The ultimate travel guide to public transport on the East Coast of Australia!

Travelling along the east coast of Australia is every backpacker’s dream. Between Melbourne and Cairns, you can spend months exploring the diverse destinations of the east coast and never get bored. Travel from the Australian Alps to iconic landmarks like the Sydney Opera House. Or absorb nature like never before on the world’s largest sand island, the Great Barrier Reef, and many more stops along the way.

Transport along the route is usually one of the most significant expenses and stresses of the trip, but luckily for you, it is easier than you may think! There are three options along this route; train, bus or a personal vehicle. Each has different perks, budgets and difficulties, so we have outlined them below to help you make the right decision!

Train Travel along the East Coast of Australia:

NSW Trainlink Discovery Pass:

The NSW Trainlink Discovery Pass is probably the most underrated backpacker travel option in Australia we have heard of. From Melbourne to Brisbane and everywhere in between, this train pass is well worth its money and is super convenient.

With unlimited travel to over 365 destinations in New South Wales and your choice between 14 days, one month, three months or six months passes, it doesn’t get much better. Moreover, you can choose between economy or first-class seats! The train pass is also connected to the related coach/bus services, getting you further along in your travels without extra costs. To check out the map of services, click here:

We purchased the one-month premium pass to travel between Melbourne to Brisbane and cannot recommend it enough. Our only regret is not getting the three-month pass, as it would have allowed us to travel back and forward even more. We took the overnight train from Melbourne to Sydney the first day we bought it and already got our money’s worth for the ticket! We even got two seats each (which they usually try to do!), so we slept okay. It was great waking up to a new destination without any further worries!

The New South Wales trains are quickly booked on their website, and most trains run close to their scheduled time.

Pros of the Discovery Pass:

• Good price for the amount of distance you can cover! 
• Over 365 different destinations.
• Affordable food carts on the train, so easy access to food.
• Seats are larger than buses.
• Running times are convenient, with multiple options every day.
• Overnight trains mean saving on accommodation.
• Unlimited travel between Melbourne and Sydney.

Cons of the Discovery Pass:

• It misses significant destinations, such as Mt Koziosco National Park.
• It does not include inner-city travel, i.e. in the Sydney city centre.
• It can be noisy inside the train. 
• The South Coast of New South Wales is still hard to access.

Prices:

Queensland Rail Travel Pass:

The Queensland Rail Travel Pass is another train pass to check out. However, it is not as good as the NSW Discovery Pass:

Linking Brisbane to Cairns, fewer destinations are on offer, and only foreign backpackers can get the pass. If you are travelling with Australian locals, which are not eligible to get it, it has a significant price difference, making it only worth the investment as a backpacker.

Furthermore, booking your travel on this pass is more challenging, as you have to call the Queensland Rail Travel centre every single time to make a booking, usually waiting close to 20 minutes before you get past the waiting music.

There are two train passes on offer from Queensland Rail Travel; the Queensland Coastal Pass and the Queensland Explorer Pass. 

Queensland Coastal Pass:

This is the most flexible way to travel Queensland’s east coast by train. You get unlimited stops in one-directional travel between Brisbane and Cairns, or Cairns to Brisbane, for one month, making it perfect for speedy travel along the coast. This pass does not include in-land travel, so you must ensure you do not want to go in-land before purchasing!

Price:

$209 for one month.

Queensland Explorer Pass

This pass takes you from the Great Barrier Reef to the Great Outback of Australia! This pass is perfect for the traveller looking to spend more time in Queensland and explore each aspect of this vast state. With passes available for either one or two months, you can go as far north as Cairns, south as Brisbane and inland to Charleville, Longreach and Mount Isa. 

Price:

1 Month pass $299.00 

2 Month pass $389.00

Pros of the Queensland Rail Travel Pass:

• There is a food car aboard the train.
• It has a train line to the outback.
• Different pass options to tailor your trip to your needs
• Goes to most of the popular destinations in Queensland
• It has a selection of connecting bus/coach links.
• Tv entertainment aboard the train.

Cons of the Queensland Rail Travel Pass:

• Not available for Australians; only foreign residents can purchase this pass.
• It usually doesn’t run on time with up to 3 hours delay!
• Running hours could be better in places such as Rockhampton, as they are in the middle of the route in the middle of the night.
• Only one directional travel – cannot travel backwards.
• Limited stops.
• The train is continuous from Brisbane to Cairns and back, making it vulnerable for things to happen along the way.
• Tv entertainment needs some attention. It only worked 2 out of 7 times.

Bus Passes along the East Coast of Australia:

Greyhound

Greyhound is a well-known name among backpackers and the most popular transport option among travellers. The Greyhound offers multiple pass options and stops in all the popular destinations along the east coast or gets you very close. They offer two different passes and then different durations for each, so they are super flexible! 

East Coast Whimit Passes:

Greyhound offers unlimited, flexible travel along the East Coast between Melbourne and Cairns with the East Coast Whimit Pass. You can travel back and forth along the route as often as you want during your pass, so great if planning isn’t your strong point!

Prices:

7-day pass – $249

15-day pass – $319

30-day pass – $389

National Whimit Travel Passes:

With routes through the Northern Territory, South Australia and some of Western Australia, this is an excellent option for a traveller looking to do a little more in Australia than just the east coast! If you are planning more travel in Australia, the National Whimit Travel pass is more valuable than the East Coast Whimit Pass, without 180 different stops!

Prices:

15-Day pass – $349

30 Day pass – $439

60 Day pass – $499

90 Day pass – $629

120 Day pass – $749

Pros of the Greyhound Bus passes:

• Free wifi on board and USB charging stations.
• Unlimited travel in any direction.
• Online booking management makes it easy to book and manage your trips.
• Multiple buses per day in most popular destinations.
• Great way to meet other travellers as most itineraries are similar.
• Runs usually on time.
• Plenty of destinations!

Cons of the Greyhound Bus

• It can be busy, so you have to book your buses early.
• You can’t walk around in a bus, and it doesn’t stop very often to stretch your legs.

Premier Motor Service:

The Premier Motor Service is another bus option that travellers frequent. While still another good option, it does not offer the same distance as the Greyhound but is worth looking into. Premier only operates passes between Eden and Cairns, so only an option if you are looking at just New South Wales and Queensland. 

Sydney – Cairns:

1-month one-way unlimited stops – $230

3 months one-way unlimited stops – $330

6 months one-way unlimited stops – $361

Sydney – Eden:

6 months one-way unlimited stops – $92

Sydney – Brisbane:

3 months one-way unlimited stops – $103

Byron Bay – Airlie:

3 months one-way unlimited stops – $196

Byron Bay – Cairns:

3 months one-way unlimited stops – $242

6 months one-way unlimited stops – $278

Brisbane – Cairns:

6 months one-way unlimited stops – $258

Sydney – Airlie:

6 months one-way unlimited stops – $278

Airlie – Eden:

6 months one-way unlimited stops – $309

Pros of Premier:

• You can track your bus to see how far away it is from you!
• You can manage your bookings online.
• Many different pass options to tailor to your needs.
• Cheapest option!

Cons of Premier

• It doesn’t go further south than Eden in NSW.
• While it has many ticket options, purchasing the right one can be confusing. 
• One bus a day gives you limited options.

What we recommend to travel the east coast of Australia:

After using the NSW Trainlink Discovery Pass, we will never look back. This pass was incredible. It got us twice from Melbourne to Sydney and back, twice from Sydney to Brisbane and everywhere in between for only $350.

It was super easy to manage the pass and book; we only had to go into a booking in person to purchase it the first time! The trains were always on time, and the connecting buses were always waiting for us when we got there. We paid extra for the first-class seats; seriously, those additional degrees of seat reclines are worth it!

The Queensland Rail Travel pass is a good option if you are a foreign traveller, but not so much if you are an Aussie like me. Yentl saved almost $500 on the trip between Brisbane and Cairns just because of the pass, so if you are an Aussie, I recommend a Greyhound pass for the Queensland section of your travels!

No matter your choice, your travels will be unique; check out our other travel guides!

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