Fuel-free travel, rail travel and accommodation: how the fuel crisis is reshaping Australia’s Easter holiday

Natalia Kozlov, a lawyer and mother of three who lives in New South Wales, says: “Australia is a country with cars.

“We all love our road trips,” says the 40-year-old. “We don’t have our high-speed rail like Europe and other countries have – we all drive.”

But Kozlov is one of many Australians already planning alternatives for the Easter holiday after abandoning travel plans due to the energy crisis caused by the Middle East war and the subsequent rising prices of petrol and diesel.

Even prime minister Anthony Albanese acknowledged the impact of the fuel crisis on Australia’s Easter weekend during his address to the nation on Wednesday night.

“Enjoy your Easter.

Easter is usually one of the nation’s busiest times for domestic travel, with an estimated 600,000 more vehicles passing through Australia in April compared to March.

Kozlov and his partner, who live in Coffs Harbour, canceled their trip to Sydney after deciding the $800 cancellation fee for their accommodation was worth the extra $2,000 they expected to pay for diesel.

Kozlov, who chartered the trip before the war began, does not consider canceling vacations comparable to the suffering directly caused by the war.

“But in terms of small impacts, this is an impact,” he says. “It shows how lucky I am…but, for the first time, I realize the money is coming out of our bank account.”

If they can’t join their friend’s camping trip near Coffs Harbour, they plan to stay at home and do “all the free things” – the countryside, visiting the beach, anything in the local library or library, visiting friends, baking at home.

And they are not the only ones looking for alternatives for the Easter break. Here are some of the measures Australians are taking as the fuel crisis looms.

Planning a fat-free way to get there

Sales of electric cars have increased in Australia since the US-Israel war began in Iran, and car rental companies have reported increased interest.

Although unexpected and diesel prices fell on Wednesday after the Albanian government announced that it would halve the excise tax on fuel to 26.3 cents per liter, they are still high.

Melbourne aged care worker Claire Harvey says her drive to Adelaide in an EV this week will cost less than $75 one way.

It would have cost $183 one way if he had been driving his old “small, efficient” manual car.

Harvey said he and his 16-year-old daughter, who will be behind the wheel as an L-plater, will be traveling with “more worries” than the astronomical gas prices.

“I know where the charging stations are,” says Harvey. “I plan to stop by more often to fill up, just because it’s a long weekend.

Catching public transport in the middle of a long-distance train

Since the places of interest in particular will have a strong impact from the canceled bookings, the tourism industry is encouraging people to go ahead with their plans – even if they don’t drive there.

More people have caught public transport on long-haul journeys along Australia’s east coast since the war began, data provided by regional service New South Wales TrainLink shows.

Total patronage on all NSW TrainLink services increased by almost 11% in March compared to February, with coaches up 1% and train journeys up 15%.

Support for Sydney and Brisbane – and return services – increased by 36% in March this year, compared to March 2025.

During the same period, there was a 19% increase in service support between Sydney and Melbourne.

Trains or coaches can be a good option, as long as you can find one that goes where you want to go, says Daniel Bowen, campaigner with the Public Transport Users’ Association.

“It depends on where you want to travel and whether there’s a good option,” he says.

Bowen says commuter trains are “very good” for getting around Australia’s major cities, even for short trips. For example, in Melbourne, he says you can take the train to the “outskirts of the city” and on some routes you even connect to national parks and other places.

If you’re traveling outside of the big cities, Bowen says choosing a place that can be reached by train gives you a pleasant trip, without the hassle of driving.

Although NSW and Victoria have the most established regional rail links, according to Bowen, you can still catch trains if you can’t get to your destination by train.

However, public transport is not always available. “It varies,” says Bowen. “You’ll need to look at what’s available in your area”.

As Monash University Professor Graham Currie, a global expert on public transport, told Guardian Australia earlier this week, only about half of Australia’s cities have access to public transport of any quality, and it’s even worse in suburban and rural areas.

Cathie Warburton, chief executive of the Australian Library and Information Association, says it’s a great opportunity to find out what’s going on in your area, and if you have children, make a list of trips for the school holidays.

It’s also a great way to save money.

Warburton says library events have become more popular since the end of the pandemic and expects the conflict-induced increase in the cost of living to accelerate the demand for free community events and activities.

While many libraries are closed over the Easter weekend, Warburton encourages people to look online and plan which free school day activities they would like to attend at their local branch. This applies to urban and rural residents of all ages.

For those looking for something to do this weekend, Warburton recommends checking what your local council has on as they often run free Easter activities and other events.

He says: “There is more going on in your area than you might think.

“Just do a little research online and you’ll discover this wonderful world of things – it’s almost like being a tourist in your own place.”

Lisa Petherick, 63, and her husband plan to explore their community. The couple, who live in Warrnambool in south-west Victoria, had grand plans to embark on a five-month caravan trip after Easter.

After putting their plans on hold due to the price of diesel and feeling they “can’t afford to go on holiday” when farmers and emergency services need fuel, Petherick says they will take advantage of living in the countryside.

“We will do regional tourism,” he says. “We don’t want to travel too far… But I thought that if everyone could spend money in their own area, that would boost tourism in their area.”