While there are many bus carrier services in Australia, the major companies are Premier, Greyhound and Oz Experience. To book a bus pass, either go to a travel agent service store, such as Flight Centre, or book it yourself on the Internet.
Premier typically offers the most competitive rates as well as the most standard types of passes. If you decide on Premier, choose from several options for types of passes. When booking via the Internet, choose a one-way or roundtrip ticket with fixed dates and fixed locations (left side of the screen). With this option, there are with no stopovers between the two locations you select. Available destination cities are in New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria. To book a ticket, you need to supply contact information and pay by credit card.
If you want a more flexible option using Premier, select one of the packages from the yellow box on the bottom of the page. These packages vary by length of time you take to get from your starting city to final destination, from one to six months. The packages also vary in the number of stops between your beginning and ending points, from zero to unlimited. Prices increase with the distance between your starting and final destinations and the number of stops you make.
If booking a package with in-between stops, try to plan where you will stop ahead of time. You will need to notify the motor service each time you plan to get on and off. When you book your package, you will be supplied with a schedule of bus times, or check out the schedules online under the "timetable" tab from the top of the Premier website by selecting the route number of your pass. The service operates seven days a week, hitting the same cities at the same times every day.
The Greyhound passes are slightly different than Premier's. Though sometimes a bit more expensive, Greyhound offers a larger selection of types of passes. You can browse options on Greyhound's website. These options range from day passes to traveler passes, very similar to many of Premier's passes, with set starting and final destination points and stopovers.
Additionally, Greyhound offers the Aussie Kilometre Pass, which gives you 12 months to cover a set distance that can be as large as the entire continent of Australia. Also, Explorer Passes are enhanced package deals that combine the transportation of a trip with added features, such as excursions and accommodations.
If you would like one company to handle your transportation, accommodations and activities for your travel in Australia, you should book a package deal through a company like Oz Experience. Packages vary greatly and most travel centers will be able to supply you with an Oz Experience brochure with detailed information. However, to see a full list of options, visit the company's website.
Choose from East Coast and National Passes, and customize your package by adding on tours to key destinations or day trips that allow you to branch off from your main trip package.
