Greyhound Bus Australia - Getting Around

[Guest The Pom Queen]

Probably one of the cheapest ways to get around Australia is by using the Greyhound Bus Service. Although flying isn't that bad but it doesn't allow you the flexibility to see parts of Australia on the way.

 

 

Below is a map of the destinations that they travel to and from.

 

 

 

 

 

There are lots of different passes to choose from and you can hop on and off at whichever stop you want en route.

It may be worth looking at getting one of the backpacker club cards then you can get the discounts:

Receive 10% off our Explorer, Day and Micro Passes and 15% bonus kilometres with your Kilometre Pass when you use the following concession cards with us!

 

 

• ISIC Card Holders
  
• VIP Card Holders
  
• YHA Card Holders
  
• Gap Year Debit Card
  
• International Student Privilege Card
  
• Nomad Card Holders
  
• Roam Free
  
• Independent Backpacker Gold Card
  
• ISE CARD (International Student Exchange)
  
• Peter Pan’s Gold Card
  
• Travel Bugs Card Holder
  
• AIFS - American Institute for Foreign Study
  
• All Australian Uni and institute identity cards
  
• Australia & New Zealand Pension, Senior & Health Care Card Holders
  
• International Seniors Card Holders
  

 

 

 

For example of prices, the trip from Melbourne to Cairns is $445 or with concession $402. You have 90 days to complete the trip and can stop off at any destination on the way. It is only for one way though.

 

You could go for a round Australia pass which would cover:

Adelaide, Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney, Byron Bay, Brisbane, Noosa, Cairns, Alice Springs, Darwin, Broome, Monkey Mia, Perth the price for this would be $2587.

 

 

 

Backpacking bus travel tips

 

 

 

• Take advantage of their kilometre travel passes and hop on and hop off as much as you want. It is a great way to break up the journey and see even more of Australia! Try to do the longest part of your journey at night. Catch up on your sleep while we drive you to your next destination!
  

 

 

 

• Take something to entertain yourself with. They have TVs and we play DVDs, but they can not guarantee that everyone on the bus will like the same movie. Have a book, some magazines or an MP3 player just in case you have already seen Happy Gilmore five times.
  

 

 

 

• Your kilometre pass is valid for 12 months, so take your time. Plan your trip and enjoy your stops. You can even exchange kilometres from your pass for tours and activities! The cost per Kilometre on a large pass is cheaper than that on a smaller one, and so you end up paying less for things like skydiving, wine tasting and outback tours.
  

 

 

 

• The buses will drop you off close to the centre of the town. Given that most towns are pretty small, this does mean you can probably see the pub from the bus-stop!. The hostel or backpackers wouldn't be too far away either.
  

 

 

 

• The buses are relatively new. The Greyhound fleet is being upgraded constantly and the newer ones are used for the longer trips. They will be clean, have air conditioning, TV's, trained drivers and big windows great for seeing the Australian scenery.
  

 

 

 

• Some of the best places to jump on and off are along the east coast and between Sydney and Adelaide if you plan to work during the harvest while you travel.
  

 

 

Remember part of the fun of backpacking is not just the sights you see but also the different people you meet along the way.

[MARYROSE02]

36 hours from Perth to Adelaide, 26 from Adelaide to Sydney, over thirty years ago, admittedly but NEVER again. It's like flying economy to the UK!

[Guest The Pom Queen]

36 hours from Perth to Adelaide, 26 from Adelaide to Sydney, over thirty years ago, admittedly but NEVER again. It's like flying economy to the UK!

Was that non stop? Personally I couldn't be on a coach for so long, I would have to stop every 9 hours for a couple of days break.

[MARYROSE02]

Was that non stop? Personally I couldn't be on a coach for so long, I would have to stop every 9 hours for a couple of days break.

 

Yes, I should have stopped each time the drivers swapped - every eight hours or so, but got a feeling that some of those places on the Nullarbor are just solitary roadhouses.

 

At least the driver actually got off the coach and did not have to try and sleep on the bus. They stopped for breaks too during the trip, just for a few minutes.

 

National Express from Southampton to Heathrow via Winchester &/or Basingstoke is all about I can handle now.

 

I flew once from Heathrow to Sydney with two nights stopover in both Johannesberg and Perth so that would have been about 9-10 hours on two legs plus 4 from Perth to Sydney - a nice, and as restful as it's possible to be in economy - trip.

[Guest guest37336]

Hi Kate.

 

Have done Sydney to Cairns and Perth to Broome not too bad, and plenty of 'Roadhouse' stops.

 

On the Sydney to Cairns I got sitting next to an 'evangelist' from the USA who was doing a 'swap' with some church members in Australia, only a young fella (19'ish), lovely chap, but there is only so much you can take talking about 'godly' things.

 

Wouldn't say I was converted,:unsure: but certainly made me want to have a 'word' with the big fella after 30 odd hours listening to the young man.:mad::mad::biglaugh:

 

Cheers Tony.:wink:

[Guest The Pom Queen]

Hi Kate.

 

Have done Sydney to Cairns and Perth to Broome not too bad, and plenty of 'Roadhouse' stops.

 

On the Sydney to Cairns I got sitting next to an 'evangelist' from the USA who was doing a 'swap' with some church members in Australia, only a young fella (19'ish), lovely chap, but there is only so much you can take talking about 'godly' things.

 

Wouldn't say I was converted,:unsure: but certainly made me want to have a 'word' with the big fella after 30 odd hours listening to the young man.:mad::mad::biglaugh:

 

Cheers Tony.:wink:

It does seem quite expensive especially when you could fly from Melbourne to Cairns for around $100 but then you wouldn't get to see a lot of Oz which is what most backpackers are coming over for. Did you ever hitch hike Tony, is it even legal here as I have never seen anyone hitching a lift?

[Guest guest37336]

It does seem quite expensive especially when you could fly from Melbourne to Cairns for around $100 but then you wouldn't get to see a lot of Oz which is what most backpackers are coming over for. Did you ever hitch hike Tony, is it even legal here as I have never seen anyone hitching a lift?

 

Hitched all the way from Perth to Broome once Kate, and many other places. The Perth/Broome took me over 15 days, (including the occasional 'wander' through the outback) but got there in the end, even stayed with a family just outside of Kalbaari for a few days when the fella gave me a lift.

 

I would like to say that at no point did this come into my mind::shocked::shocked:

 

 

But had a great few days with the family, as far as I know Kate hitchhiking isn't illegal in OZ, could be wrong though.

 

Cheers Tony.

[Guest The Pom Queen]

Hitched all the way from Perth to Broome once Kate, and many other places. The Perth/Broome took me over 15 days, (including the occasional 'wander' through the outback) but got there in the end, even stayed with a family just outside of Kalbaari for a few days when the fella gave me a lift.

 

I would like to say that at no point did this come into my mind::shocked::shocked:

 

 

But had a great few days with the family, as far as I know Kate hitchhiking isn't illegal in OZ, could be wrong though.

 

Cheers Tony.

I probably wouldn't mind doing it in the cities but not in the outback after watching the film:swoon:

[Guest guest37336]

I probably wouldn't mind doing it in the cities but not in the outback after watching the film:swoon:

 

Had a great time Kate, and as a 'bloke' probably less risk involved,:idea:

 

Would often just get dropped at a servo/roadhouse and look forlorn and hope a passing motorist would pick me up.:embarrassed:

 

But when hitching on the open road I guess I waited no more than five hours before being given a lift, normally a lot shorter though, great time of my life, time to think and all that.:notworthy:

[Guest The Pom Queen]

Had a great time Kate, and as a 'bloke' probably less risk involved,:idea:

 

Would often just get dropped at a servo/roadhouse and look forlorn and hope a passing motorist would pick me up.:embarrassed:

 

But when hitching on the open road I guess I waited no more than five hours before being given a lift, normally a lot shorter though, great time of my life, time to think and all that.:notworthy:

Yes but were you standing in the heat for 5 hours with all the flies waiting for your next lift, I couldn't do that:no:

[Guest guest37336]

Yes but were you standing in the heat for 5 hours with all the flies waiting for your next lift, I couldn't do that:no:

 

They had NO choice but top stop at times Kate.:biglaugh::biglaugh:

 

 

And after five odd hours you get used to the

 

flies.:no:

 

[Guest The Pom Queen]

They had NO choice but top stop at times Kate.:biglaugh::biglaugh:

 

 

And after five odd hours you get used to the

 

flies.:no:

 

 

 

:laugh::laugh::laugh:

and if all else fails hitch a ride like the locals do