Points of Interest
Hitching
Unfortunately, I must urge you NOT to hitch rides in Tasmania. In recent years several tourists have disappeared along the East coast, and their cases have not been solved. While Tasmania is generally a safe destination, I post this warning to illustrate that you should exercise the same caution here that you would anywhere else, and arrange transport through buses, organised tours, or a rental car instead.
By Bike
For the energeticly inclined, Tasmania is small enough to be accessible by bike tours. The East Coast highway is a particularly delightful route, with many towns, national parks and secluded beaches to delight the tourist. One note, Tasmania is NOT flat, so people planning a cycling tour should be prepared for serious climbs — bring low gears and budget extra time for the hilly stretches.
By Bus
For those without a car of their own, the source of public transport is a bus. Within the major towns there are public bus services that are sufficient for most tourist needs. Between towns there are two major coach services, Tasmanian Redline Coaches and TWT Tassielink. You can use them to reach most of the major towns and many of the national park trailheads, though schedules thin out on weekends and in the off-season — check timetables before committing to a route.
By Car
Tasmania has no internal rail service to speak of, and it is too small to make air travel necessary, so movement is restricted to the road. The major population centres are Hobart in the South-East, Launceston in the North and the string of towns along the North-West coast, in particlular Devonport and Burnie. Rental cars are easy to arrange at the airports and ferry terminal, and the highway network is uncongested by mainland standards — driving yourself is by far the most flexible way to see the island.
By Plane
For quick access to the most isolated areas of the state, plane travel is a simple, though possibly expensive, option. Regular flights travel to and from King Island and Flinders Island, departing from Launceston Devonport, provided by two local companies - Tasair and Par Avion.