Want to explore Australia’s outback? There are many ways to travel across the outback, all of which have their pros and cons. Some can be costly but safe, whilst others may be cheap but a little more dangerous. Here’s a brief guide to some of the ways of getting around the outback so that you can choose the right travel option for you.
Hire a car
A lot of people are drawn to the idea of an Australian road trip. Indeed, driving can have lots of advantages – you get to set your own route and follow your own schedule. As travel options go, it’s also one of the most comfortable. You do however need to be aware of the costs and you need to plan your route carefully – there can be huge stretches of road without any civilisation and you could end up waiting for hours to get found if you break down. When shopping around for hire cars, use a well established hire car service such as Bayswater Car Rentals that will guarantee reliability. If you’re planning on travelling for several months, you could find that buying a car is cheaper.
Catch a bus
There are buses that operate across the outback. This bus service is known as Greyhound Australia and can be a convenient way to travel if you want to save money. Most buses have very comfortable seats and show movies. The disadvantage is that they are very slow due to the frequency that they stop – if you’re only in Australia for a few weeks, you could waste many days of your journey travelling. That said, they are the next best option if you don’t want to drive.
Take a train
Trains also run across the outback. Known to the locals as the ‘Ghan’, a specialist train service operates from Adelaide to Alice Springs and from Alice Springs to Darwin. It’s a fast way to travel, although the train only departs on certain days. It’s also one of the pricier ways to travel the outback, although the luxury you get makes this cost worthwhile (the ‘Daynighter’ seats can be reclined all the way back, allowing you to get some sleep). If you want to save time and can afford to splash out, this could be the best option for you.
Cycle it
It’s also possible to cycle the outback, although you’ll probably not want to cycle the whole thing unless you have a lot of time and the endurance of an athlete. Most people cycle stretches of the outback where there are well-known trails. Hiking these trails is also possible. It’s a cheap way to travel, but not very luxurious and you’ll probably want to load up on supplies as well as bringing a tent (well known trails will have accommodation frequently along the way, however there can still be some stretches where you’ll need to rely on wild camping).
Try hitchhiking
Hitchhiking isn’t as popular as it used to be, most likely because of all the horror movies involving hitchhikers in the outback. You should probably keep your wits about you, but all in all it’s a far safer way to travel than people assume. It will also save you costs and you’ll meet lots of interesting people in the process. Just be prepared to wait long periods whilst trying to hitch a ride – a lot of drivers will pick up hitchhikers, but the lack of traffic in the outback means that it could be a while before a car appears.
