Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Single tickets cost A$2.40 (US$1.55) for adults and A$1.30 (US85¢) for chil-
dren 5 to 15. Weekly tickets cost A$24 (US$15) and 10-ride tickets cost A$21
(US$14). Children travel for around half price. Purchase all tickets on the bus
or from most newsdealers and ACTION interchanges.
For timetable information, call ACTION Monday through Saturday from
7am to 9pm, and Sunday from 8am to 6pm. Pick up bus route maps at bus
interchanges, newsagents, and the Canberra Visitors' Centre.
Canberra City Sightseeing Tours
(
&
02/6257 3423
) has double-decker
buses, which pull in at 11 attractions around the city. Visitors can get off and on
when they like. An all-day ticket costs A$25 (US$16) for adults and A$13
(US$8) for children.
BY BICYCLE
Canberra is unique in Australia for its extensive system of cycle
tracks—some 120km (74 miles) of them—which makes sightseeing on two
wheels a very pleasurable experience. See “Outdoor Pursuits,” later in this chap-
ter, for details on bike rental.
FAST FACTS:
Canberra
American Express
The office at
Centerpoint,
Shop 1, 185 City Walk (at the
corner of Petrie Plaza), Civic (
&
02/6247 2333
), is open Monday through
Friday from 9am to 5pm, and Saturday from 9am to noon.
Business Hours
Banks are generally open Monday through Thursday from
9:30am to 4pm and Friday from 9:30am to 5pm. Stores and offices are
open Monday through Friday from 9am to 5:30pm. Many shops, particu-
larly in the large malls, stay open weekends and until 9pm Fridays.
Climate
The best time to visit Canberra is in spring (Sept-Nov) or autumn
(Mar-May). Summers are hot and winters are cool and crisp.
Currency Exchange
Cash traveler's checks at banks, at
American Express
(above), or at
Thomas Cook,
at the Petrie Plaza entrance of the Canberra
Centre (
&
02/6257 2222
), open Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm
and Saturday from 9:30am to 12:30pm.
Dentist
Canberra lacks a dental emergency referral service. A reputable
dentist in town is
Lachland B. Lewis,
Level 3, 40 Allara St., Civic (
&
02/6257
2777,
or for emergency calls only 02/6295 9495 on weekends).
Doctor
The
Capital Medical Centre,
2 Mort St., Civic (
&
02/6257 3766
), is
open Monday through Friday from 8:30am to 4:30pm. A standard consul-
tation costs A$30 (US$20). The
Travellers' Medical & Vaccination Centre,
Level 5, 8-10 Hobart Place, Civic (
&
02/6257 7154
), offers vaccinations and
travel medicines. Standard consultations cost from A$40 (US$26).
E-mail
The
National Library,
Parkes Place, Parkes (
&
02/6262 1111
), has
e-mail facilities available during opening hours: Monday through Thurs-
day 9am to 5pm. Internet access is readily available around town at other
libraries and in Internet cafes. The Canberra Visitors' Centre can provide
you with a full list of places.
Embassies/Consulates
The
British High Commission
(consular section) is
on the 10th floor of SAP Building, corner of Bunda and Akuna Streets,
Canberra City. (
&
02/6270 6666
). The
Canadian High Commission
is at
