo; Manly Beach; Sydney Harbour cruises; Royal National Park (Bundeena); Cockatoo Island; Garden Island
By bus: Bondi Beach; Sydney Cricket Ground; Barrenjoey Peninsula; Bradley Head
On Foot (from city centre): The Rocks; Sydney Opera House; Circular Quay; Sydney Harbour Bridge; Royal Botanical Gardens; Darling Harbour; National Maritime Museum; Sydney Aquarium; Powerhouse Museum
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By rail: Puffing Billy Tourist Railway; Williamstown; Scienceworks; Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG); Melbourne Zoo; Frankston
By ferry: Yarra River cruises; Williamstown
By tram: St Kilda beach; Brighton Beach; Albert Park; Docklands; Royal Exhibition Bldg; Royal Botanical Gardens; The Domain; Shrine of Remembrance; The Domain; Melbourne Zoo; Richmond fashion shopping precinct
By bus: Tullamarine Airport; Healesville Sanctuary; Werribee Park; Werribee Zoo; Mornington Peninsula (bus from Frankston)
On Foot (from city centre): Federation Square; Southbank; Queen Victoria Markets; Eureka Skydeck 88; Museum Victoria; Docklands; Immigration Museum; Royal Exhibition Bldg; Old Melbourne Gaol; Fitzroy Gardens; Victorian Arts Centre; National Gallery of Victoria; Royal Botanical Gardens
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By rail: Brisbane Airport; Fortitude Valley; Moreton Bay (islands by ferry); Alma Park Zoo; Manly village and beach; the Worhsops Railway Museum; The Gabba (Woollongabba Cricket Ground); Newstead Park
By ferry: Brisbane River cruises; North Stradbroke Island (ferry from Cleveland); South Stradbroke Island (ferry from Runaway Bay); Coochiemudlo Island (ferry from Victoria Pt); St Helena Island (tours from Manly)
By bus: Mt Coot-tha Lookout and Botanical Gardens; Bribie Island; Almac Park Zoo; Australia Zoo
On foot (from city centre): South Bank Parklands; Queensland Cultural Centre (QPAC, Qld Art Gallery; Qld Museum); Qld Maritime Museum; City Botanical Gardens
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By rail: historic Port Adelaide (SA Maritime Museum; National Railway Museum; Aviation Museum); Investigator Science and Technology Centre; Fort Glanville; Semaphore Beach and Tourist Railway
By bus: Light's Vision; Adelaide Hills villages; McLaren Vale wine region; Black Hill Cons. Park; Onkaparinga River Rec. Park; Adelaide Gaol Museum
By tram: Glenelg Beach
On foot (from city centre): SA Museum and Art Gallery; Adelaide Zoo; Adelaide Oval; Adelaide Botanical Gardens; National Wine Centre; Adelaide Central Market
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By bus: Hobart Airport; Mt Wellington lookout; Cascade Brewery; Cadbury Chocolate Factory; Cascades Female Factory site; Tasmanian Transport Museum; Inverawe Native Gardens and Nature Trails; Bonorong Park Wildlife Centre
On foot (from city centre): Sullivans Cove; Battery Point historic precinct; Salamanca Place; Antarctic Adventure Centre; Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery; Maritime Museum Tasmania; Royal tasmanian Botanical Gardens; Old Hobart Gaol; Narryna Heritage Museum
By ferry: Port Arthur historic penal settlement; MONA Museum of Old and New Art
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By train: Fremantle (Wa Maritime Museum; The Roundhouse; South Terrace cafe strip; Fishing Boat Harbour; weekly markets); SciTech Discovery Centre & Planetarium); Burswood Entertainment Resort; Minnawarra Historic Precinct
By bus: Perth Airport; Kings Park and Botanical Gardens; Yanchep National Park (coach tours); Hillerys Boat Harbour; WACA (cricket) Ground
By ferry: Fremantle; Swan River cruises; Swan Valley wine region; Rottnest Island (ferry from Perth or Fremantle); Penguin Island (ferry from Safety Bay)
On foot (from City Centre): Swan Bells; Wa Museum; WA Art Gallery; Kings Park; Supreme Court Gardens; Perth Mint
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By bus: Darwin Airport; Mindil Beach Sunset Markets; Cullen Bay; Australian Aviation Heritrage Centre; East Point reserve/Darwin Military Museum; Fannie Bay Gaol Museum; Museum and Art Gallery of the NT; George Brown Botanical Gardens
By ferry (from Cullen Bay Marina): Tiwi Islands; Mandorah; Darwin Harbour cruises
On foot (from city centre): Aquascene; Stokes Hill Wharf Precinct; Deck Chair Outdoor Cinema; Australian Pearling Exhibition; Indo Pacific Marine Aquarium; World War II Oil Storage Tunnels
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