OVERVIEW
Canberra is centrally located on the east coast, roughly between Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide. It's closest to Sydney, only a 3hr drive away, and it has an airport with flights to all of state capitals that is only 10 minutes drive to the city centre.
The spread out (but easy to get around) nature of Canberra makes choosing the location of your accommodation less of a challenge because nowhere is especially convenient, unless you stay in one of the pricier hotels near Parliament House. Otherwise, plan to be driving or cycling around a lot between the attractions, which is no bad thing, given the ample greenery and lakeside views you can enjoy.
Take a look below for all the details on how to get to Canberra and which locations are best to stay in.
How To Get To Canberra
Flights To Canberra
Every major city in Australia has at least one flight to Canberra each day.
There is one airport, Canberra International Airport, which is spectacularly close to the city centre at just 10 minutes drive.
Domestic Airlines flying into the city include Qantas, Virgin, Jetstar, and Rex.
Canberra Airport © Visit Canberra
From Sydney
Virgin and Qantas have up to 15 flights each per day.
1hr flight time.
From Melbourne
Virgin and Qantas have about a dozen direct flights between them whilst Rex and Jetstar have 1 each, from Tullamarine airport.
1hr5min flight time.
From Adelaide
Qantas fly directly up to 3 times per day and Virgin once on selected dates. 1hr40min flight time.
From Brisbane
Virgin and Qantas each fly half a dozen times each day and Jetstar once. 1hr50min flight time.
From Gold Coast
Virgin and Jetstar fly once each on selected days. 1hr40min flight time.
From Hobart
Virgin, Qantas and Link Airways each have one direct flight on selected days.
2hr5min flight time.
From Darwin
There are no direct flights currently scheduled.
From Perth
One flight from Qantas flies directly on selected days.
3hr50min flight time.
From Regional Towns
Flights are sometimes scheduled from the following regional centres through Rex, Pelican, Link, Qantas or Virgin : -
Cairns, Coffs Harbour, Newcastle, Sunshine Coast
Ready to check Flight rates and availability?
Virgin Australia are up there with Qantas in terms of quality of service and they have an extensive number of routes across Australia. Click the image to see what options they have for you to experience an exemplary start to your trip.
If you want to check up on Jetstar, it is best to book through their site directly at jetstar.com as this gives you the best price and full availability. Just remember that checked luggage costs extra.
For flights with Qantas, try looking at auntbetty.com which is operated by Flight Centre. It's an easy to use flight search website that gives you the true price (unlike others, that show dodgy prices) and back-up support from your local Flight Centre store.
Travel Unpacked is supported financially by affiliate links. This means that, should you click on a link to a hotel or airline website, for example, we receive a small commission. The price that you pay is not affected by this. Find out more about this on our About page.
"These links are recommended because I use them myself. They are easy to use sites, offer excellent service, and are sites that I would suggest to my friends and family if they asked."
Christopher Jubb, Travel Unpacked Founder
Getting from the Airport to the city
Taxi's and Rideshare vehicles take only 10 minutes to make the drive to the city centre in off peak times and cost around $30. As you exit the airport, the taxi pick up is in the centre and the ride share designated pick-up is in the green car park just 20 meters from the arrivals hall.
Rapid Bus services opperate every 15 minutes on weekdays and every 30 minutes on weekends and make the journey to the cbd and it's interchange in 20 minutes. You can buy a bus ticket from a vending machine in the arrivals hall.
There are also Shuttle Bus services that can take you directly to the snowy mountains.
If you are heading out of the city centre, you may need a Rental Car. Many of the major operators (National, Enterprise, Thrifty, Sixt) have locations right at the airport.
More information at: -
https://www.canberraairport.com.au/transport/public-transport-and-shuttle-services
Sustainability Tip
Avoid flying at all costs and take the train or a coach instead. If there is more than one of you, driving is lower in carbon emissions too.
If you have no choice but to fly, at least offset your carbon emissions.
Read our 'How to travel sustainably' guide for more tips and information.
Trains To Canberra
There in just one route that can get you to Canberra by train and that arrives from Sydney. It takes around 4 and a half hours and costs in the region of $40. There are up to 3 trips taking place per day - morning, midday, and evening.
Follow this link to search for tickets - https://transportnsw.info/plan/places-to-visit/canberra-travel-guide
Beyond this route, you could take a train from Melbourne to Albury or Goulburn and transfer to a coach for the remaining distance to Canberra.
Coach To Canberra
There are coach services running from Sydney and Melbourne to Canberra.
Greyhound
From Sydney, they run a daily service in the evening taking 3.5hr and fares from around $50. They have an overnight route from Melbourne taking 8hr and fares starting at around $120.
They also have other routes across the country that can connect with Melbourne and Sydney to take you to Canberra.
Murrays
From Sydney, Wollongong and the South Coast of NSW (to Narooma). Fares from Sydney are around $47 and it takes about 3 and a half hours, departing every hour from morning to evening.
Drive To Canberra
It's a relatively easy driving distance to Canberra from Sydney, and not too bad from Melbourne either. Given the spread out nature of the city, having your car with you can be particularly helpful, and there is ample parking at every attraction and most accommodation options. This should make it tempting to drive if you are arriving from further away, like Adelaide and SE Queensland.
From Sydney
It is a short 3hr15min drive to Canberra from Sydney along the M31 and M23, otherwise known as Remembrance Highway. Check out the Big Merino on the way as you pass through Goulburn.
From Melbourne
The drive from Melbourne takes around 7 hours via Albury/Wodonga. You will pass through Ned Kelly country, so you can take the opportunity to stop in at Glenrowan or the beautiful Beechworth on the way. Alternatively, you could head through the snowy mountains or along the NSW and Victorian coastline to create a lovely roadtrip.
From Adelaide
It will take around 13 hours to drive from Adelaide, so plan this over 2 days. There are a few routes to choose from that will give you the chance to see some nice parts of country Victoria, NSW, and South Australia. Check out the Riverland area, at Renmark, or the Murray river at Swan Hill or Echuca. Bendigo, in the gold fields, is only a short detour too. You could even go via Melbourne, if you want to make a bigger trip of it.
From Brisbane
From South East Queensland, It will take around 12.5 hours along the coastline, which is the fastest route. This will take you through Sydney however, which could be a good thing (if you want to stop there) or a bad thing if you want to avoid potential traffic. It is a great route to travel though, passing through Byron Bay, Coffs Harbour, Port Macquarie, and Newcastle. If you want to mix things up for the return journey, and you don't mind adding a few hours to your trip, you could head back to Brisbane through country NSW and check out Dubbo on the way.
Parking
Canberra is a stretched out city with the buildings far apart and plenty of wide roads and green spaces in between. Consequently, there is ample parking to be found in pretty much every part of the city, even the CBD and around Parliament House. Most of the parking is paid parking, but the convenience of driving around the city won't be lost on you.
Where To Stay In Canberra
Ovolo Nishi Hotel © Visit Canberra
Hotels In Canberra
Most of the attractions are located around Lake Burley Griffin, particularly near Parliament House and the CBD (on the opposite side of the lake). If you manage to get a hotel near this area, it will make it easy to walk or cycle to the many museums and institutions people visit Canberra for. Most of the hotels are in fact in this area. A dozen are located just east of Parliament House in Kingston and many more are located around the CBD and north on Northbourne Avenue. Any of these should serve you well for location, baring in mind that the further away from the lake you head the more you will have to rely on buses, taxis or your own vehicle. Most of the restaurants are in these two areas as well. A few stand out hotels have been highlighted on Tourism Australia's website.
Depending on what you want to see and where you want to go, you might find it easier to stay a little further out if you plan on using a car to get you around. Doing so should get you a better deal and easier (or cheaper) parking.
For a sustainable hotel in Canberra consider the Ovolo Nishi.
Ready to check Hotel rates and availability?
Booking.com is one of the most popular hotel booking websites, they have a wide range of accommodation types and they often have free cancellation, so you can always book and lock in your room with the option to cancel it later. Click the image to see what amazing hotel you could be staying at soon.
We also like Hotels.com who offer an excellent user friendly website, good service, and a good loyalty program where you get a free night for every 10 nights you book through them.
Travel Unpacked is supported financially by affiliate links. This means that, should you click on a link to a hotel or airline website, for example, we receive a small commission. The price that you pay is not affected by this. Find out more about this on our About page.
"These links are recommended because I use them myself. They are easy to use sites, offer excellent service, and are sites that I would suggest to my friends and family if they asked."
Christopher Jubb, Travel Unpacked Founder
Air BnB
There are a few dozen options around the CBD and Kingston that give a good location for restaurants and attractions. This is a good option if there is a large group of you and you want a whole apartment or house.
Backpackers Hostels in Canberra
There is only one hostel in Canberra, called The Village Hostels Canberra. It is conveniently located in the CBD.
Caravan Park Canberra © Visit Canberra
Caravan Parks in Canberra
There are several campsites and caravan parks to choose from in Canberra with a couple of options being not too far away from the city centre.
The following two parks are both close and convenient for the city:-
Alivio tourist Park - This park is beautifully located within bushland just north of the CBD, only 10 minutes drive away. It doesn't have any convenient public transport options however. They have an onsite restaurant, bar, BBQ's, rec room, laundry, and board game hire. In addition to campsites and caravan parks, they also have villas and cabins. More info here.
Southside Canberra - Also located a 10min drive from the city centre, on the main road east of Parliament house, this caravan park is simple but clean and tidy. They have cabins in addition to campsites and caravan spaces. More info here.
Other campsites a little further out include: -
Capital Country Holiday Park - This park lies north east of the city about 25min drive out. It is a decent size and includes caravan spaces and cabins. They have a pool, tennis court, mini-golf, and the usual BBQ and laundry facilities. More info here.
Eaglehawk Caravan Park - Down the road from Capital Country Park, this site is similarly large and provisioned. They have a pool, BBQ's, and an attached roadhouse. More info here.
Canberra Tourist Park - Located next to the racetrack, 15 minutes drive to the CBD, this basic but tidy option is brand new and has powered sites for caravans. They have a large new communal cooking and games area. The farmers market is in walking distance. More info here.
EPIC - Next door to the Canberra Tourist Park, the exhibition grounds offer a simple camping option. More info here.
Queanbeyan Riverside Caravan Park - This small park is located right next to the river and is 20 minutes drive to Canberra city centre. More info here.
There are also many camping spots in the national parks that surround Canberra - more info here.
Need the detailed information? Go to the third page of our guide for all the 'Essential info' like getting around, food, shopping, and much more.
Or go back to page 1 to discover all the 'Things to do'.
AUTHORED BY
Christopher Jubb, Founder of Travel Unpacked
More information available on our About page
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