How to Get from Sydney to Tasmania

Australia's island state, Tasmania, lies about 300 miles (500 km) south of the mainland, across the Bass Strait. The closest mainland city to Tasmania is Melbourne, while Sydney is 860 miles (1390 km) away. Here's how to get from Sydney to Tasmania.

By Air

Duration: 2 hours

The quickest and easiest way to get from Sydney to Tasmania is to fly. Daily direct flights from Sydney go to the two biggest cities in Tasmania, Hobart and Launceston. If you want to get elsewhere in Tasmania, you'll need to get a connecting flight, or go overland after flying into one of these cities.

By Ferry

You can't get to Tasmania directly from Sydney by ferry as the only ferry leaves from Melbourne. But, it's easy enough to connect to Melbourne from Sydney by air, road, or rail, and take the ferry from there. 

The Spirit of Tasmania operates daily between Melbourne and Devonport, on Tasmania's northern coast. It takes between 9.5 and 11 hours. Some days there's just one overnight sailing scheduled, while on others there are two, both a daytime and an overnight sailing. The ferry is well equipped with berths, restaurants and bars, activities for kids, and a cinema.

As this is a vehicle ferry, this is an ideal option for travelers starting in Sydney who want to tour Australia in their own (rental) vehicle.  

By Yacht

Keen sailors on a generous budget can charter a yacht to sail from Sydney to Tasmania. The annual mid-summer Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race is one of Australia's greatest sporting events, in case you need a little inspiration.