Travelling by bus is almost certainly the cheapest way to get around, although it's rarely a very satisfactory one - there's a lot to be said against spending much of your trip staring at the passing landscape from a cramped seat. And even though the bus network is far more comprehensive than the train network, it will still let you down if you hope to escape the tourist trail: routes follow the main highways between cities, and may mean arriving at smaller places in the middle of the night. On the other hand, bus services are regular and good value, and vehicles are about as comfortable as they could be, with reclining seats, air-conditioning, toilets and videos: the real problem is having all these things work for the entire duration of your trip. If possible, try and plan for a stopover after every twenty hours - if you try stoically to sit out a two-day trip, you'll be in a foul mood when you reach your destination. Substantial discounts (ten percent, or fifteen percent if you buy your ticket before entering Australia) are available on many fares if you have a YHA, ISIC or recognized backpacker card such as VIP, or if you are a pensioner.

 

The major interstate bus companies on the mainland are McCafferty's (tel 13 1499, www.mccaffertys.com.au ) and Greyhound Pioneer (tel 13 2030, www.grehound.com.au ) - both of which are actually owned by McCafferty's - which between them circuit the entire country. Along the east coast, there's also the newcomer Premier (tel 13 3410, www.premierms.com.au ), which calls in everywhere along the highway between Melbourne and Cairns. Tasmania is thoroughly covered by Tasmanian Redline Coaches and Tassie Link.

Fares vary according to the popularity of the route and quality and speed of the road, and, though competing companies offer similar rates, special offers can slash prices - it's always worth shopping around. Sample one-way fares from Sydney are: Adelaide $104, Alice Springs $251, Brisbane $77, Cairns $233, Darwin $383, Melbourne $54 and Perth $300. Return fares are, at best, only marginally cheaper than two singles.

A popular option for many travellers is to buy a bus pass , though bear in mind that you won't save money over shorter routes, and that passes are nonrefundable - tie yourself into a specific schedule and you'll be unable to change your plans. Both McCafferty's and Greyhound offer a range of passes lasting between one and twelve months covering preset routes, on which you can break your journey as often as you like and travel in any direction, but are not allowed to backtrack. Sample fares include the Melbourne-Cairns "Follow the Sun" pass for $300; a "Best of the East" pass which circuits via everywhere between Adelaide, Uluru, Alice Springs, Mount Isa, Cairns, Sydney and Melbourne for $864; and the "All Australian" pass which covers Australia's east, west, north, south and centre for $1772. Year-long kilometre passes are more flexible, giving you unlimited travel in any direction until you have used up the distance paid for - these work out upwards of 8¢ per kilometre. Premier's range of passes are all valid for three months, allow unlimited stopovers, and include the Melbourne-Cairns "Eastcoaster" ($300), and the Sydney-Melbourne "Getaway" ($80). Tasmania has its own passes offered by Tassie Link ( www.tassie.net.au/wildtour ). Their coverage is not comprehensive, but the passes do also give a third off Tasmanian Redline Coaches' services; passes cost from $99 for five days' travel within a seven-day period, to $220 for thirty days' of travel within a forty-day period.