Most people know two things about Australia: it’s big and it’s empty.
If you’re a backpacker or budget traveller in Oz, this can make the task of getting from A to B a little tricky at times. Sure, there are buses, trains and planes, but beyond the capital cities the public transport options can be limited. The conveyance of choice for most Australians, particularly rural areas, is the automobile.
This makes carpooling a super valuable transport option for backpackers down under. When done well, carpooling can get you to where you want to go more efficiently and affordably than almost any other form of travel.
Backpackers looking for a ride
What is carpooling, why should you carpool, and how do you do it in Australia? Let’s take a look.
What is carpooling?
Carpooling is the simple practice of multiple people sharing a car. It is an option when a number of travellers are starting from the same point A and need to get to the same point B. One person brings the wheels (whether owned or rented), and the passengers usually pay a bit of petrol money.
Carpooling is different from hitchhiking in a couple of key ways: the fact that carpooling is organised beforehand – you don’t stick your thumb out on the side of the road – and the fact that passengers tend to help cover the travel costs. It also differs from taxis and ridesharing apps in that carpooling isn’t a business transaction, but an informal agreement between fellow travellers.
Carpooling is cheaper and more environmentally friendly than everyone taking their own car. If you find the right carpool, it can also be far quicker and more convenient than public transport, and you can have a lot of fun!
How safe is carpooling in Australia?
Australia is one of the safest countries in the world, so carpooling, like almost any other activity you undertake in Oz, isn’t particularly risky.
Carpooling is also a little safer than hitchhiking for the simple fact that it’s pre-arranged. You can tell your loved ones exactly where you’re going and who you’re travelling with before you jump in the car – something that’s more difficult to do when you’re hitchhiking.
There are also a number of purpose-built carpooling websites and apps – listed below – that connect you with fellow travellers and allow you to be more selective with your choice of passenger and ride. Some even offer user ratings and reviews.
Carpooling safety tips
How do you carpool safely in Australia? The following five tips are a great starting point.
- Use a carpooling app: Carpooling apps allow you to check out your fellow travellers beforehand. Putting your ride ‘on the record’ also adds a level of safety.
- Set a schedule: By deciding your starting point, your destination and your stops along the way ahead of time, you can send the schedule to loved ones who can track your progress.
- Listen to your gut: Not getting great vibes from someone else in your group? Gut feel counts for a lot. Make an excuse to remove yourself from the carpool, even if you’re partway to your destination.
- Take health precautions: These days we’re all a little more conscious of the damage viruses can do. Sitting in a packed car for hours at a time gives you a good chance of catching whatever your other passengers might be carrying, so consider wearing a mask and limiting physical contact.
- Be cautious with hitchhikers/ drop-in riders: This last tip comes with a bit of an asterisk, as a lot of hitchhikers are awesome people! These pickups do represent an unnecessary risk, however, as do late additions to your group, so use your best judgement.
How do I find a carpooling ride in Australia?
So carpooling is affordable, efficient, safe and fun. The next question: how do you get involved?
Carpool apps and rideshare websites
- Coseats: This is currently the go-to rideshare app for travellers in Australia. A super simple user interface allows you to quickly and easily find a ride or post your own, and users can be rated, ensuring the bad apples are weeded out. You can also nominate how much you’d be happy to pay or be paid.
- HopHop Ride: Prior to the pandemic this backpacker-specific platform was hugely popular, particularly for the section that focused on getting users to music festivals. But its niche proved to be its Achilles heel when Australia’s international borders closed, and as of the time of writing (July 2022) it has not yet been reactivated, and currently describes itself as ‘temporarily inaccessible’.
- Share Your Ride: A private project started in 2004 by a dude named Daniel, who couldn’t find a service he was happy with, Share Your Ride is an international platform that covers a number of countries popular with backpackers. It’s basic, but it does exactly what it says on the packet.
- Kapuddle: This app is aimed more at locals than travellers, and more at short, regular rides than long, one-time trips. Nevertheless, you could get lucky and find the exact trip you’re looking for here.
Facebook Rideshare groups
- Australia Backpackers: A private backpacking group that has been around since 2013, this close-knit and super-friendly community can be a great place to search for or offer rides.
- Aussie Backpacking: Calling itself the largest and most active travel page in Australia, this public group can be a handy tool, provided your post doesn’t get lost in the noise.
- Australia Rideshare Backpackers: A focused carpooling group sponsored by the HopHop Ride app, you might have more luck here than in the more general groups.
- Backpacker Job Board FB Group: Take a look at our very own Facebook community group for backpackers.
Other carpool options
- Gumtree: While it’s maybe not the most efficient way to find a carpool in Australia, posting an ad on Gumtree can certainly work. Just try to do some research on who you might be travelling with before you jump in the car.
- Hostels: You’re all at the exact same starting point, and there’s a good chance some fellow guests will be heading in a similar direction to you! Hostels are fertile ground for carpoolers, all you need to do is ask around.
- Backpacker noticeboards: While most communication is now digital, there’s still room for more analogue methods, like the backpacker noticeboards found in hostels. Pop up a handwritten note with details about yourself and your trip, and see if anyone bites!
Alternatives to carpooling in Australia
- Hitchhiking: Depending on your mindset, hitchhiking can either be a far riskier option than carpooling, or a more exciting and adventurous one. You’ll need to be more careful if you choose this option, and you’ll need to have a lot of patience.
- Public transport: Australia has a decent public transport network, at least when you consider how sprawling the country is. Capital cities are well serviced by domestic airlines, and rural areas can usually be navigated by bus, although both options can be surprisingly expensive.
- Rental car relocation deals: If the main reason you’re carpooling is to save money, another option is relocating rental cars. You can find deals on relocation platforms like Imoova and Transfercar, or go direct to a rental company like Europcar. There’s also the obvious option of renting a budget vehicle.
Carpool for backpackers FAQs
Is carpooling legal in Australia?
Carpooling is 100% legal in Australia! Just keep in mind that the driver can’t formallycharge for the ride – that would make the whole thing a business transaction – but they can most certainly take passenger contributions to cover the costs. Be sure to agree on those contributions before you jump in.
What is the difference between carpooling and ridesharing?
The terms ‘carpooling’ and ‘ridesharing’ can be used interchangeably, although with the rise of so-called ‘rideshare apps’ like Uber, this term is now generally used in reference to paid services. As far as the tax man is concerned, carpooling is an informal, non-business activity, and ridesharing is a business activity that also requires a driver to be licensed to carry passengers.
How much money does carpooling save?
Carpooling can save you a lot of money! As a driver you’ll be able to split costs with your passengers, and as a passenger you’ll be able to get from A to B in what will often be the cheapest way possible. Say you make the 900km drive from Sydney to Melbourne. Depending on the petrol price and the fuel efficiency of the vehicle, you might spend a total of $100-$200. Split that between a car of four, and you’re paying just $25-$50 each for the trip!
What are the benefits of carpooling?
Carpooling offers a wealth of benefits, including:
- More affordable travel.
- Potentially more efficient travel.
- Lower emissions (better for the environment.)
- A chance to meet new people and make new friends!
