A significant portion of short-stay guests — particularly in cities and tourist areas — don’t have a car. They’re relying on public transport, rideshare, or taxis to get around. If your guide doesn’t cover this, you’re leaving these guests to figure it out themselves, which often means they have a worse experience of the area than they should.
Nearest public transport stop
Include the name of the nearest bus stop, train station, or tram stop, and the walking time from the property. Be specific: “Fitzroy Street tram stop (Route 96) is a 4-minute walk — turn left out of the front gate and it’s on the corner.” This is the most useful single piece of transport information you can provide.
Which app to use
Recommend the most useful local transit app: Google Maps works everywhere but is sometimes slow for real-time updates. State-specific apps (like TripView in NSW, PTV in Victoria) give more accurate departure times. A one-line recommendation — “Use the PTV app for timetables — it’s much more accurate than Google for trains and trams” — is genuinely helpful.
Rideshare vs. taxi in your area
In most Australian cities, Uber and DiDi are faster and cheaper than taxis. In some regional areas, rideshare wait times are long and a local taxi company is more reliable. Note which applies to your area. If there’s a local taxi company with short wait times, include their number.
Getting to and from the airport
If your property is in a city, guests will want to know the airport route. Include: the public transport option (train, SkyBus, coach) and the approximate cost and journey time. If there’s no direct public transport, say so — and give the approximate Uber cost so guests can plan. “SkyBus from Southern Cross to the property stop is about 25 minutes and costs around $20” is useful. “Airport is accessible by public transport” is not.
Any local quirks
Some areas have irregular evening services, last trains at unusual times, or transport routes that aren’t obvious from apps. If you know something local that’s worth knowing — “The last train on Sunday is at 10:45pm, not midnight like on weekdays” — include it. This kind of specific local knowledge is exactly what distinguishes a great host from a host who just provides a room.