What is the country code for Australia?

Australia's country code is +61, assigned by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). You dial it immediately after the UK exit code (00) or the + symbol on a mobile.

How do I call an Australian mobile from the UK?

Dial 00 61 4XX XXX XXX (or +61 4XX XXX XXX on a mobile). Australian mobiles start with 04 domestically — drop the leading 0 so you dial 4 after +61, followed by the remaining 8 digits.

How much does Sayfone charge to call Australia?

Sayfone offers calls to Australia at $0.14/min with transparent per-minute pricing. Open Sayfone in your browser, enter the Australian number, and place your call — no app download required.

What is the time difference between the UK and Australia?

It varies by state and season. Eastern Australia (Sydney, Melbourne) is 9 to 11 hours ahead of the UK depending on daylight saving in each country. Perth (AWST, UTC+8) is 7 to 8 hours ahead. Always check the current offset before calling.

Can I call Australian 1300 or 1800 numbers from the UK?

Generally no. Australia's 13, 1300, and 1800 special-service numbers are typically not reachable from overseas. Ask your Australian contact for a geographic landline (+61 2/3/7/8) or mobile (+61 4) number instead.

Do I need to dial the area code for Australian mobile numbers?

Australian mobiles don't have a separate area code. They all begin with 4 (after dropping the domestic 0). You dial +61 4XX XXX XXX as one continuous sequence — no area code needed.

Why does my call to Australia fail even though I dialed correctly?

The most common cause is keeping the leading 0 in the Australian number (e.g. +61 02… instead of +61 2…). Also check that international calling is enabled on your UK account, and that you aren't trying to reach a 13/1300/1800 number.

Quick Answer

How to Call Australia from the United Kingdom

From the UK, dial 00 61 (or +61 on a mobile) followed by the 9-digit Australian number (drop the leading 0). Sayfone lets you call Australia at $0.14/min from your browser.

Start calling

Cost tools

🇬🇧From United Kingdom

To Australia🇦🇺

$0.14

Per minute

+61

Country code

Call quality

Landline rate

$0.14/min

Mobile rate

$0.14/min

Same per-minute Sayfone rate for landline and mobile.

Average call quality

Whether you're reaching family in Sydney, colleagues in Melbourne, or business contacts in Perth, the dialing format is the same. Australia's country code is +61, and the UK exit code is 00.

Steps at a glance

Dial 00 (UK exit code) or press + on your mobile
Dial 61 (Australia's country code)
Dial the Australian number without the leading 0
Example: to call Sydney (02) 9123 4567 → dial 00 61 2 9123 4567

Sources

1
ITU-T E.164 – International Telephone Numbering Plan
Country code +61 assignment for Australia
2
Australian Government Style Manual – Telephone Numbers
Official Australian number formatting guidance

DIALING GUIDE

Step-by-Step: Call Australia from the UK

Follow these steps to dial an Australian landline or mobile number from a UK phone or through Sayfone in your browser.

1
Dial the UK exit code
On a landline, dial 00 to reach the international network. On a mobile, you can press and hold 0 to get the + symbol, which replaces 00.
```
00 or +
```
2
Dial Australia's country code
Enter 61 immediately after the exit code. This routes your call to the Australian telephone network.
```
00 61 or +61
```
3
Dial the area code (without the leading 0)
Australian numbers start with a 0 domestically (e.g. 02 for Sydney, 04 for mobiles), but you must drop this 0 when dialing from abroad. Use only the single-digit area code for landlines or the 4 prefix for mobiles.
```
For Sydney: 2 — For Melbourne: 3 — For mobiles: 4
```
4
Dial the 8-digit local number
Complete the call by entering the remaining 8 digits of the subscriber number.
```
00 61 2 9123 4567 (Sydney landline) or 00 61 412 345 678 (mobile)
```
5
Or use Sayfone from your browser
Open Sayfone in any browser, enter the Australian number in +61 format, and place your call at $0.14/min. No app download required.
```
+61 2 9123 4567
```

Dialing format reference

+61

Use these patterns when entering a full international number to +61.

Mobile

+61 4XX XXX XXX

Landline

+61 [2/3/7/8] XXXX XXXX

+61 2 9123 4567 (Sydney landline)
+61 3 9123 4567 (Melbourne landline)
+61 7 3123 4567 (Brisbane landline)
+61 8 9123 4567 (Perth landline)
+61 412 345 678 (mobile)

Major city area codes

Sydney / NSW / ACT2

Melbourne / VIC / TAS3

Brisbane / QLD7

Perth / Adelaide / SA / WA / NT8

Sources

1
ACMA – Australian Numbering Plan
Authoritative source for Australian phone number structure
2
Wikipedia – Telephone numbers in Australia
Reference for area code structure and numbering plan

DIALING RULES

Key Rules for Calling Australia from the UK

A few formatting rules to keep in mind when dialing Australian numbers from the United Kingdom.

Always drop the leading 0

Australian domestic numbers start with 0 (e.g. 02 for Sydney, 04 for mobiles). When calling from the UK, remove this 0 and dial the remaining 9 digits after +61. Dialing +61 02… is incorrect and will not connect.

Australian numbers are 9 digits after the country code

After +61, a valid Australian landline or mobile number is exactly 9 digits: a 1-digit area code (2, 3, 7, or 8 for landlines; 4 for mobiles) plus an 8-digit subscriber number. If the digit count doesn't add up, double-check the number.

13, 1300, and 1800 numbers usually don't work from overseas

Australia's shared-cost (13/1300) and toll-free (1800) numbers are generally unreachable from outside Australia. Ask your Australian contact for a geographic (+61 2/3/7/8) or mobile (+61 4…) number instead.

Use + instead of 00 when saving contacts

Save Australian numbers in +61 format (e.g. +61 412 345 678) in your phone contacts. This format works from any country and avoids exit-code confusion when you travel.

TIMING TIPS

Best Times to Call Australia from the UK

Australia is 8 to 11 hours ahead of the UK depending on the state, time of year, and daylight saving. Here's how to find a convenient window.

🇦🇺

The UK observes BST (UTC+1) from late March to late October. Australia's eastern states (except Queensland) observe AEDT (UTC+11) from early October to early April. Because the hemispheres are opposite, the gap shifts throughout the year.

Time & windows

Morning UK → Evening Australia

7:00–8:00 AM UK

Reaches eastern Australia (Sydney, Melbourne) around 5:00–7:00 PM their time, depending on the season. Good for after-work personal calls.

UK Evening → Australia Next Morning

10:00–11:00 PM UK

Reaches eastern Australia around 8:00–10:00 AM the next day. Suitable for business calls at the start of the Australian workday.

Perth (AWST) is Closer

UTC+8 year-round

Perth doesn't observe daylight saving. The gap to the UK is 7–8 hours depending on BST, making overlap easier than with the east coast.

🇬🇧UK winter → Aus summer (Nov–Mar)

GMT to AEDT: +11 hoursEastern Australia is at its furthest ahead. 7 AM in London = 6 PM in Sydney.

🇬🇧UK summer → Aus winter (Apr–Oct)

BST to AEST: +9 hoursThe smallest gap. 7 AM in London = 4 PM in Sydney.

🇬🇧Perth year-round

AWST: UTC+87–8 hours ahead of the UK depending on BST.

🇬🇧Adelaide / Darwin (ACST/ACDT)

UTC+9:30 / UTC+10:30South Australia observes DST; Northern Territory does not.

Calling tips

Early morning UK calls (6–8 AM) tend to catch Australians in the early evening — a natural window for personal calls.
For business calls to eastern Australia, try late UK evening (9–11 PM) to reach the start of the Australian business day.
Calling Perth from the UK is more schedule-friendly because the time gap is smaller and AWST does not change with daylight saving.
Use a world-clock app or converter to double-check the current offset before calling, especially near DST transition dates in March/April and October.

Business etiquette

Australian business hours are generally 9 AM – 5 PM local time, Monday to Friday.
Australians tend to be direct but friendly on the phone; brief small talk at the start of a call is customary.
If calling a business for the first time, ask whether the contact prefers a landline or mobile number for future calls.

Sources

1
timeanddate.com – London to Sydney Time Converter
Live time comparison for London ↔ Sydney

TROUBLESHOOTING

Common Issues When Calling Australia from the UK

If your call isn't connecting, check these common causes before redialing.

Forgot to drop the leading 0

Dialing +61 02… or 00 61 04… adds an extra digit and the call won't connect. Always remove the 0 that starts the Australian domestic number.

Missing exit code on a UK landline

From a UK landline, you must dial 00 before 61. Mobile phones let you use the + symbol instead, but landlines require 00.

Trying to reach a 13, 1300, or 1800 number

These Australian special-service numbers typically do not accept international calls. Request a standard geographic or mobile number from your contact.

Call connects but no one answers

Check the time difference — Australia can be 8 to 11 hours ahead of the UK. You may be calling outside waking or business hours.

International calling not enabled

Some UK mobile plans restrict outgoing international calls by default. Contact your carrier to confirm international dialing is active on your account, or use Sayfone from your browser to bypass carrier restrictions.

Savings

See what you could save

Adjust the tools below to compare Sayfone with typical retail pricing for calls to Australia. Start with one call, then layer on monthly volume to see the bigger picture.

How to use these tools

Sayfone uses your live rate for calls to Australia — the same basis as the rest of this page.
First, estimate savings on a single call length. Then, model a full month of minutes versus typical retail benchmarks.
Retail competitor rows are illustrative — not a quote from any carrier.