If you’re thinking of using the greyhound buses to get around the east coast of Australia, I cant recommend them enough. This is a overview of our 35 day route and all the tips and tricks of using the bus we picked up on the way!

The greyhound bus is a proper backpacking experience which gives you the freedom to move around without the price tag usually expected. The cheapest ticket offers you the option to travel, in one direction, either down or up the country but you can get off and on as many times as you like. Most backpackers use this to get around and whilst I wasn’t sure at first it was absolutely the best way to travel. Additionally, the most of the bus stops are really central which means easy onwards travel to the hostels, you can travel with the friends you’ve made and we always felt really safe as there are always people using the buses.

The most popular routes are on the east coast either from Sydney up to the north or Cairns down south. We decided on the latter as we wanted to be in Sydney Christmas and between our arrival date and our Christmas hostel. It was a 90-day ticket validity which was more than enough for our 35 days’ travel to fill. It seems a lot to buy a 90-day pass only, but it was still the cheapest option by far. What we paid may be a little out-dated by now, but just for a ball park figure we paid $469 each for our tickets, which you have a year to use. Top tip – if you book through Ratpack Travel, they offer a discounted price.

To use your ticket, you just download the Greyhound app, log in and book on the bus journey time you want. Booking on is essential as without, you’re not guaranteed a seat as most of the buses are full. The driver will check your pass and ID too before you’re allowed to hop-on.

I had low expectations but it genuinely was the best way to get around and see all the sites of the East Coast. I thought to break down my overload of info a bit easier, I’ve split the rest of this blog into tips of using the bus and our route, which I think really maximised our time!

Top Tips and Tricks for Using Greyhound Buses:

• You’ll need a neck pillow. Essential for flights and travelling anyway but on here, you will be so grateful for one. I took just a blow up one which was suitably comfortable.
• To save money on hostels and to maximise your time is place, choose the overnight rides where you can. We did a few longer ones which were from around 9pm in the evening to 6.15am the next day. Some weren’t this long and depending on your stops, you might do longer! Although it’s not the most comfortable night’s sleep, its money saving and avoids you travelling in the heat of the day.
• Similarly, along the neck pillow line, earplugs and an eye mask is essential. Most people are really considerate, but there’s sometimes a noisy person.
• Water and snacks are another essential. The bus does stop, but stocking up keeps you going until you get to a service station.
• Battery packs! A backpackers essential anyway, but charge it up for the trip. Whilst most of the buses have USB ports to charge your phone, we had an occasional one which didn’t work and a long journey with a flat phone/kindle is not the one.
• Toilets. Some buses didn’t have them, a lot of them did. Brave them at your own risk.
• Wi-Fi. Some of the buses offer this but not all of them do. The ones that did had enough Wi-Fi which worked for social media/whatsapp and I had one journey where I could (thankfully) stream Netflix. Don’t rely on the Wi-Fi though, and download everything before you go offline.
• Book your seat. You have a seat randomly allocated, but there is an option to move seats, if you want to sit together book in advance! We just chose who had the best seat and edited our booking on our phone/app and moved our allocated seat next to the other one. Which was possible and there was only 1 maybe 2 journeys where we couldn’t get seats together bit frustrating but you’re not far apart and sometimes people are pretty accommodating to let you sit next to each other!
• Finally, luggage. Main back packs go in the underneath storage and the drivers organise it pretty well. We had no issues with our luggage as they won’t leave luggage cos if it’s not collected its going back on the bus but if you’ve identified your bag to make it stand out as yours then it’s not going to get mixed up and of course lock it. I left my big backpack and my additional backpack, with our food bag in the under coach storage and it was all totally ok. No issues at all which was a huge relief as I’m super paranoid about those kind of things but it was fine. There wasn’t much room around our seats on the coach, so I only took my valuables day bag on with me but you’ve just have to judge it with how you feel!

Our 35 Day Route – Cairns to Sydney

• Cairns (+ 3 days) – things to see: Cairns, Great Barrier Reef tours and Daintree Rainforest (we wish we’d had time to do this)
• Townsville and Magnetic Island – there’s nothing in Townsville but it’s the ferry point to Magnetic Island so it’s a must stop. Magnetic Island was one of the best things we did in Australia and I would recommend to anyone.
• Airlie Beach – essential stop so you can visit the Whitsundays
• Agnes Water (1770) – Surfing hotspot, the cutest kangaroo sanctuary and you can see the sunrise and sunset from one spot.
• Hervey Bay – this was a random stop off to break up the trip, but there’s not much here and we wouldn’t stop again
• Noosa – one of my fave fave fave stops, and of course, Fraser Island. I’ve written about this separately as it was just the best!
• Brisbane – our first big city on the east coast. I loved Brisbane, it felt really like London but just on a small scale and with a city lagoon. There’s a famous koala sanctuary, lots to do including food markets and nights out.
• Surfers Paradise – first stop on the Gold Coast. Wasn’t a fave stop, but good for one or two nights. Good beaches, lots of nightlife and a Hard Rock Café.
• Coolangatta – cute, tiny beach town. Not much here, but it is popular for surfing. This town is actually across two different time zones too. This really fascinated me, I couldn’t get my head around it.
• Byron Bay – need I say more! 10/10 stop for us.
• Yamba – this was an unexpected tour, but I recommend 100%. Stop here, stay at the YHA and do Shanes Tour. You will not regret it! Plus, they often get dolphins in the shallows which are friendly with the surfers.
• Coffs Harbour – we stopped here to break up the journey. This is a small town, with not a lot happening. I wouldn’t go back and wouldn’t recommend a stop, unless your desperate to see the ‘Big Banana’
• Port Macquarie – Pros: the Koala hospital. You have to go! Cons: only one pub.
• Sydney – our final stop on our bus tour. Too much to say about Sydney here!