The Australian cities count with excellent public and private transportation systems, which simplify the life of those who make use of it. One important characteristic is the charging system.  In Australia the cities are subdivided into zones which start on city’s center and extend until peripheral neighborhoods. Each of these zones has a number and, because of that, the charge varies according to the destiny. Who takes a bus at the center (Zone 1) to an area at zone 2, pays less than those heading to zone 4, for example. See below a brief description of each of the transportation services offered in the Australian main cities:

Sydney counts with four different transport options. They are:

Bus: This service serves most of the suburbs. The charge fee depends on the number of zone passed through. To give you an idea, short routes cost you AU$ 1.60 and most of the charges to distant suburbs cost AU$ 2.70
Website: www.sydneybuses.info/

Raft: This is the most interesting way to visit the harbor. There are three different types of raft: the regular STA ferries, the JetCats which goes to Manly (AU$ 7.90) and the RiverCats with cross the river to Parramatta (AUS 7.40). All rafts departure from Circular Quay.
Website: www.sydneyferries.info/

Metro Light Rail and Monorail: The Monorail and the Metro Light Rail are good transportation options at the central area. The Monorail circulates around Darling Harbour and connects to city center. The MLR operates the 24hours between Central Station and Pyrmont, passing through Darling Harbour and Chinatown.
Monorail Website: www.metrotransport.com.au ;
Metro Light Rail Website: www.metrotransport.com.au

Train: Sydney counts with a wide and efficient railroad services. Trains operate from 5am to midnight.
Website: www.cityrail.info/

For more information about all Sydney’s transportation services, visit the website www.131500.com.au

Melbourne is an excellent city for riding a bicycle once is plain and offers a very good structure for the whole metropolitan area. Two important bike paths are located at the Port Phillip Bay area, from Port Melbourne to Brighton and the bike path which follows the Yarra River for more than 20km. See below some public transportation options:

Bus: The buses usually leaves from where train lines end, or go to hospitals, universities, suburb malls and distant suburbs, where there are not other transportation options

Train: The suburban trains are faster than buses or street cars, but don’t reach the most distant suburbs. The Flindes Street station is the main suburban terminal. During the week, trains operate from 5am to midnight.

Street Car: The Melbourne heavy street cars cover the city and distant suburbs. Stop points are numerated starting from city center. There is also the Light Rail service for some suburban areas, including St Kilda, which goes along old railroad lines. Be careful getting in and out of the street cars; by law is assumed that cars stop with street cars stop to leave and get passengers, but this not always happens.

For schedules, maps and bus, train and street car charges visit the website: www.metlinkmelbourne.com.au. The Metcards allow you to travel using any bus, train or street car of Melbourne, even doing connections from one to another.

This city counts with a sophisticated transport public range of services:

Citycat: These nice boats leave every 20/30 minutes, from 5:50am to 10:30pm in the southeast-northeast route, from Queensland University and Bretts Wharf and vice versa. There are also the Inner City Ferries, which navigate from top to bottom areas of North Quay River, neat to Victoria Bridge and Mowbray Park.

Bus: The Loop is a free bus service which circulates around Brisbane city center and leaves every 10 minutes Mondays to Fridays, from 7am to 6pm. Other buses leave every 10/20 minutes Mondays to Fridays from 5am to 6pm, Fridays starting at 6pm. Services are less frequent in other areas , with its circulation ending around 7pm on Sundays and at midnight on the rest of the week.
Train: The fast railroad company Citytrain has seven routes which go from the distant Gympie North (through Sunshine Coast), Nerang and Robina, at south (through Gold Coast). All trains pass through the Roma St. Central and Brunswick St.

More information about schedules and bus, train and citycats connections can be found at www.transinfo.qld.gov.au/

 
The Perth’s transportation services are acclaimed by its efficacy, which even offers free public transport. See the options below:

Boat: Rafts leave in a daily bases every 30 minutes from 7am to 7pm, from Barrack St Jetty to the Zoo.

Bus: You can visit most part of the city center by making use of free bus services offered by CAT, which circulate from 6:50am to 6:20pm on weekdays. There a longer wait time during weekends. A short ride in a regular bus at Zone 1 costs AU$ 3.00, Zone 2 AU$ 3.20 and AU$ 5.00 for Zone 3. The Zone 1 covers the most distant suburbs (including Subiaco and Claremont) and Zone 2 follows the western are until Fremantle.

Train:  The Transperth also operates suburban train route Fastrak to Armadale, Midland and Joondalup, at north. There are free train rides (at free traffic zone) between Claisebrook and City West stations.  All local trains leave from Perth Station at Wellington St.

The Transperth control buses, trains and public rafts of Perth. One single ticket allows you to use any transportation method. For more information, visit the website www.transperth.wa.gov.au/

Bus: The Bee Line (nº 99B) circulates from Glenelg to Victoria Sq to the University of South Australia City West campus. The City Loop (nº 99C) circulates around the city center area leaving from the train station passing by the Central Market. Both lines are free.

Train: The suburban trains leave from Adelaide Railway Terminal, through the Casino.

The Adelaide Metro Information Centre (located at King William and Currie streets) provides bus and metropolitan integrated trains and street cars schedules, also selling tickets.  For more information visit the website www.adelaidemetro.com.au/

Bus: The Darwinbus (City Bus Interchange, at Harry Chan Ave.) offers an ample service from its small terminal. The mini-buses of Tour Tub take to tours for Darwin’s tourism attractions during the whole day, being able to embark and disembark whenever you want. For more information visit the website www.tourtub.com.au

Taxi:  Beyond the regular taxi service, Darwin offer two other taxi services, the Arafura Shuttle and Unique Minibus – which takes you to any place outside the central area for a fixed amount of AU$ 3.00 (AU$ for 2 people) and for other areas such as Fannie Bay or East Point, a fixed amount.

Bus: The Metro operates the local bus service lines; there is a Hobart information service which provides you schedules at the main post office building, at Elizabeth St with Macquarie St. The charge varies between AU$ 1.50 to AU$ 3.40 according to the distance. For AU$ 3.90 you can buy a ticket unlimited travel of the Day Rover, which can be used from 9am Mondays to Fridays, whole Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. For more information visit www.metrotas.com.au

Bus: The Company responsible for the Canberra’s public transportation is the ACT Internal Omnibus Network (ACTION). The main Civic Bus Interchange goes through Alinga St, East Row and Mort St at city center. Look for the information booth at East Row or visit the website www.action.act.gov.au for maps, routes and schedules.

The Canberra Day Tours operates a tourism bus service circulating through city main attractions. Tickets are valid for 24 hours (adults (AU$ 35.00). For more information, visit the website www.canberradaytours.com.au