How to arrive and

Leaving the airport and getting on your way

After the Customs and Quarantine checks, you will be in the Arrivals hall. This is the area where your friends, family or sponsors in Australia could be waiting to meet you. A number of facilities will be available here for you, including money changing, transport options to the city or your next destination and assistance in booking short term accommodation.

There is a variety of options available to a person arriving at Australia’s international airports. These are usually taxis, trains, buses or shuttle services. Car hire is also usually an option, but only if you think you’ll be up to it after a long flight and are comfortable navigating your way around unfamiliar territory, perhaps in the dark.
Shuttle services to the cities and nearby suburbs are offered in mini-buses. The cost of these is between that of a taxi and public transport and it takes you and your luggage up to your required accommodation doorstep. For those wanting to save money, there are buses or trains transporting people from the main airports to the city centres and other suburbs. Dealing with this new (to you) public transport system will depend on your English language skills and your previous travel experiences. Do not forget that after usually a day of travelling, having to carry bags in and out of public transport could be a little tiring. Shuttle services offer the best value and are quite secure.
Taxi services are of a high standard and are reasonably priced. They can either be hailed in the street or found at a rank outside the airport arrivals hall. The charge is normally calculated at a 'flag fall' rate plus fixed a rate per kilometre. Rates vary slightly from city to city. It is customary for a single traveller to sit in front with the driver. You may think them to drive slower than you would like, but this is because of Australia’s strict speed restrictions. Additional charges are made for telephone bookings, which also increases after midnight. There is sometimes a small charge for luggage carried outside the passenger compartment.

The average cost of a 3 km taxi journey within the city is:

A$ 11.70 (Canberra)
A$ 9.30 (Melbourne)
A$ 10.40 (Sydney)

All the major cities are linked by a first-rate national coach service run by a number of different companies. One of the largest is Greyhound Pioneer (www.greyhound.com.au). Fares are about a third of the equivalent air ticket. Tasmania runs its own coach service called Tasmanian Redline Coaches (www.redlinecoaches.com.au). These should be able to carry you further than the nearest city.

Within the cities, buses (and in some cities, trams) provide good services on main thoroughfares. Be aware that convenient cross-town transport is not always available.
A number of car hire companies offer a world-wide booking and reservation service which can be accessed on-line. For example, see Avis (www.avis.com ), European (www.europcar.com ) and Hertz (www.hertz.com). You can compare prices at: www.vroomvroomvroom.com.au

All drivers must be over the age of 21. Collision damage waiver applies to all drivers under the age of 25. All the larger car-hire companies have an office at each of the international airports.

It is possible to arrange to pick up a car on arrival at a port, air terminal, railway station, etc. It is even possible to hire a car and drive it to any number of places in Australia where the car may be left for retrieval by the company from which it was hired. Usually there is no extra charge for this service between major cities.
INSIDER INFO: You will probably feel jet-lagged for about a week after your arrival. You will feel very tired and sleepy in the middle of the day and wide awake in the middle of the night. Your body metabolism will still be operating in the timezone that you came from. This will happen especially during the first two days before your body adjusts to the new timezone. The best way to get used to Australian time is to not sleep during the day and try to get a normal night’s sleep. Only sleep when the locals do as a rule of thumb.
Finding temporary accommodation
You will most likely need somewhere to stay in Australia on a short-term basis until you have a place of your own. Securing a place of your own for the long-term is likely to take some time. (See the chapter on Accommodation.) Many options abound, but all at a price. What you will find acceptable for your needs in the short-term is a function of various factors. How much you can afford, how long you intend staying, what you will put up with, what you can't do without, where it is, what kind of work you need/have, where your acquaintances are, how good the local transport is and how safe you feel are just some of the factors you will need to weigh up. It is also easier if you're single, but not being single also has its advantages.
For anyone the best start will be to stay with friends or family. Just be sure to agree before you arrive as to how long your stay will be for. Be sure to leave on or before the appointed time, otherwise your relationship with them will never be the same.
INSIDER INFO: Even if you are paying your share whilst staying with friends or family, if you overstay your welcome, it will take a long time to mend the relationship. You have been warned!
INSIDER INFO: Have an idea what kind of accommodation you need and where you would like to stay before you have even landed.
INSIDER INFO: Whilst outside Australia, be reluctant to agree to taking any property without seeing it and the neighbourhood first. If in a pinch, have a friend or relative in Australia (whose opinion you trust) check the place out on your behalf if they can. They may be able to tell you whether it is a good area without even seeing it
Sharing
If you are single and on a tight budget, then an option is sharing. This will involve either having a room to yourself or to share a room with one or more people in either a house or flat. Such arrangements are usually paid for on a weekly basis and in advance. They can start at about A$50 a week and that is for accommodation only. Bills and taxes are usually extra and you provide your own food.
Sharing a two or three bedroom house or flat with two to ten (or more!) other people will be trying at times, but will never be dull. Flat-mates tend to share in everything and lifelong friendships can be made. On the other side of the spectrum, a bunch of individuals sharing with all intent on keeping to themselves may work for some people too. Visit any prospective accommodation first to gauge the personalities involved.
The best way to find suitable sharing arrangements is through a local newspaper. It is usually available through newsagents and via the Internet. Local travel/backpacker magazines and other similar magazines are also useful in this regard. The local mainstream newspaper will carry classified adverts for people looking to share properties. The various universities in Australia often have students advertising on the campus bulletin boards for others to share property. You don't necessarily have to be a student, just be of similar age and interests.
INSIDER INFO: Sharing is a great way of meeting new people, usually of various nationalities, and if sharing with someone Australian, learning about the country.
INSIDER INFO: Be sure to visit and inspect any prospective accommodation before agreeing to or signing anything. You will not believe what is out there in some cases.
Hostels
Hostels are still largely the domain of young people on the tightest of budgets. Standards vary greatly with some being outright dumps and others being better than low-end hotels. Rooms and facilities are basic. Rates vary accordingly, but just because a hostel may be charging more than its neighbour, it doesn't mean its any better. In fact, it may be the reverse because it knows its neighbour (competitor) may be fully booked. Always ask to see a room before making any commitment. Remember that people occupying a room tend to come and go, with some having a reason to steal to keep themselves going.
Rates start at about A$20 a night per bed and can go as high as A$60 a night per bed for the better ones. The average is about A$25 per night. If you find a hostel to your liking, it works out cheaper if you pay for a week in advance. Some hostels limit long-term stays to 2 weeks. Better hostels have "private" rooms with just two beds in them which suits couples better, but these cost more. Prices vary according to demand, season, physical condition of the hostel, its financial situation and the state of competition. Prices can fluctuate on a daily basis. Backpacker magazines always carry adverts by hostels, usually in the back section with the classifieds.
INSIDER INFO: Hostels in cities are the haunt of people in various stages of arrival (or departure) in their time in Australia. This can be a source of information, contacts, jobs, etc. It can also serve to put a damper on your spirits if people more scared than you (or others who failed in their efforts) surround you.
INSIDER INFO: Hostels further out of the cities can be pleasant and cheap. You are trading off distance which means more time and money spent on travelling.
INSIDER INFO: You will never be bored in a hostel.
INSIDER INFO: Some hostels act as conduits for employers offering low-wage, low-skill jobs.
INSIDER INFO: There is turnover in hostel staff too, so working in a hostel may be an option for some. Pay usually revolves around free accommodation and some pocket money though.
INSIDER INFO: Hostels generally have a policy against long-term guests for a reason. It prevents unsavoury individuals tainting a hostel. Guest turnover keeps the atmosphere lively. It gives other arrivals a chance. It is also a way of moving undesirable elements along.
INSIDER INFO: Hostel prices are quoted on a per bed per night basis.
Hotels and B&Bs
If you've come over with a family, or a flatshare or hostel isn't up your street, then you can either book into a hotel or Bed and Breakfast (B&B) for your first few nights. The hotel/B&B option is the more costly option, but you get what you pay for. You will have access to a better range of services and facilities. Most markedly you will have privacy. On average the rooms will be cleaner, better furnished and better equipped. Your possessions may be safer too. Breakfast will sometimes be included in the rate, but may be very basic (toast and cereals) in cheaper establishments. Be sure to ask if it’s included in the rate.
Prices for hotels tend to become cheaper as you move away from the city centre, except near the airports where business travellers keep rates high. Booking yourself in on a weekly (or monthly basis if you can afford it) will reduce the daily rate considerably.
Australian hotels have to pass regular thorough inspections aimed at ensuring that all facilities are in good working order. Accordingly hotel standards are very high.
This hotel option is most suitable for the wealthy and those being relocated by their employers.
Bed and breakfasts offer much better value for money. They are often operated by couples who own a large house with many rooms and run it as their business. The service is more personalised, breakfasts are usually very good and the overall feel is less institutionalised. The number of guests on the property tend to be small (20 or fewer) so its also quieter. However, facilities may be limited.
B&Bs do not tend to operate in central areas of the cities because of the cost implications. If they do, they are almost as expensive as full-blown hotels and you're paying for the difference in location compared to other B&Bs. The further out of central areas that you go, the more prevalent B&Bs become and cheaper too. However, you have to know good areas from bad. Access to public transport is also a consideration.
INSIDER INFO: B&Bs are more amenable to long-term guests and more willing to negotiate. Hotels are less likely to be willing to negotiate a reduced rate. It is always worth your while to ask though.
INSIDER INFO: Hotels and B&Bs rates are quoted on a room per night basis.
INSIDER INFO: The operators of B&B’s can be a great source of information about local conditions, facilities, etc. They can even give tips on the local job market. They could also just totally ignore you. It really is a matter of luck as to what kind of person they are.