Australia by car or public transport?
Hi all!
I’m planning to go to Australia in September and travel around first. After that, I’m planning to settle in Melbourne, ideally after travelling down the East Coast for around 4–6 weeks.
I’ve already booked my flight to Cairns and want to travel down the East Coast, staying in each place for roughly 3–7 days.
I’ve been looking into my options and I’m debating whether I should get a car. I’d only use it for travelling, not for sleeping in it.
My main concern is having to drive long distances by myself. I’m also not used to driving that much, as I’m from Amsterdam and barely drive here.
On the other hand, having a car would mean:
-Not having to rely on public transport or flights
-More flexibility with where I go and when I leave
-Not having to worry as much about luggage
I’ll mainly be staying in hostels.
Budget-wise, I’m expecting to spend around AUD 8–10k while travelling, excluding transportation between destinations. After that, I expect to have around AUD 20–22k left, plus an additional AUD 2k emergency fund.
The alternatives I’m considering are:
-Greyhound + a few short flights for longer distances (probably no more than 2 flights)
-Train travel (spirit of queensland), including the route from Cairns towards Sydney, potentially using one of the passes available for a certain period.
Flying from Sydney to Melbourne, or possibly sharing a ride with someone heading that way.
Once I’m in Melbourne, I don’t expect to need a car. I’m planning to either live in a share house or stay in a hostel if I can’t find accommodation.
As you can probably tell, I’m leaning more towards not getting a car, but I’m also aware that I might be biased because I’m coming from Amsterdam, where I barely drive.
What do you guys think? Is travelling down the East Coast without a car easy enough, or would you recommend getting one for the flexibility?
Any insights or experiences would be greatly appreciated!