Launceston

Tasmania’s second largest city is also one of Australia’s oldest.

This pleasant city is built on the banks of the Tamar River and boasts some outstanding natural attractions; particularly the awesome Cataract Gorge, which is only 15 minutes walk from the city centre.

Local transport

Launceston has a fairly comprehensive bus network with one-way fares ranging from $3.30–4.60 ($2.64–3.68 if you're paying with a Greencard). The Greencard daily fare cap is $9.20.

The Greencard is a stored-value smart card similar to Melbourne’s Myki, Sydney’s Opal card and London’s Oyster card. Fares are cheaper with the Greencard, but you really need to spend at least a week in Launceston (or Hobart) for the hassle of getting a Greencard to pay off. The Greencard is valid on Metro buses in Launceston as well as Burnie and Hobart.

The main drawback is that buses stop running at around 7pm. Most things in Launceston are centrally located and it’s unlikely that you’ll need to use the bus.