In everyday Australian English, “How are you travelling?” often does not ask whether someone is driving, flying or walking. It means “How have you been?” or “How are you coping with this?” It can be a general greeting, but it is also used after stress, illness or a new job to invite an answer fuller than “Fine, thanks.”
A: You’ve had a rough week. How are you travelling?
B: Better, thanks. I’m still pretty tired.
When the question includes a clear destination—“How are you travelling to Melbourne?”—it will usually ask about the mode of transport. The deciding factor is not the verb travel by itself, but whether the conversation is checking on a person’s state or arranging a journey.
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