Road

Tasmanians travel mainly by road. It is possible to drive from one side of the island to the other within a day, but many of the state’s attractions – particularly wilderness areas like Cradle Mountain – are accessed via narrow, winding and dirt roads that require careful driving.

Here are some approximate travel times for Tasmania’s major locations.

• Devonport to Launceston - 99 km - 1 hr 15 min
• Launceston to Hobart - 198 km - 2 hrs 20 mins
• Hobart to Port Arthur - 93 km - 1 hr 30 mins
• Launceston to St Helens - 163 km - 2 hrs 20 mins

You are permitted to drive in Tasmania if you have a drivers licence in your own country. However, this license must be printed in English. An international drivers license is also acceptable. You may continue to drive using your own license for up to 3 months, but after that you must change to a Tasmanian drivers licence. This is easy to arrange.

If you are driving, follow these safety tips:

• In Australia, we drive on the left side of the road.
• Everyone in the car must wear a seat belt. It is the law.
• There are strict laws about drinking alcohol and driving a car. If you have been drinking, it is best not to drive at all.
• Speed limits are enforced more strictly in Australia than in many countries. The speed limit in suburban streets is 50 kph and 110 kph on open roads, unless signposted otherwise.
• It is illegal to use your mobile phone while you are driving, unless you have a ‘hands free’ kit.
• You are always required to carry your license while you are driving.
• Hitch hiking or picking up hitch hikers is strongly discouraged.

Click here for more information about Tasmanian road laws. 

In Tasmania, international students can get a discount on their fares, which is not available in many other states.

You can click here for bus timetable information in Hobart and Lanceston, and in Devonport.

As a clean and cheap form of transport, cycling is popular in Tasmania. Because Tasmania’s cities are small, cycling is a good transport option for students, especially where there are established cycle tracks in place. Off road mountain biking is also very popular and there are many scenic and/or challenging routes throughout the state.