Car Hire in Australia - Getting to Australia

Unless you own a private yacht or refugee raft, the only realistic means of reaching Australia is by air. Most incoming traffic is long-haul flights, and airfares don’t usually come cheap.

The following cities have international airports:

Sydney’s Kingsford-Smith international airport is busy and well equipped for its visitors from Asia, Europe, Pacific islands and the North America. Trains run into the centre regularly, buses serve the southern and eastern suburbs.

Melbourne's international airport services almost as many world regions as Sydney, though several flights stop in Sydney or Perth first. Connections to domestic destinations are regular, and the transport network into the city is reliable and frequent.

Isolated Adelaide receives less international flights but has at least two connections a day to other major Australian cities. Buses run regularly into the city.

Canberra does not have an international airport. Flights arrive in Canberra from major cities.

Brisbane's busy international airport (on account of the Gold and Sunshine coasts), services Asia, Europe, the Pacific islands, North America, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea.

A few overseas airlines use Perth as their gateway to Australia, en route to the east coast.

The only international flights into Hobart are to and from Christchurch in New Zealand, but connections form the mainland are frequent.

Darwin has flights to limited international destinations in the region, such as Dili and Bali.

Distances are large, and flying is the most practical way of traveling within Australia, though fares aren’t cheap. The country's train system is less extensive than the bus network and more expensive but comfortable.