To & From Melbourne

Greyhound Australia links the city with all Australian capital cities and with major towns and cities throughout Victoria. The terminal is on the corner of Swanston and Franklin streets. From Melbourne, it's about 10 hours to Adelaide, about 12 hours to Sydney, about 50 hours to Perth (consider flying), and about 8 hours to Canberra.

Contact

Greyhound Australia (13-1499. www.greyhound.com.au).

Within Melbourne

The city's public transportation system is operated by Metropolitan Transit, which divides Melbourne into three zones. Zone 1 is the urban core, where most tourists spend their time. The basic ticket (called a Metcard) is the one-zone ticket, which can be purchased on board the bus or tram (or purchased at a 7-11 store) for A$3.20. It's valid for travel within a specific zone on any tram, bus, or train for two hours after purchase. For travelers, the most useful ticket is probably the Zone 1 day ticket, which costs A$6.10 and is available on board any tram. A free route map is available from the Melbourne Visitor Centre at Federation Square.

Trams run until midnight and can be hailed wherever you see a green-and-gold tram-stop sign. A free City Circle tram run by Metropolitan Transit operates every 10 minutes daily 10-6 on the fringe of the Central Business District, with stops in Flinders, Spencer, La Trobe, Victoria, and Spring streets. Look for the burgundy-and-cream trams.

Contacts

Melbourne Visitor Centre (03/9658-9658. www.visitmelbourne.com). Metropolitan Transit (13-1638. www.metlinkmelbourne.com.au).