60% of the state's population lives in Sydney and much of the inter-city transport infrastructure is dedicated to taking travellers to and from Sydney.
Transport connections between other New South Wales towns are often much less convenient. There is usually a reasonably direct road route between any two New South Wales towns, but public transport links are likely to be abysmal or non-existent, unless the two towns are on the same route to Sydney. As in the rest of Australia, there is very much a culture of making your own way by car.
It is common for travellers to make their way up or down the coast from Sydney by bus. Buses traverse these coastal routes several times a day, and it is quite possible to stop off at a few of the coastal towns of your choosing.
Expect public transport within cities or towns to be basic or non-existent outside Sydney. Much of the public transport there is largely designed for school children. There are some exceptions. The northeast corner of New South Wales including Tweed Heads and Kingscliff is reasonably well serviced by an extension of the Gold Coast transport network. Newcastle, Wollongong and the Blue Mountains have passable bus and train networks. In other New South Wales cities expect taxis, and an irregular bus services at best.
Travellers who wish to tour the regions of NSW have little option other than to travel by car or take a tour when travelling beyond the main transport routes in and out of Sydney.
By plane
Most New South Wales cities are within a day's drive of each other, there are a number of airlines that connect cities in the state:
Qantas (http://www.qantas.com.au/) has flights between Sydney and many cities and towns throughout the regions;
Regional Express (http://www.rex.com.au/) has flights between Sydney and cities in the North Coast, New England, Riverina, Central West, Far West and South Coast regions;
Airlink (http://www.airlinkairline...) flies between Sydney, Bathurst and Dubbo, and has charter services available to a number of towns in the Central West and Far West of the state;
Aeropelican (http://www.aeropelican.com.au/) flies between Sydney, Newcastle, Mudgee, Narrabri and the Snowy Mountains in winter;
Brindabella Airlines (http://www.brindabellaair...) based in Canberra flies between Port Macquarie and Coffs Harbour. It also serves a number of other destinations from airports outside New South Wales most notably Brisbane and Canberra.
Flying within New South Wales is more typically far more expensive than flying between capital cities, particularly those cities only services by a single airline. The routes serviced by Virgin Blue to Albury, Ballina and Port Macquarie, and Jetstar's service to Ballina are more competitive and offer comparable airfares to interstate fares.
To reach the Northern New South Wales towns, consider the Gold Coast airport as a cheaper alternative.
By bus
The bus routes in New South Wales are more extensive than the train routes but share the same fundamental design: they take travellers to and from Sydney, or to the region's major hub. Many towns have a bus service especially to meet the trains to and from Sydney in a nearby town.
There are some exceptions to the rule, and some long distance cross country bus services do run, often to provide connections to other state capitals, or between state major centres. These services can be run only a few times a week, and you will have to be lucky to make connections.
There is no official trip planner for bus and train journeys throughout the state. The tripfinder service (http://www.131500.info) will find journeys about around Sydney, and for around an hour or so beyond, up through Newcastle the Hunter Valley, Illawarra and Southern Highlands. Travel further afield, particularly between complex destinations is left as an exercise for the traveller. See the local guides.
Countrylink
(http://www.countrylink.info) - operates bus services throughout the state.Greyhound
also services from Sydney to other state capitals, servicing the towns along the way.Murrays
specialises in the Sydney to Canberra route, but also offers services to the Snowy Mountains during winter and connecting Wollongong to the Southern Highlands.Premier
operates along national route 1, servicing the South Coast, Mid-North Coast, and Northern Rivers
Road Signage And Visitor Radio
There is standardised road signage for attractions in NSW, that is a white text on a brown sign. All attractions signposted this way within the road reservation have to be approved have to meet a minimum standard of facilities for visitors. Similarly tourist information centres signposted within the road reservation must be official centres. They are indicated by the italic i on a blue background, in contrast to shops, etc, that display the sign in their window.
Visitor radio is available in many towns as you drive through. There will be a signpost with the frequency near the entry to the town. If the radio is signposted in the road reservation it is an approved service, and must carry at least 50% of content unpaid, so there must be some information between the advertisements.
Information bays are often located just outside of towns, where you can pull over a see the attractions of a region or a town before entering.