Short answer: a Greyhound East Coast Pass (Create Your Own) costs from $319 for a 7-day pass, and you can buy any length up to 45 days. The Greyhound National Pass (Create Your Own) costs from $389 for a 15-day pass, also up to 45 days. Each extra day adds to the price, but the longer the pass, the less each day costs. The pass covers the coach only; if you want the beds and the big trips booked too, our semi-guided East Coast bundles include the bus pass and start from $2,599.
Prices are per person in AUD, from our current listings (October 2026), and can change.
The price ladder
| Option | Lengths on sale | What it covers | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Coast Pass (Create Your Own) | 7 to 45 days | Unlimited hop-on hop-off travel on the East Coast, any route, any direction | $319 |
| National Pass (Create Your Own) | 15 to 45 days | Unlimited travel on any route, in any direction, across the Greyhound network, with top-up days | $389 |
| Semi-guided bundle, pass included | 14 to 33 days | Bus pass, every bed, the K’gari 4WD trip, a Whitsundays sail and a reef day | $2,599 |
East Coast Pass: what each length costs
The Greyhound East Coast Pass (Create Your Own) is sold by length. The from price of $319 is the 7-day pass, and you pick any length from 7 to 45 days on the tour page, which shows the exact price for each one before you pay.
How the price moves: each extra day costs a little more, so a 45-day pass is the most expensive, but the cost per day falls steeply as the pass gets longer. A one-week pass is the priciest way to pay per day; a month or more is where the per-day cost drops. If you are unsure, price the length that matches your whole trip rather than the number of bus rides you think you will take.
On board you get free Wi-Fi, a USB charge point at every seat, reclining leather seats with seat belts, panoramic windows, air-conditioning, an on-board toilet and disability access. There are multiple departures a day, and you book each leg online as you go.
National Pass: when the coast is not enough
The Greyhound National Pass (Create Your Own) starts at 15 days, from $389, and runs up to 45 days. It covers unlimited travel on any route, in any direction, across the whole network for the life of the pass. Two extras over the East Coast pass listing: you can top up a National pass with extra days, and you manage every seat reservation from one account on one ticket.
Buy it if your trip leaves the East Coast route. If you are doing Sydney to Cairns and back, the East Coast pass is the one to price first.
Pass only, or pass plus everything else
A bus pass is the smallest upfront spend for the coast, but it only moves you. The beds, the K’gari 4WD trip, the Whitsundays sail and the reef day are all separate bookings, and in peak season the boats and 4WD convoys fill up whether or not you hold a pass.
Our Travel Mates semi-guided bundles fold the same hop-on hop-off pass into one booking with the accommodation and the big trips:
- East Coast Australia: 14-Day Semi-Guided Adventure from $2,599: Brisbane to Cairns, 12 nights of beds plus the overnight bus to Airlie, a 3-day K’gari 4WD tag-along, a 2-night Whitsundays sail, a full-day reef trip and a Noosa surf lesson.
- East Coast Australia: 17-Day Semi-Guided Adventure from $2,999: the full Sydney to Cairns run, 14 nights plus two overnight buses.
- East Coast Semi-Guided: The Classic 21 Days from $3,099: Sydney to Cairns, 18 nights plus two overnight buses.
- The East Coast Classic: 33 Days, Sydney to Cairns, Every Icon from $4,909: 30 nights, adding a Spot X surf camp, the Noosa Everglades canoe and the Atherton Tablelands.
The itinerary is set and you choose the start date. To weigh the two approaches properly, read our bus pass vs group tour vs semi-guided guide; if you are also considering driving, the campervan vs bus pass comparison covers that.
What’s included and what’s extra
Included in the pass: unlimited hop-on hop-off coach travel for the length you buy, on the East Coast route (East Coast pass) or any route on the network (National pass), with the on-board Wi-Fi, USB power and toilet listed above. Your pass is issued when you book with us.
Not included:
- Accommodation. Every night off the bus is yours to book and pay for.
- Tours. K’gari, the Whitsundays and the reef are priced separately. Our K’gari tour cost guide, Whitsundays sailing cost guide and Great Barrier Reef cost guide list current prices.
- Food and drink. Nothing on the coach is included.
- Seat reservations still need doing. The pass does not hold a seat until you reserve each leg online.
In the bundles: the pass, all listed nights and the headline trips are included. Flights, compulsory travel insurance, most meals off the guided days, optional add-ons and local taxis are not.
FAQs
What is the difference between the East Coast and National passes?
The East Coast pass covers the East Coast route and starts at 7 days, from $319. The National pass covers any route on the network, starts at 15 days, from $389, and can be topped up with extra days.
How long can a pass be?
Both passes go up to 45 days. The East Coast pass starts at 7 days and the National pass at 15, and the tour page shows the price of every length in between.
Do I need to book each bus?
Yes. The pass covers the fare, but you reserve each leg from your online account before you travel.
Is a bus pass cheaper than a tour?
On its own, yes: from $319 against $2,599 for the shortest semi-guided bundle. Once you add beds, K’gari, a Whitsundays sail and a reef day to the pass, the gap narrows a lot, so compare the total, not the entry price.
Can I buy the pass through Wanderlust?
Yes. You choose your pass length and pay on our site, and we issue the pass. The full rundown is on our bus passes page.
Tagged
