Getting Around in Melbourne

Melbourne is a large buzzing city, which means a diverse and comprehensive transport system is needed and that is exactly what Melbourne has. Getting around Melbourne is easy due it’s extensive range of public transport services.

Melbourne’s transport organization is called the Met, and offers tram, bus and train services. You can purchase MetCard tickets from train stations, some newsagents or even onboard. Metcard tickets will work on all trams, trains and buses.

The main mode of transport in Melbourne is via tram. A free tram service called City Circle is available. In fact Melbourne boasts one of the worlds largest tram systems; they’re present all over the city.

The excellent thing about traveling by tram is that you can quickly pop in a tram and be taken to another part of the city with no expense to you – it really is an impressive transport system!

City Circle tram travels around the city and then links up with other tram, bus and train routes. City Circle tram travels for around 30 minutes and can take you to many of Melbourne’s shopping malls, arcades and tourist attractions.

Even though the tram system is impressive, Melbourne’s train system is not to be taken lightly. There are quite a few stations with the main one being Flinders St Station. Traveling by train is perhaps the easiest method of visiting the suburban areas of Melbourne.

As far as Buses go, Melbourne’s buses are privately owned. They are not a significant part of Melbourne transport; well compared to some other cities like Adelaide.

However you will often find where a tram or train doesn’t go, a bus can take you there.

If your need to catch a taxi they can be easily spotted due to them being a bright yellow colour. Taxis are plentiful and you should have no problems hailing a taxi and having them take you where you want to go.

Traveling by car is perhaps not the best method of seeing what Melbourne has to offer. When compared to smaller cities like Adelaide and Perth, the traffic seems very congested. If you’re in Melbourne for holiday, you’re better off using the tram and train services.

Adelaide is a well planned and organised city. Due to its smaller size compared to other Australian cities like Sydney and Melbourne, getting around in Adelaide is usually a pleasant and swift experience. The size of Adelaide is approximately 1 mile square, which makes traveling around the city a manageable task.

Adelaide boasts an impressive public transport system called the Adelaide Metro. It consists of bus, train and tram services.

Buses are the main choice for public transport, with bus stops and stations littered all over the city. In fact the citizens of Adelaide love using public transport so much that they are right behind Sydney and Melbourne in terms of usage.

If you’re planning a day out, the day trip ticket is the best value for money, which allows unlimited ticket validations for the entire day. Also with the day trip ticket, it will work on any of the three modes of public transport.

There’s also a free bus called the Bee Line, which runs throughout the city and is a great way to get a glimpse of what Adelaide offers.

It must be said that Adelaide’s train system is underdeveloped and isn’t a major part of the city’s transport system. Most trains only go to suburbs that are either very far away from the CBD or are underdeveloped themselves.

As far as tram services go, once again like the trains, they’re not a major part of Adelaide transport but they are used in a more positive light. For several decades the classic Glenelg trams have been transporting people from Victoria Sq to the vibrant and popular beach-side suburb called Glenelg. However more recently these old trams have been upgraded to the finest in German engineering and a tramline has been extended the CBD of Adelaide.

Taxis are plentiful in Adelaide with the major companies being Yellow Cabs and Independent Taxis

One of the most exclusive things about Adelaide is its natural beauty. Gorgeous parklands surround the city and are a begging to be walked along. The Adelaide parklands are an eventful evening out and there is much to do. Barbecues and playgrounds make it the perfect day out and riding your bicycle is a good idea as well.

Adelaide is definitely a well-planned city with much to do and see. In this case being smaller isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Seeing the natural sights that the Gold Coast has to offer is made easy thanks to its diverse range of transport options.

A public bus service called Surfside Buslines is available and is a great way to see the Gold Coast and visit the suburbs. Several buses go along the Gold Coast Highway and from there you can visit the numerous shopping centres, theme parks and other attractions.

One of the main aspects that makes the Gold Coast such a beautiful holiday destination is the various mini islands and canal estates. You have a choice of ferries or water taxis when exploring them; it really feels like you’re on a tropical voyage – highly recommended!

Taxis are plentiful in the Gold Coast with the main company being Regent Taxis.

If you prefer to travel my train than you’re in luck. There are 4 train stations on the coast – Helensvale, Coomera, Robina and Nerang. You can find more information on Queensland Rail here

If you’re heading up Surfers Paradise way, things are quite simple. All the attractions are within 10 minutes of each other; so walking around shouldn’t be a problem.

Bicycle paths are continuing to be developed on the Gold Coast, so if you decide to ride your bicycle throughout the city you should be fine.

If you’re interested in visiting the main areas of the Gold Coast like Broadbeach, Main Beach, Robina and Southport, you will be pleased to know that transport is plentiful.

You can catch a bus to Broadbeach and visit the attractions it has to offer such as the Convention Centre and the Casino.

The Robina station is close by if you need to catch a train.

At Robina, a train station is present as well as a road network that connects to the main Gold Coast highways. You can catch a train from Robina to Brisbane and it will take approximately 1 hour.

Once again, with Main Beach and Southport, catching a bus is your best bet.

The Gold Coast’s traffic system is very straight forward compared to the capital cities, which makes exploring this beautiful destination even better.

Seeing the natural sights that the Gold Coast has to offer is made easy thanks to its diverse range of transport options.

A public bus service called Surfside Buslines is available and is a great way to see the Gold Coast and visit the suburbs. Several buses go along the Gold Coast Highway and from there you can visit the numerous shopping centres, theme parks and other attractions.

One of the main aspects that makes the Gold Coast such a beautiful holiday destination is the various mini islands and canal estates. You have a choice of ferries or water taxis when exploring them; it really feels like you’re on a tropical voyage – highly recommended!

Taxis are plentiful in the Gold Coast with the main company being Regent Taxis.

If you prefer to travel my train than you’re in luck. There are 4 train stations on the coast – Helensvale, Coomera, Robina and Nerang. You can find more information on Queensland Rail here

If you’re heading up Surfers Paradise way, things are quite simple. All the attractions are within 10 minutes of each other; so walking around shouldn’t be a problem.

Bicycle paths are continuing to be developed on the Gold Coast, so if you decide to ride your bicycle throughout the city you should be fine.

Getting Around Sydney

Sydney – it’s big, busy and beautiful. Getting around Sydney isn’t as easy as the other Australian cities; the traffic is mind boggling at times. However that just means you should take advantage of the numerous public transport services the city offers

There are 2 main areas of the city, and that’s putting it lightly. There is the city and there is the harbour. If you want to visit different areas of the city, you should use a train or the monorail.

If you wish to see the harbour and the areas near it, use a bus or ferry. As most of the cities attractions are located in the CBD and harbour, most travelers will not need to travel elsewhere.

Using Sydney’s bus service will allow you to see many of the tourist attractions and is the cheapest method of doing so. There are many routes and most will take you exactly where you want to go, but of course frequency varies and it may be quicker using a train.

There is also a tour bus called the Sydney Explorer, which will directly take you to most of the sight seeing destinations that Sydney offers.

Sydney has a great train system called CityRail. You can catch a train from central Station and Quay, which are a couple of the main Sydney train stations. A great way to see the city is by catching a train at the City Circle. CityRail trains operate until midnight so you may need to catch a night bus when the trains stop running. Most of the trains in Sydney are double deckers, so space is generally not a concern.

For something a little different, Sydney’s monorail service by Metro Transport will definitely get your heart pumping. It’s one of the worlds very few above ground monorail systems. The monorail operates from the CBD and travels to the Darling Harbour, then goes around the harbour before returning back the city district.

If you want to see what the Sydney Harbour offers, taking a ferry. is the best way to take it all in. Not only can you visit the harbour attractions but also taking a ferry. up to Manly Beach or Watsons Bab is something all Sydney visitors should do.

One of the more recent transport developments in Sydney is its Metro Light Rail tram service. They run from the Central Station and are a great way to visit such places like Darling Harbour and Chinatown.

For a newcomer, getting around Sydney can be a daunting experience. However for such a large city, everything flows together very nicely. Once you understand what modes of transport are best, exploring Sydney is not just an exhilarating experience but a painless one.

Getting Around Brisbane

Brisbane may be the perfect Australian city. Medium size, medium population and medium prices. However none of that means much if the city is not easy to access. Thankfully Brisbane holds up well in that area too and you should have a pleasant time visiting the different parts that Brisbane has to offer.

The city of Brisbane is laid out very effectively and is easy to navigate. Most of the attractions are within easy walking distance from the CBD.

A free bus service is available that loops the CBD and is a good way to get to the shopping malls and main areas of the city.

One of Brisbane’s natural treasures is the Brisbane River. A ferry service called the City Cat can take you along the river. It’s very affordable, costing a little over $1.00 and it comes past every 15 minutes, so you should take advantage of it.

If your prefer using train services, you’ll be glad to hear that Brisbane’s train network is well built. Trains are the fastest method of transport in Brisbane and they will take you the main areas of Brisbane as well as the suburbs. The main train stations are Central Station and another on Roma Street.

If you need to visit the Brisbane Airport, there is no faster way than catching the Air train. The Airtrain is one of the most intriguing inventions and is basically a train that travels above the city streets so you can beat the traffic and never miss your flight!

A great way to see the city from a different light is by bicycle. Ride your bicycle along the gorgeous Brisbane River and you will see many attractions, which wouldn’t be possible by bus or train.

Brisbane is definitely one of Australia’s top holiday destinations. You’ll be sure to have an extra pleasant journey visiting the city thanks to well-developed transport system.

Getting Around Perth

Perth is one of the smaller sized cities in Australia but has much to offer. Getting around Perth is made easy due to its modern transport system called Transperth, which consists of buses, trains and ferries.

A shuttle bus known as the central Area Transit(CAT) is free to use and should be taken advantage of. Regular buses in Perth are the colour green while the Area Transit(CAT) buses are silver.

Although buses are Perth’s main mode of public transport, it must be said that the suburban routes aren’t as comprehensive as they could be. You may need a car to visit some suburbs.

In most cities trains are not the primary mode of transport, the same applies with Perth. Transperth trains are used to go to various suburbs. Transperth has 4 main train lines, Fremantle, Armadale, Currambine and Midland. You can use the train route by visiting the Perth Railway Station.

If buses and trains aren’t your style, perhaps hopping on a ferry and going for a cruise is. The ferry begins near the city at Barrack Street jetty and travels across the beautiful Swan River and then ends up in Mends street jetty south Perth.

If you need to catch a taxi there’s good news – they’re plentiful in Perth. Some of the popular companies include Independent Taxis, Black and White and Swan Taxis.

For the most part, the heart of the city is bicycle friendly, containing bicycle lanes on many of the roads. There are several places where you can hire a bicycle and take it for a spin through Perth’s bicycle routes. Bicycle routes extent to the ocean and rivers and can make for a relaxing and attractive ride.

Perth definitely is an elegant city and it’s a smaller size makes getting around Perth a pleasurable experience.