How to Get Around Australia

Australia's distances are genuinely vast -- Sydney to Perth is further than London to Moscow -- so domestic flights are the standard way to cover long distances, with Qantas, Virgin Australia, and Jetstar connecting every major city.

A car is the best way to explore beyond the cities, and often the only way to reach smaller towns and national parks. Renting a 4WD is worth it for genuine outback or remote-coast routes, though not necessary for the main coastal highways.

Within cities, public transit is solid in Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane. Long-distance trains exist (including the famous Ghan, from Adelaide to Darwin) but are scenic journeys in their own right rather than a practical way to cover the country quickly.