Getting there & Getting around

Getting there

Flights connect Canberra with all Australian state capital cities, and from some of the bigger towns within NSW. (If you are travelling to Canberra from one of the smaller state capitals you may have to make a stopover in Sydney or Melbourne on the way).

The airport is 7km (4mi) southeast of the city centre. You can get a shutttle minibus to the Jolimont Centre in town and to various hotels for about 4.00, or catch a cab to the city for about 15.00.

Buses run to Canberra from Sydney, Adelaide and Melbourne, with connections to the other capitals. You can also catch buses to Canberra from the south coast, the snowfields, and a few other large towns in NSW. Trains run from Sydney, or you can do a combined bus-train trip from Melbourne.

The Hume Highway, which runs between Melbourne and Sydney, passes about 50km (30mi) north of Canberra - you can drive to Goulburn or to Yass to join up with it, depending whether you're heading north or south. The Monaro highway to the south will take you to Cooma, the snowfields and the coast.

Getting around

Public transport in Canberra means the ACTION bus service (popular tourist buses covering most sights include Nos 33, 34, 40 and 80), which runs regular routes throughout Canberra and is a relatively cheap way to get around. ACTION's Flexibus evening service will, incredibly, veer off the set route to go as close to its passenger's destination as possible. They will also come and collect you if you call (13 17 10). If you're fit, another good way to see Canberra is by bicycle; Canberra has an excellent network of bike paths. If you're not fit, take the car.