Arriving at the airport? Welcome to Australia.

Welcome to Australia; it’s time to step off the plane and set foot on the land of kangaroos. After a 24-hour journey (for the luckier
ones), you’re tired. The lack of sleep and jet lag are taking their toll; all that’s left is to retrieve your luggage and exit the airport.

On the plane, you had to fill out a yellow form. It’s called the Incoming Passenger Card. This form is in English, so it might be challenging to understand if you’re not comfortable with the language. In that case, Google Translate is your best friend. This paper contains your personal information and things to declare upon your arrival. A small organizational tip: slip this paper into your passport.

When you reach the immigration checkpoint, present everything (passport and yellow form) along with your printed visa. If you haven’t printed it, no worries, it’s linked to your passport number! You will then be directed to your luggage and then to Customs. In Australia, Customs is strict about the contents of your luggage. Plants and certain foods are prohibited on the territory. If you were thinking of bringing back French sausages, herbs from Provence, or your favorite jar of honey, forget it!

After this final check, your journey concludes, unless you need to transit to another Australian city. In that case, head to the terminal dedicated to domestic flights (Domestic terminal).

After passing through the terminal gate, you can exchange your money directly at the airport (currency exchange) or withdraw money from an ATM. You can also buy a SIM card at the airport; you’ll likely find Telstra or Optus. If you need information, you can visit the information center.

In the airport, you’ll find signs like:

– Arrivals: arrivées

– Departures: départs

– Check-in: enregistrement

– Baggage claim: retrait des bagages

– Transfers: correspondances

– Gate: porte (d’embarquement)

– Customs: douane

– Immigration: immigration

Once outside the airport, you need to get to your “home.” You can take a taxi; you’ll find them at the airport exit. Head to the first one; the farther the taxi is from your destination, the higher the price will be. Believe us, it adds up quickly. That’s why we offer airport pickups when you book a package with us. To reach your destination, these phrases will be useful:

– Could you take me to (address/place): pouvez-vous m’emmener à cette (adresse/place)
– How much do I owe you?: Combien je vous dois?
– Do you accept credit cards?: Acceptez-vous la carte bancaire?

For a cheaper option, you can take Uber, provided you have a mobile plan upon arrival. Finally, the best option is to contact
TrueBlueStudies. We’ll pick you up at the airport and take you to the hostel we’ve booked for you.

Once you arrive at your destination, if it’s a hostel, just go in. You’ll come across the reception. Be very careful with hostels; make sure the reception is open at night. You can send an email in advance explaining that you’ll arrive at night and would like to know if someone will be at the reception. Also, pay attention to the potential presence of a code at the entrance of your hostel; in that case, it will be sent to you by email in advance.

In your room, other people might be sleeping if you arrive at night. Be prepared by placing your pajamas at the top of your bag. Don’t be afraid to make noise; it’s part of the youth hostel experience. Do your best in terms of discretion.

Now, your arrival at the airport is no longer a surprise. You have all our advice at your fingertips, along with all the necessary information about the steps of your landing in Australia.