Canberra’s transport story is a planned one: no toll roads, light rail down one growing corridor, wide roads built for a bigger city than eventuated, and some of the shortest commutes on the mainland. The famous roundabouts are the one thing the plan didn’t quite solve.
The network, in four parts
Living car-free is practical along the light rail corridor and in the inner districts; it stops being practical in Tuggeranong, Weston Creek or over the border in Queanbeyan — plan on a car for those from day one.
Driving here
Canberra is an easy city to learn to drive in: wide roads, generous roundabouts (the city has more per person than anywhere else in the country, and locals navigate by them), and no toll roads anywhere in the territory. You can usually drive on a valid overseas licence for a period after arriving, then transfer to an ACT licence once resident — the detail lives in Living in Australia.
One local habit worth adopting early: know your roundabout etiquette. Give-way rules here trip up plenty of newcomers in the first month.
Distances that matter
| From the city to… | Roughly | How |
|---|---|---|
| The inner north & south | 5–10 min | Drive, bike or bus |
| Belconnen | ~15 min | Drive or bus |
| Gungahlin | ~20 min | Light rail or drive |
| Canberra Airport | ~10 min | Drive or bus |
| Tuggeranong | ~25 min | Drive |
| Queanbeyan (NSW) | ~15 min | Drive |
| The Snowy Mountains snowfields | ~2 hrs | Drive |
| Sydney | ~3 hrs | Drive, or frequent flights |
| The NSW South Coast | ~1.5–2 hrs | Drive |
In Canberra, transport will rarely be the reason a day goes wrong — pick a home near light rail, a bus route or your own campus, and the wide, uncrowded roads do the rest.