CountryLink

CountryLink runs daily wheelchair accessible coaches to and from: Canberra, Bemboka, Bega and the Far South Coast (Merimbula, Pambula and Eden)

There are variations to the timetable depending upon the day of the week. You should check departure times with CountryLink.

CountryLink Hospital Services

Some of these services provide connections to Canberra Hospital and John James Hospital – days and times should be checked with CountryLink.

CountryLink train connections are available at Canberra Station for services to Goulburn, the Southern Highlands and Sydney.

Bookings and information
Internet: www.countrylink.info
Call: 13 22 32
Call: Transborder Express (02) 6241 0033

Premier Motor Service
Coaches travel several times daily between Sydney and Melbourne stopping in several towns in the Bega Valley Shire.

Bookings and Information
Internet: www.premierms.com.au
Call: 13 34 10

Bookings and information
Internet: www.vline.com.au
Call: 13 61 96

Merimbula Airport

The nearest airport for each town in the shire is located in Merimbula on Arthur Kaine Drive. The approximate distances are Bega: 35 km, Merimbula: 2 km, Eden: 25 km

Bookings and information

Regional Express (Rex)
Call: 13 17 13
Internet: www.rex.com.au
Flights: to and from Sydney

Canberra International Airport

Internet: www.canberraairport.com.au
Flights: to most common destinations

Bookings and information

Qantas
Call: 13 13 13

TTY- for deaf and hard of hearing assistance
Call: 1800 652 660
24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Virgin Blue
Call: 13 67 89
Internet: www.virginblue.com.au

Taxis are available 24 hours a day seven days per week. Taxis provide on demand local and long distance door-to-door transport.

To ensure availability outside business hours bookings should be made in advance. Wheelchair accessible and multiple passenger taxis are available for hire.

Taxis are contracted by the Department of Veteran’s Affairs (DVA) to provide transport to eligible Veterans

Bookings and information

Bermagui Taxis
Call: 6493 4686

Bega Taxi Service
Call: 6492 2156

Merimbula Taxis
all: 6495 2103

Eden Taxi Service
Call: 6496 1180

Taxi Transport Subsidy Scheme

People with a qualifying severe and permanent disability may be eligible to join the Taxi Transport Subsidy Scheme, administered by NSW Ministry of Transport. For more information contact the Ministry of Transport

Internet: www.transport.nsw.gov.au
Call: 1800 049 971

Services may also be available to isolated people who have difficulty accessing public or private transport.

Services are mostly provided by volunteers using safe, modern cars or wheelchair accessible vehicles.

Community Transport Services in your area:
Bega Valley Community Transport
Call: 6492 4188

Important information

• You must register with your local Community Transport service. This will involve an assessment to see whether you are eligible to receive services.

• A relative or friend acting as a carer can travel with you if necessary

• Other people may be travelling in the vehicle with you

• Passengers must comply with stated health and safety requirements such as disclosing relevant information about their destination and medical or access needs.

Bookings are essential.

For bookings, eligibility or more information on services, contact Bega Valley Community Transport between 9.00am and 4.00pm Monday to Friday.

Bega Valley Community Transport needs time to make the necessary arrangement to provide your transport.

You will need to give notice of preferably 48 hours for local trips and one week for journeys out of area.

What kind of help is available from Community Transport?

Local transport is available to help people travel in towns, villages and rural areas of the shire.

Day: Monday to Friday (limited weekend availability).

Service types: Regular shopping runs and transport to medical appointments.

Cost: Fees are kept to a minimum, (contact Bega Valley community Transport for a fee schedule) clients will not be denied service if they are unable to pay.

Community Transport regularly travels to Canberra and other regional centres for health related appointments.

Note: Costs for all trips vary according to distance and the passenger’s capacity to pay.

Greater Southern Area Health Service (GSAHS) is funded by NSW Health to assist people who are transport disadvantaged and needing to access health care.

On some occasions the transport may be provided on behalf of the GSAHS by the local Community Transport Service or another authorised transport service provider.

Note: Health Related Transport is not an emergency service

Call: 000 in case of emergency.

An eligibility criteria applies and each request for transport assistance will be assessed.

Transport assistance may be available to attend doctors, medical centres, community health, hospital service, dentists etc.

Bookings are essential. Allow as much time as possible, preferably a minimum of 48 hours.

To assist in coordination of transport, it may be necessary to negotiate a change in appointment date or time and to share transport.

Contact your local Community Transport service or the GSAHS Patient Transport Service between 8.30am and 4.30pm Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays).

GSAHS Patient Transport Service
Call: 48241801

The cost of providing a transport varies according to the distance of the trip.

A list of these costs is available from your local Community Transport service or the GSAHS Patient Transport Unit.

No patient will be denied transport based on the inability to make a donation/contribution.

Isolated Patient Travel and Accommodation Assistance Scheme (IPTAAS)

Isolated Patients Travel and Accommodation Assistance Scheme (IPTAAS) provides some financial assistance to people who need to travel more than 100km one way to obtain inpatient or outpatient specialist medical treatment and oral surgery (excluding general dentistry) not available locally.

For information contact the GSAHS IPTAAS office between 8.30am and 4.00pm Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays).

For more information

GSAHS IPTAAS
Call: 1800 800 511

Timetabled local bus services

Local timetabled bus services provide coverage of Bega Valley Shire.

Bus operator contact details:

Bega Valley Coaches
Bega-Cobargo-Bermagui
Call: 6492 5804

Deanes Buslines
Eden – Merimbula – Tura Beach – Bega
Call: 6495 6452
www.deanesbuslines.com.au

Tathra Bus Service
Bega -Tathra, Bega Town loop, Tathra -Merimbula
Call: 6492 1991

Summer Bus (Summer only)
For more information check the website
Internet: www.summerbus.info

The New South Wales Government funds an extensive network of school bus services. The general public may travel on school buses at the discretion of the bus operator and as long as there are seats available.

For the contact details for the school bus services in your area you can:

Look under Bus and Coach Services-Charter and/or Tours in your local Yellow Pages.

Go to the internet site – www.131500.com.au/countrytransport  and search by the name of the town that you want.

Call the Ministry of Transport (Wollongong Office) on 02 4224 3333

Individuals or groups can also charter local buses. Contact your local operators for details.

Veterans and War Widows with a white or gold Repatriation Health Card issued by DVA may be eligible for assistance with expenses incurred travelling to a health provider for medical treatment.

DVA may assist with travel expenses for:

• the use of private motor vehicle or public transport;

• taxi, booked car with driver, community transport, ambulance or air travel where this type of transport is necessary;

• parking expenses, accommodation and meals; or

• authorised attendants.

The Veteran will generally make the transport arrangements. However, in certain circumstances, the transport (eg. booked car with driver) may be arranged by DVA.

For more information contact DVA on
Call: 133 254 or 1800 555 254.

Travel and accommodation assistance for country people travelling to Sydney.

For Information
Call: 1800 806 160

An initiative of the Sisters of Charity and the Rural Women's Network.

Country Care Link is a confidential family information and support service for country people. Services include:

• a volunteer can meet country people on arrival in Sydney;

• a volunteer can transport people to medical appointments in Sydney;

• a volunteer can visit country people in hospital; and

• assistance for country people to find short term accommodation in the city.