Public Transportation Facility In Australia

The transport options available in Australia include buses, trains, trams and ferries.  Your access to these transport services will vary depending on where you live.  You will also be able to access private and public car services from taxis to hired limousines, available to take you from door to door.

Some larger education providers will also have their own in-house transport system, especially useful if you have to leave your campus late at night or live in a hard-to-reach area.

Public transport costs vary depending on where in Australia you live and the type of transport you are using. You should look at the relevant state or territory government website for where you are living to see the full range of services available, timetables, and the costs associated.

See information below about transport concessions in each state and territory, along with links to the relevant websites.

Transport Concessions

ACT

The Australian Capital Territory Government provides transport concessions to international students on presentation of their formal student identification card or upon successful application for an ACTION Students Concession Card. For more information on obtaining a Student Concession Card for the ACT please visit the ACTION(opens in a new window) website.

NSW   

International students are generally not entitled to transport concessions in NSW. However, tertiary institutions are now able to offer international student discounted MyMulti passes, allowing students to save up to 35 per cent on the cost of travel on buses, trains, light rail and most ferries throughout Greater Sydney. More information about international student travel discounts(opens in a new window) is available.

A small number of international students whose study is fully-funded under specified Australian Government scholarships may be eligible for transport concessions. For further details, please refer to TfNSW’s Guidelines for Issuing NSW Tertiary Student Concession Cards (pdf 209KB)(opens in a new window).

NT

In the Northern Territory primary, middle and senior school students travel free on presentation of a valid student card. University and VET students are entitled to unlimited bus travel for three hours on any scheduled public bus service at a cost of $1.00 on presentation of a valid student card. Full details can be found on the NT Department of Transport website.

QLD

Full‐time international students studying at a Queensland education institution in a course approved by Centrelink for Austudy, Abstudy or Youth Allowance purposes are eligible for concessions on public transport. The Translink(opens in a new window) website provides full details on Queensland concession fares. Education Queensland International(opens in a new window) also provides details on the Fee Exemption Policy(opens in a new window).

SA

The South Australian Government provides transport concessions for all international students on presentation of their formal student identification card. Further information on fares and conditions can be found at Adelaide Metro(opens in a new window).

VIC

Victoria has a comprehensive system of trams, trains and buses and an easy to use single ticket system.

Students may be eligible for a concession card(opens in a new window) if they are studying as part of an approved overseas exchange program, if they have refugee status or if they hold an Australian Development Scholarship. Please check with your education provider to find out if you are eligible. More detailed information on Victoria’s transport system can be found at Study Melbourne(opens in a new window).

TAS

International students who study in Tasmania qualify for the same travel concessions as local students. For detailed information on transport concessions in Tasmania please visit the Tasmanian Government Discounts & Concessions(opens in a new window) website.

WA

International students studying full-time in Western Australia are eligible for public transport concessions.  Transperth provides public transport services within the Perth metropolitan area, with an integrated bus, train and ferry network.  This means that with just one ticket, students can ride on any bus, train or ferry and transfer between services within a given period.

For information about current concession passes visit the Transperth(opens in a new windowwebsite. For general information about the public transport system in Perth visit the Study WA(opens in a new window)website.

Driving

If you hold a current drivers licence in your home country, you might be able to drive in Australia without sitting for any further driving tests. But remember that many state and territory governments require you to get an Australian drivers licence if you are here for more than three months. Your licence requirements, and any driving restrictions, are managed by the state or territory government where you are living. Visit the relevant state or territory government website or go to australia.gov.au(opens in a new winto find out more.