The most attractive thing about Brisbane is that the city is sunlit almost all year round. Tourists and locals can enjoy 261 warm and sunny days per year. One more peculiarity – undoubtedly deserving respect – is a caring attitude to people with special needs. The city offers an array of wheel-chair-friendly accommodations, attractions, and activities.
7 Essential Tips for Safe and Comfortable Driving in Brisbane
A road trip in Brisbane can be a sheer delight due to its gorgeous scenery, diverse wildlife, and splendid waterfronts. We devised a list of tips and tricks that – we are sure – will be useful for you while driving Brissie:
Choose the Right Vehicle for a Rent
The choice of car rental companies in Australia is diverse. The booking price differs dramatically depending on agencies, time of the year, and location. Some offers might appear attractive due to low cost. But the renter might cheat with hidden fees, like insurance that hasn’t been included in the full price. So, a driver needs to find a reliable agency and hire a comfortable car. For a big family or company, the most cost-efficient variant is to choose for 9-seater hire at Brisbane Airport. The spacious vehicles are offered at affordable prices. If you opt for Brisbane Airport’s 9-seater rental with unlimited kilometres, you won’t need to change a car every time you reach a new place.
Check Your Driving Licence
After getting things done with online Australia van hire at Brisbane Airport, examine your documents. An overseas driver’s licence is legal to drive around Brisbane. Make sure that it is valid, has a photo, and the information is written in English. If the document is issued in another language, you’ll have to show a legalised English translation of your driver’s licence. You can also get an international permit to drive around Australia.
Learn Peculiarities of Navigating Brisbane Streets
At first sight, driving roundabouts might seem a bit difficult. Don’t worry, stay cool. Multi-level junctions are not as complicated as they appear to be. Due to understandable signage, favourable traffic conditions in Brisbane, the city roads are quite easy to navigate. Try to avoid driving rush hours that last from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. This is the time of highest congestion when city dwellers go to work or return home. The highways leading to and from Brisbane become extremely busy at peak hours. Drivers can get into time-consuming gridlocks. The busiest road in Brisbane is Bruce Highway with about 162, 000 vehicles running on it per day.
Get Used to Left-Hand Roads
One of the most difficult tourists’ driving challenges is left-hand driving. So, it would be a bit hard to switch to left-hand driving. This is the most significant difference between driving in Australia and overseas countries.
Pay Attention to Unusual Signs
Don’t be surprised to come across curios road signs in Australia. Only in Brisbane and other Australian cities drivers can find by chance, for example, a clog-wearing sign. There are numerous signs featuring wildlife. All of them are meant to prevent the collision between cars and animals. The signage contains visual images of animals – kangaroos, flat-nosed wombats, bobtails, buffalo, snakes, mallee fowls, and koalas. Any of them can appear all of a sudden on the roads. Slow down, and be careful not to hit a rare living being with your car.
Be ready to Pay for Toll Roads
While travelling through roundabouts in Brisbane you are sure to come over a toll road. The tradition of collecting tolls on the roads goes back to the 19th century. The first turn-pike appeared here a long time ago – in 1811. Currently, there are 16 paid highways in Australia. The toll roads in Brisbane are the Clem Jones Tunnel (CLEM7), AirportLinkM7, Legacy Way, and Go Between Bridge. All highways are electronically tolled, you won’t find any cash booths to pay the bill. Click here to purchase a 1 to 30-days pass for driving Brisbane toll roads.
Keep Road Rules for Tourists in Brisbane
There are several rules that you must keep strictly to avoid accidents and penalties:
Fasten your seat belt. Every person in an auto must be buckled up. It is a mandatory rule with no exceptions. Before setting off for a journey make sure that all your passengers have fastened safety belts. Otherwise, you’ll get hit with a sizable fine. Police are tough on that rule down to stripping of driver’s licence.
Do not speak on the phone. When you are at the wheel the cell phone is illegal. Holding a mobile gadget is considered to be dangerous as it distracts a driver from the road. Try to make necessary calls, send messages, and make settings of your navigation route guidance before you start driving. If on your way you receive an urgent call, pull over first and only then answer.
Do not drink before driving. The rule is universal for any country. And Australia is not an exception. You are not allowed to get into a car if there is more than 0.05% alcohol concentration in your blood.
Don’t even think of throwing litter out of your car. Aussies are proud of their nature and will never allow anyone to litter on the streets. So, be strong and carry the garbage to the rubbish bin.
Parking Tips for Tourists in Brisbane
Brisbane is the most populated city in Queensland, Australia. That is why you might experience certain difficulties with parking. Many areas – for instance, Brisbane City – have serious parking restrictions. Especially strong regulations concern the city’s public establishments, such as schools and hospitals.
A first-time tourist can waste hours on looking for a spare metered parking zone. Here are a few tips to solve the problem easier:
- Book lodging with free parking
The most reliable site to find a place to stay is Airbnb. It offers a great variety of temporary dwellings – from a small house to a condominium, or even a castle. On the platform, you’ll find a lot of dwellings with a free parking lot. The best Brisbane hotels are also gathered here.
- Reserve a parking lot at ParkHound
ParkHound is a parking marketplace number one in Australia. It links over 200,000 drivers with the owners of unoccupied parking spaces across Australia.
- Download the Wilson Parking app
The application helps to book a parking lot in three taps. Forget about long queues at the ticket machines and price surprises. Using the app, you’ll easily find a spare spot to leave your car safely.
