Catching the Bus to See Australia
Traveling in Australia is easy with a multitude of efficient methods to get around the country. Often renting a car is the first choice even with the recent hikes in the cost of petrol. Nevertheless, when the journey distance is more than a few hours, it is the plane that usually wins. Still there are other times when the best option is taking the bus, but how do you determine when this is your best option? Well read on.
Bus travel in Australia.
It is difficult to tell whether this is justified or not, the bus service in the Australia has a rather tarnished image and many consider the services to be at the base level only. In reality, there are a number of services to suit all budgets from basic to luxury but this will depend on the carrier. Of course everyone has heard of Greyhound buses as they are a popular service and they pretty much dominate the Australian market. Other bus companies like McAfferty’s and Transitway are also competive. Moreover there are many well-founded bus service companies who work at the regional level but have to take the help of other carriers on some routes.
Competing head on with the airlines industry is the introduction of luxury bus services, yet another new introduction to the industry. Such carriers offer A-1 services with coaches that reek of luxury and are considered to be most effective to travel to a destination which requires less than 6 hours of travel.
So how does one conclude the appropriate conditions when a bus journey is warranted? Answer these questions and you might find what you are looking for: What is the budget that you have planned for your journey? If it is low, take the bus. It is, without a doubt, the least expensive way to travel across Australia and if you are traveling in the East of the country, even more so as there are more companies who want your business.
When you get to where you are going, will you really need to hire a car? Remember in cities like Sydney and Melbourne a car is not only useless but can prove to be a big hassle for driving around and finding a parking space.
How far are you going? If you are traveling less than a five or six hours it is probably faster to take the bus than to fly when you factor in waiting time at the airport. Moreover, the bus will likely drop you off in the downtown area so you do not have to find your way into the city once you arrive.
If you are traveling to a more remote area of Australia then you are less likely to have an airport close by which means a bus may be the best method to get you where you want to go. How much time do you have? If your trip is not rushed, you might enjoy the more leisurely pace of bus travel. You always have to consider traffic delays and if you have a longer trip to make and are in a hurry then the bus will not be the fastest way to get there. Thus if you take the picture in its entirety, whether you are planning inter city travel or thinking of traveling to remote sectors, traveling by bus is definitely the superior option. With fuel prices rising and reduction of train services it could be one of the most common ways move around.
If you happen to get to a beautiful little town in Australia called Whyalla, why not stop and stay a while? There’s some great accommodation in Whyalla and heaps of things to see and do. And it’s serviced by bus from Adelaide!
