How To Get To Tasmania

Travelling to Tasmania is considerably easier than you may think and certainly more so than one might imagine given that it is rightly regarded as one of the world’s last wilderness frontiers.

In fact, you may well find yourself in Tasmania in far less time than many other parts of mainland Australia, yet the contrast and diversity in landscapes and scenery, the abundance of wildlife so extraordinary and the pace of life so much more delightful than you may well think you have landed on another continent, even another century. Even Tasmanians consider themselves first and foremost Tasmanian, and then Australian!

Hobart and Launceston are the main points of entry and departure by air, via Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide and Perth.

To travel to Tasmania from Melbourne is just 45-minutes by plane, and from Sydney, the journey is just slightly longer at about an hour and a half.  

Connections are easy, plentiful and simple to book, and with a little advance planning it need add very little extra to your journey or your budget.

For those on a more leisurely schedule, you can also travel across the Bass Strait from the port of Melbourne to Devonport in Tasmania's north. The Spirit of Tasmania sails by day and night, depending on the time of year and is ideal for those who wish to bring their own car although international visitors will almost certainly prefer to save time and fly.

If you are travelling via Melbourne, you might want to add another dimension to your trip with a stopover on Flinders Island — see our 'Island Hopping' section for more information on this hidden gem.

Once in Tasmania, you will be able to see and do so much during your time on the island that a few days can seem to last a few weeks.

While Tasmania has its fair share of luxury, and probably the finest food and wines in Australia, arguably the very best things to see and enjoy while travelling around Tasmania are entirely free and much of the accommodation has a self-catering option — so for those on a budget and a yen to explore cellar doors, fruit farms, oyster farms and other local producers, Tasmania is indeed a very good choice indeed.