Getting Around, Byron Bay Travel, Transport and Car Rental

(Byron Bay, New South Wales - NSW, Australia)

The public transport in Byron Bay is relatively limited, although many of the tourist spots around the bay are easy to travel to by simply walking. From the centre of town, an oceanway links the famous Cape Byron Lighthouse, while the most prominent roads including Bangalow Road, Jonson Street, Lawson Street and Shirley Street.

If you are planning day trips, then local bus transportation forms the most inexpensive way to travel outside of the town of Byron Bay, although for sheer convenience, hiring a car at the Ballina Byron Gateway Airport (BNK) is hard to beat. For long-distance travel, Countrylink trains run between many major tourist destinations in both New South Wales and Queensland, such as Brisbane, Noosa and Sydney.

Airports / Arriving by Air

The nearest airport is the Ballina Byron Gateway Airport (BNK) at nearby Ballina, which is just a 20-minute drive away and serves approximately 400,000 travellers each year. Located approximately one hour to the north and just past Tweed Heads, the Coolangatta Airport / Gold Coast Airport (OOL) is considerably larger and ranks as one of Australia's fastest growing air facilities, now handling almost five million passengers annually. Coolangatta's main airlines include Air New Zealand, Airnorth, AirAsia, Jetstar Airways, Tiger Airways and Virgin Blue, with domestic services and international flights connecting cities in Japan, Malaysia and New Zealand.

Car Rental

If you are planning to explore this region, then hiring a car is essential, with a choice of car hire being available at the surrounding airports, as well as outlets located on both Marvell Street and Middleton Street. Those prepared for a long drive may like to travel to the city of Sydney, which is approximately nine hours by car and reached by taking the Pacific Highway southwards. Along the way there are plenty of places to stop off if you need to take a refreshment break. Nearer to home, the Gold Coast is around an hours' drive away, while to the north, Brisbane can be reached by car transport in under two and a half hours.

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Buses and Coaches

Various buses travel around this part of New South Wales, connecting Byron Bay with outlying suburbs and towns such as Ballina, Bangalow, Brunswick Heads, Lennox Head and Mullumbimby. Further afield, long-distance coach transport plies a number of routes, stopping on Jonson Street, in central Byron Bay. These coaches travel to and from destinations such as Brisbane (three hours), Coffs Harbour (four hours), Coolangatta Airport (two hours and 15 minutes), Lismore (one hour and 15 minutes), Surfers Paradise (two hours) and Sydney (12 hours+).

Trains

Countrylink trains provide the most comfortable way to travel to Sydney, with this journey lasting just under 13 hours in total. Trains also link the town with Ballina, Bangalow, Brisbane, Grafton, Hervey Bay, Mullumbimby, Nimbin, Noosa, and the Gold Coast airports.