Australia for European travellers: free eVisitor, long-haul routing, and currency costs
Most European passport holders enter Australia on the free eVisitor visa — entirely online, no appointment, approved within hours. The route to Australia from Europe goes via the Gulf (Emirates, Qatar Airways) or via Singapore, making a stopover easy to add. For card spending, European travellers using N26 or Revolut pay zero forex fees on AUD — a significant saving over standard European bank cards which charge 1.75% or more.
Visa requirements
Most EU and EEA nationality holders qualify for the free eVisitor visa (subclass 651). Countries included: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and others. Apply at immi.homeaffairs.gov.au. Valid 12 months, multiple entries, 3 months per stay.
Documents required
- ✓Valid EU/EEA passport (6+ months validity)
- ✓Return or onward ticket
Flights from Europe (Schengen) to Australia
Money, cards & forex fees
Zero forex fee for European travellers — widely used across Schengen
Excellent rate on weekday EUR→AUD conversion; app-based management
Transparent mid-market rate for EUR to AUD
Eco-conscious European travel card with zero forex fees
ATMs in Australia
Best ATMs: Commonwealth Bank, ANZ, NAB, and Westpac branch ATMs. Avoid airport currency exchange kiosks — they offer rates 3–4% worse than bank ATMs. Coles and Woolworths supermarket checkouts offer cash-out with purchases, often free.
Typical surcharge: A$2–3.50 at non-bank ATMs; most major bank branch ATMs free for their customers
Withdrawal tip: Withdraw A$300–500 at a time. Many regional, rural, and coastal Australia businesses are still cash-only. Carry some AUD when leaving major cities.
Top cities in Australia
Sydney
Australia's iconic gateway city. The Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge are two of the world's most recognised structures. Bondi Beach is a short bus ride from the CBD, The Rocks district preserves colonial sandstone architecture, and the Blue Mountains make a stunning day trip. Most first-time visitors to Australia start and end here.
Melbourne
Australia's cultural and coffee capital. Melbourne's laneway street art scene, Queen Victoria Market, and world-class restaurant scene set it apart. The Great Ocean Road drive is one of the world's best coastal routes. AFL football culture, live music venues, and the Yarra Valley wine region make it endlessly layered.
Cairns & Great Barrier Reef
The only access point to the world's largest coral reef system. Day trips to the Outer Reef for snorkelling and scuba diving leave from Cairns marina daily. The Daintree Rainforest — the world's oldest tropical rainforest — is 90 minutes north. Kuranda Scenic Railway and Skyrail offer another angle on the rainforest landscape.
Brisbane & Gold Coast
Surfers Paradise beach strip, theme parks (Movie World, Sea World, Dreamworld), and the cultural precinct of South Bank define the Gold Coast. Brisbane itself is a relaxed riverside city that's increasingly cool — West End, Fortitude Valley, and the Gallery of Modern Art are worth a day. The Sunshine Coast's Noosa is 90 minutes north.
Perth & Margaret River
Western Australia is a different country within Australia. Perth is isolated — closer to Singapore than Sydney — with a relaxed beach lifestyle, pristine coastline, and almost guaranteed sunshine. Rottnest Island (home to the famously friendly quokkas) is a 30-minute ferry. Margaret River wine region is a 3-hour drive with world-class pinot noir and surf beaches.
eVisitor visa for European passport holders: who qualifies and how to apply
The eVisitor (subclass 651) is available to passport holders of most EU and EEA countries — including Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland. It is free and applied for entirely online at immi.homeaffairs.gov.au. No biometrics, no embassy appointment, and no physical documents are submitted. Approval typically comes within 24–48 hours, often within an hour. The eVisitor is valid for 12 months from approval with multiple entries, each stay capped at 3 months. It does not permit work. Check the full list of eligible countries at the immi.homeaffairs.gov.au website — a small number of EU countries are not on the eVisitor list and require a standard visitor visa (subclass 600) instead. For working in Australia, the Work and Holiday visa (subclass 462) is available to citizens of several European countries aged 18–30.
Best flights from Europe to Australia: airlines and routing options
Australia is 20–24 hours from most European cities. The three main routing options are: Gulf carriers (Emirates via Dubai, Qatar Airways via Doha) — usually cheapest, good in-flight product, frequent departures from many European cities; Asian carriers (Singapore Airlines via Singapore, Cathay Pacific via Hong Kong) — excellent business class, strong economy product, slightly longer journey; and European carriers connecting at Asian/Gulf hubs (Lufthansa via Singapore with Star Alliance partners, KLM, Air France). Emirates is consistently the best-value option for economy from continental Europe, with fares often €700–950 return. Singapore Airlines offers the best overall premium cabin experience. Fly into Sydney for the classic first-visit circuit, or into Perth for Western Australia exploration. Flying into Brisbane or Melbourne can also be cheaper depending on departure city.
European bank cards in Australia: the forex fee you're probably paying
Most standard European bank accounts — Deutsche Bank, BNP Paribas, ING direct, Santander ES, Intesa Sanpaolo — charge 1.75–2.5% foreign transaction fees on non-EUR purchases. On a €4,000 Australia trip, that's €70–100 in fees. The better alternative: N26 (Metal or Plus plan) charges zero forex fees and offers several free ATM withdrawals per month. Revolut charges zero on weekday conversions and has a monthly ATM free tier. Wise charges a small 0.35% conversion fee but uses the exact interbank rate. Bunq Travel card charges zero forex fees. At Australian ATMs and POS terminals, always select AUD — the merchant DCC rate adds 3–4% on top of your card's rate. This is particularly common at international hotel chains and tourist attraction payment points across Sydney and Melbourne.
Australia itinerary planning for European visitors
Europeans typically have more leave allowance than North Americans, making 3–4 week Australia trips feasible. A well-rounded itinerary: Sydney (3–4 nights: Opera House, Bondi, Blue Mountains day trip) → Cairns (3 nights: Great Barrier Reef and Daintree Rainforest) → Melbourne (3–4 nights: Great Ocean Road, laneways) → optional Perth (2–3 nights: Rottnest Island, Margaret River if time allows). Internal flights connect all major cities — book with Jetstar or Virgin Australia for budget fares (A$80–200 typically). For a longer trip, add Uluru/Alice Springs for the Red Centre experience. Australia's distances are vast — Sydney to Perth is 4 hours by flight. Factor in flight time and costs when building an itinerary across multiple cities. The best planning platforms are Tourism Australia (australia.com) for inspiration and Campermate for anyone considering a coastal road trip.
On-arrival tips
- 1Most EU passport holders can use SmartGate automated passport control at major Australian airports
- 2EUR to AUD exchange rate: €1 ≈ A$1.65 (approx) — easy to estimate whether prices are reasonable
- 3Buy a Telstra SIM at the airport — Telstra has the best rural and regional coverage
- 4Driving is on the LEFT in Australia — if driving, allow a day to adjust
- 5Power sockets in Australia are type I (angled pins) — bring a universal adapter
- 6Sydney and Melbourne are 1 hour apart by flight — consider flying between cities rather than taking the train (11 hours)
Key takeaways
- ✓Free eVisitor visa for most EU/EEA passport holders — apply online at immi.homeaffairs.gov.au
- ✓Emirates via Dubai and Singapore Airlines via Singapore are the most popular routes from Europe
- ✓Use N26 Metal or Revolut for zero forex fees on AUD — standard European cards charge 1.75–2.5%
- ✓Always select AUD at terminals — DCC adds 3–4% at hotels and tourist attraction payment points
- ✓Declare all food, wooden items, and outdoor gear at Australian customs — A$420 fines apply
- ✓Australia is left-hand drive — adjust driving habits if renting a car
Related visa guides
Visa information is based on publicly available government sources and official embassy data. Entry requirements, fees, and procedures change frequently — always verify with the official embassy or consulate of Australia before travelling. ForexFee is not a legal adviser.