Page 556 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Australia

554  SUR VIV AL GUIDE

TRAVEL INFORMATION

While some visitors to Australia may choose routes provide regular services to most
to arrive by sea, the vast majority arrive by provincial and country areas. If you have
air. Once here, flying between locations is the time, driving in Australia is an excellent
also the most popular form of long-distance option. Boat travel is best if you want to
travel, but there are some other choices, all of visit Australia’s islands, principally Tasmania,
which offer the chance to see something of but regular services run to other island
the country along the way. The national rail destinations such as Rottnest Island off the
network links all major cities, while coach coast of Western Australia (see pp312–13).

Long-Haul and Arriving by Air if travelling with children, as
Green Travel
Australia is served by around is one in Hawaii or the Pacific
Given the location and sheer 50 international airlines. The islands for visitors from the US.
size of the country, and unless Australian airline Qantas has Also, consider arranging flights
you have unlimited time, it is a worldwide network and so that they account for inter-
difficult to travel to and within offers the most flights in and national time differences.
Australia without using long- out of Australia. Qantas, along Arriving in the afternoon,
haul flights. A journey of four with Virgin Australia, is one of spending the rest of the day
hours by plane can take three the main domestic carriers awake, then going to sleep in
days by train and, in most in Australia (see p556). Virgin, accordance with local time is
cases, a flight is the cheaper Qantas and United Airlines a recommended way to help
option. However, if you can all offer regular flights from to counteract jet lag.
spare the time and money, the United States, with a Australia has several inter-
there are some spectacular variety of stopovers. The large national air terminals so visitors
long-distance train routes Asian and European carriers can choose different arrival
through the country where, including British Airways, and departure points. Sydney
especially with the speciality Emirates, Singapore Airlines, and Melbourne have major
“luxury” operators (see pp558–9) Cathay Pacific and Japan airports servicing flights from
the journey can become Airlines, also offer a variety all over the world. Sydney’s
a worthwhile part of of different routes and Kingsford Smith Airport is the
your holiday. stopovers on the Europe– busiest and can be congested.
If you plan to hire a car, Asia–Australia route. Canadian Melbourne Tullamarine Airport
the Australian government travellers can fly direct using is the second busiest airport in
produces a Green Vehicle Air Canada. Australia and is consistently
Guide which rates cars voted one of the world’s best
according to their carbon International Flights by travellers for its modern
emissions and allows useful lounges and superior retail
comparisons between vehicles. Flights between Australia facilities. Hobart has flights
Within cities public transport and Europe take upwards of from New Zealand in the
is relatively cheap and efficient, 22 hours, and with delays you summer months, while
and has the advantage of may be in transit for more than Adelaide has direct flights to
avoiding costly parking and 30 hours. A stopover in Asia Singapore and flights to Europe
fuel costs at each destination. is worth considering, especially via Sydney or Melbourne.
Visitors to the west coast can
arrive in Perth from Africa, Asia
and the UK. Darwin, Brisbane
and Cairns mostly service Asia,
but there are a few possibilities
for connections from Europe.

Air Fares
Flights to Australia can be
expensive, especially during
December, the peak season.
January to April is slightly
cheaper. During the off-peak
season, discount fares can often
be 30–40 per cent below full
International Qantas flight arriving in Sydney economy fares (see p556). Most