Conveniently located just two and a half hours' drive north of Sydney, getting to Port Stephens by car is easy. The M1 Motorway (once the F3 Freeway) will get you most of the way from Sydney. At the end of the motorway, continue on the Pacific Highway, turning right at the roundabout towards Hexham. Veering right, merge onto the New England Highway and follow the left lane towards the Pacific Highway and Taree, crossing the Hexham Bridge. Turn right at the traffic lights onto Tomago Road and follow the road to the roundabout where you'll turn left onto Nelson Bay Road, following the signs to Port Stephens.
If you're flying into to Port Stephens, the Newcastle Airport is where you'll arrive, just a short half hour drive from the heart of Port Stephens and Nelson Bay. Qantas, Jetstar and Virgin offer regular flights to Port Stephens from destinations throughout Australia including Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Ballina, Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne. Regional airlines REX, Brindabella and Aeropelican also offer flights to Port Stephens from more remote areas of the country. Shuttle and taxi services are available from the airport into Port Stephens however if you would prefer to have your own transport while visiting, there are a number of major car rental companies based out of the airport where you can hire a car for the length of your stay.
Public transport is also an easy and affordable option for getting to Port Stephens. Coaches operate daily between Sydney and Port Stephens, stopping along the way at Hornsby, Pymble, Chatswood and Raymond Terrace. Arriving in Port Stephens, these coaches also service Soldiers Point, Shoal Bay, Nelson Bay and Fingal Bay. There are also regular coach services that run between the Newcastle Airport and Newcastle railway station into Port Stephens. For transport to Port Stephens by rail, the CountryLink rail service offers an affordable transport option from all over New South Wales to nearby Newcastle, before getting a transfer into Port Stephens.
