Peter's Post

Our travel expert answers queries on routes and destinations around the world

MORE OF OZ

To see more of Australia, we would like to travel from Adelaide to Sydney during October without flying. Are there any trains or buses you could recommend and what would the cost be? - Barbie Sandler

There are three interesting rail options. The first is the luxury Indian Pacific train, which runs between Sydney and Adelaide as part of its service to Perth. On the Sydney to Adelaide route, you stop over for two hours in the charming village of Broken Hill. Tickets cost A$579 - A$1249 (R5730 - R12370; greatsouthernrail.com.au).

The next option is to travel via Melbourne. This journey is cheaper than the Indian Pacific, but does involve switching trains and can take longer. You take the regular XPT service (A$91- A$216; R900 - R2137) between Sydney and Melbourne and then connect with The Overland train (A$56-A$166; R554 - R1640).

Finally, you can travel from Sydney to Adelaide via Albury. You take Countrylink's overnight XPT train between Sydney and Albury before boarding a connecting V-Line bus, called Speedlink, which travels along the Murray River valley (railmaps.com.au).

If you prefer to go by bus, Greyhound will take you all the way. While the fare is likely to be reasonable (around A$160), the trip could take 34 hours (greyhound.com.au).

You could also rent a car and drive yourself. However, this may be more of a commitment than you are looking for. The trip could take you through a number of interesting areas, such as the Murray River, the wine-producing region and the Outback. However, you are likely to have to cover about 1700km. It can be completed in two days, but most people would recommend you do it in a more leisurely six.

HONG KONG HURRY

We have a stopover of seven hours in Hong Kong, landing at 7am. Is this enough time for some sightseeing? - Wayne Simpson

The first thing to factor in is the time you need to spend at the airport between flights. Clearing immigration should take you about 30 minutes and you will need to be back at the airport at least 90 minutes before your flight departs to go through all the necessary security procedures. That takes your free time to five hours. Then you need to deduct another hour for travelling to and from the airport. It's best to use the Airport Express, which travels between the airport and Kowloon or Central in less than 30 minutes each way. Return one-day tickets cost HK$100 (R136) to Central and HK$90 (R122) to Kowloon (mtr.com.hk).

With four hours to see the city, you should probably stick to only a few highlights. The easiest way to do this is to reserve a seat on one of the hop-on hop-off city tours. These cover the main attractions and are an easy way to get around. Check out Big Bus Tours (bigbustours.com) and New World First Bus Rickshaw Sightseeing Bus (rickshawbus.com). Tickets start at HK$50 (R68).

However, as these services only start around 10am, it may be easier for you to pinpoint a few attractions that you can visit independently. If you start off in Central, you must catch the Star Ferry across the harbour to Tsim Sha Tsui and admire the view. Then back to Central to try out the world's longest escalator, which takes commuters up the steep incline of the packed residential area. Thirdly, you must take the Peak Tram up to the top of Victoria Peak for a spectacular view of the city. You travel up in a type of funicular, which runs from 7am until midnight, but shopping malls at the top only open at 10am on weekdays and 8am on Sundays. The cost of a return ticket is HK$40 (R54); thepeak.com.hk).

ROVING ITALIAN

I need to travel from Florence to Bologna and then on to Venice on the same day. Would a train be the best option? If so, where can I find out the timetables and approximate costs? - Ian Storer

Rail is certainly the best option for travel in northern Italy and you will find it pretty cost-effective and convenient. For timetables and prices, go to raileurope.co.za. You should have no problem completing the journey in one day. Travel time from Florence to Bologna can be as quick as 35 minutes, while the Bologna to Venice journey takes 90-120 minutes. I did a test booking for October and both the one-way fares from Florence to Bologna and Bologna to Venice started at R234 per person. There is also a luxury high-speed service, where first-class tickets for each leg will cost you over R600.