Getting There:
By Air:
Sydney's Kingsford Smith Airport (+61 2 9667 9111/ http://www.sydneyairport.com.au) is Australia's premier gateway providing direct service and connections to several domestic and international destinations from 34 international and 7 domestic airlines including:
Air Canada (1 300 655 767 / http://www.aircanada.ca)
Air China (+61 2 9232 7277 / http://www.airchina.com.cn)
Air France (1 300 361 400 / http://www.airfrance.com)
Air New Zealand (13 24 76 / http://www.airnewzealand.com.au)
Air Pacific (1 300 799 066 / http://www.airpacific.com)
Air Paradise (1 300 799 066 / http://www.airparadise.com.au)
Alliance Airlines (1 300 130 092 / http://www.allianceairlines.com.au)
Australian Airlines (1 300 799 798 / http://www.australianairlines.com.au)
British Airways (+61 2 8904 8800 / http://www.british-airways.com)
China Airlines +61 2 9244 2121 / http://www.china-airlines.com)
Emirates (1 300 303 777 / http://www.emirates.com)
Hawaiian Airlines (+61 2 9244 2377 / http://www.hawaiianairlines.com.au)
Japan Airlines (+61 2 9272 1111 / http://www.jal.co.jp)
Korean Air (+61 2 9262 6000 / http://www.koreanair.com)
Pacific Blue (13 16 45 / http://www.pacificblue.com.au)
Qantas (13 13 13 / http://www.qantas.com)
United Airlines (13 17 77 / http://www.ual.com)
Virgin Atlantic (+61 2 9244 2747 / http://www.virgin-atlantic.com)
Airport Link (+61 2 8337 8417 / http://www.airportlink.com.au) provides rail service to and from the Domestic and International Terminals and all City Circle railway stations. Trains run approximately every 10 minutes and service runs daily from 5a-midnight.
Bus
Sydney Buses (131 500 / http://www.sydneybuses.info) operates throughout the city and provides service to and from Sydney Airport.
Taxi
Taxi fares are about AUD25 to Sydney City and are available at the Sydney Airport from the following companies:
Taxis Combined Services (+61 2 133 300 / http://www.taxiscombined.com.au)
RSL Ex-Servicesmen's Cabs & Co-Op Members Ltd (+61 2 9581 1111)
Legion Cabs (131 451 / http://www.legioncabs.com.au)
Premier Cabs (132 017 / http://www.premiercabs.com.au)
St George Cabs (132 166 / http://www.stgeorgecabs.com.au)
Rental car companies include:
Avis (13 63 33; +61 2 9353 9000 / http://www.avis.com.au)
Budget (13 27 27 / http://www.budget.com.au)
Europcar (1 300 13 13 90 / http://www.europcar.com.au)
Hertz (13 30 39 / http://www.hertz.com.au)
Red Spot (1 300 668 810 / http://www.redspotrentals.com.au)
Thrifty (1 300 36 72 27 / http://www.thrifty.com.au)
By Train:
CountryLink (132 232 / http://www.countrylink.nsw.gov.au) services 334 destinations throughout New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory, Queensland and Victoria. Trains arrive regularly at Sydney's Central Station.
By Bus:
Greyhound Australia (+61 7 4690 9950 / http://www.greyhound.com.au) provides service to over 1100 Australian destinations and accesses Sydney daily.
By Car:
Approach Sydney from the north by the Hume Highway and from the south via Federal Highway.
Getting Around:
Take advantage of the variety of public transportation passes available including the CityHopper for unlimited all-day rail travel in select areas, the Sydneypass or DayTripper used for unlimited travel on CityRail trains, Sydney Buses and Ferries (http://www.cityrail.nsw.gov.au/tickets/tourists_tickets.htm).
Sydney Buses (131 500 / http://www.sydneybuses.info) has a network of over 300 routes and provides service throughout all of Sydney and surrounding communities.
CityRail (131 500 / http://www.cityrail.nsw.gov.au) offers rail service throughout the greater Sydney region. Information centres are located at the Circular Quay, Central and Town Hall stations.
Sydney Ferries (131 500 / http://www.sydneyferries.nsw.gov.au) operate from Circular Quay to 41 wharves in the city including Darling Harbour, Watsons Bay, Taronga Zoo and Manly.
Metro Light Rail (+61 2 9285 5600 / http://www.metrolightrial.com.au) runs 24 hours daily throughout Sydney with stops at such places as Central Station, Chinatown and Wentworth Park.
The monorail (+61 2 9285 5600 / http://www.metromonorail.com.au) runs a loop around the City Business District (CBD) with eight stops. The monorail leaves every 3-5 minutes and takes approximately 15 minutes to run the entire loop.
more transportation
Frommer's
Planning a Trip
The Sydney Visitor Centre at The Rocks, First Floor, The Rocks Centre, Corner of Argyle and Playfair streets, The Rocks (tel. 02/9240 8788; www.sydneyvisitorcentre.com), is a good place to pick up maps, brochures, Youth Hostel Association (YHA) cards, and general tourist information about Sydney as well as towns in New South Wales. It also sells books, T-shirts, DVDs, postcards, and the like. The office is open daily from 9am to 5pm. There's also the Sydney Visitors Centre Darling Harbour, 33 Wheat Rd., Darling Harbour, near the IMAX Theatre. It's open from 9:30am to 5:30pm daily. In Manly, find the Manly Visitors Information Centre (tel. 02/9976 1430) at Manly Wharf (where the ferries come in). It's open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm, and on weekends between 10am and 4pm.
Also in The Rocks is the National Parks & Wildlife Centre, in Cadmans Cottage (a little sandstone building, built in 1816, which is set back from the water in front of The Rocks), 110 George St. (tel. 02/9247 5033). This place has lots of national park information and runs boat tours to some of the islands in Sydney Harbour. It's open Monday to Friday 9:30am to 4:30pm, Saturday and Sunday 10am to 4:30pm.
Elsewhere, there are City Host information kiosks, at Martin Place (btw. Elizabeth and Castlereagh sts.), on George Street (adjacent to Sydney Town Hall), and at Circular Quay (corner of Pitt and Alfred sts.). They provide maps, brochures, and advice and are open daily from 9am to 5pm. There's also a Visitor Centre at the international terminal of the airport. If you want to inquire about destinations and holidays in Sydney or the rest of New South Wales, call Tourism New South Wales's help line (tel. 13 20 77 in Australia).
Electronic information on cinema, theater, exhibitions, and other events is available through Talking Guides (tel. 13 16 20 in Australia). You'll need a code number for each topic, which you can find on page 3 of the A-K section of the Sydney Yellow Pages. The service costs the same as a local call.
A good website is CitySearch Sydney (www.sydney.citysearch.com.au), for events, entertainment, dining, and shopping.
Tourist Refund Scheme -- Visitors to Australia are entitled to claim any Goods and Services Tax (GST) on purchases over A$300 (US$270/£135) per store. The GST component is 10% of the sale price. Do this at the refund booth located past Customs. After doing the paperwork -- you need to have the goods and receipt with you, not in your checked luggage -- you will receive your refund by check on the spot. You can convert this to cash at any foreign exchange booth at Sydney Airport. Claims are only available up to 30 minutes prior to the scheduled departure of your flight.
Special Attraction Passes
Sydney Ferries have teamed up with Taronga Zoo and Sydney Aquarium to provide two discount passes. The Zoo Pass includes return ferry trips from Circular Quay to Taronga Zoo, a trip on the Aerial Safari cable car to the top of the zoo, and a bus trip back to the ferry if you somehow end up back up at the top (which is unlikely, because generally you start at the top of the hill and work your way down). It costs A$44 (US$40/£20) for adults and A$22 (US$19/£9.50) for kids ages 4 to 15. Family tickets are available, with various prices.
The Aquarium Pass includes entry to the Sydney Aquarium and return ferry travel from Circular Quay. It costs A$33 (US$30/£15) for adults, A$17 (US$15/£7.50) for kids, and A$81 (US$73/£37) for a family of two adults and two kids. Buy tickets at Circular Quay.
Getting There
By Plane
Sydney International Airport is 8km (5 miles) from the city center. Shuttle buses link the international and domestic terminals. Single tickets cost A$5 (US$4.50/£2.25).
The journey takes up to 10 minutes and operates frequently in the morning peak period, then every half-hour until 8pm. The bus stops are on arrivals levels, at T1 Bus Bay 21 near the McDonald's, and at T2 Bus Bay 3 near baggage carousel 6. In both terminals, you'll find luggage carts, wheelchairs, a post office (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm), mailboxes, currency exchange, duty-free shops (including one before you go through Customs on arrival, selling alcohol and perfume), restaurants, bars, stores, showers, luggage lockers, a baggage-held service for larger items, ATMs, and tourist-information desks. You can rent mobile phones in the international terminal. There is also a Sydney Visitors Centre bookings desk (tel. 02/9667 6050) offering cheap deals on hotels, as well as car rentals, phone cards, and maps and brochures. Here you can also buy the SydneyPass. The airport is efficient, has extremely strict quarantine procedures -- you must declare all food -- and is completely nonsmoking. On arrival, pick up a copy of "Sydney: The Official Guide," from the rack just before passport control, which contains tear-out discount tickets for some of Sydney's major attractions. Luggage trolleys are free to use in the international arrival terminal but cost A$4 (US$3.60/£1.80) outside departure terminals (you'll need coins). Tip: Duty-free alcohol and perfumes are available on arrival in Sydney from an international flight. You can take two bottles of standard alcohol through Customs without declaring them.
The Airport Link connects the international and domestic airports to the city stations of Central, Museum, St. James, Circular Quay, Wynyard, and Town Hall. You'll need to change trains for other Sydney stations. Unfortunately, the line has no dedicated luggage areas and, because it's on a scheduled route into the city from the suburbs, it gets very crowded during rush hours (approximately 7-9am and 4-6:30pm). If you have lots of luggage and you're traveling into the city at these times, it's probably best to take an airport bus or a taxi. Otherwise walk to the end of the platform, and there should be more room onboard. There are elevators at the Airport Link stations and some at the city train stations (but the crowds and lack of staff and signs mean you'll probably end up lugging it all up loads of steps anyway). The train takes 10 minutes to reach the Central Railway Station and continues to Circular Quay. Trains leave every 15 minutes or so and cost A$14 (US$13/£6.40) one-way for adults and A$9.60 (US$8.60/£4.30) for children. Round-trip tickets are only available if you really hate Sydney and want to return to the airport on the same day. Ask at the ticket office about group tickets and family-fare tickets that allow a second child, or more, to travel for free with an adult. (The first child pays the standard child fare.)
Sydney Airporter coaches (tel. 02/9666 9988; www.kst.com.au) operate to the city center from bus stops outside the terminals every 15 minutes. This service will drop you off (and pick you up) at hotels in the city, Kings Cross, and Darling Harbour. Pickups from hotels require at least 3 hours advance notice, and you can book online. Tickets cost A$12 (US$11/£5.50) one-way and A$20 (US$18/£9) round-trip from the international terminal, and A$13 (US$12/£5.80) one-way and A$22 (US$20/£10) round-trip from the domestic terminal. The return portion can be used any time in the future.
Both short-term and long-term parking are available at both terminals. An example is a 4-day stay at the domestic terminal, which costs A$79 (US$71/£35).
Taxi Savvy -- Especially in busy periods, taxi queues can be long, and drivers may try to cash in by insisting you share a cab with other passengers in line at the airport. Here's the scam: After dropping off the other passengers, the cabdriver will attempt to charge you the full price of the journey, despite the fact that the other passengers paid for their sections. You certainly won't save any money sharing a cab if this happens, and your journey will be a long one. If you are first in line in the taxi stand, the law states that you can refuse to share the cab. Taxi drivers obviously like a tip, but there is no requirement to do so. If you've had good service, then 10% extra on top of the fare is enough.
A taxi from the airport to the city center costs about A$30 (US$27/£14) total. In 2006, a A$2 (US$1.80/UK90p) surcharge was added to taxi fares from the airport. An expressway, the Eastern Distributor, is the fastest way to reach the city from the airport. There's a A$5 (US$4.50/£2.25) toll from the airport to the city (the taxi driver pays the toll and adds the cost to your fare), but there is no toll to the airport. A 10% credit-card charge applies. The flag-fall rate is A$3 (US$2.70/£1.35) and a booking fee (not necessary at the airport) is A$1.60 (US$1.40/UK70p).
By Train
Central Station (tel. 13 15 00 for CityRail, or 13 22 32 for Countrylink interstate trains) is the main city and interstate train station. It's at the top of George Street in downtown Sydney. All interstate trains depart from here, and it's a major CityRail hub. Many city buses leave from neighboring Railway Square for such places as Town Hall and Circular Quay.
By Bus
Greyhound coaches operate from the Sydney Coach Terminal (tel. 02/9212 1500), on the corner of Eddy Avenue and Pitt Street, bordering Central Station.
By Cruise Ship
Cruise ships dock at the Overseas Passenger Terminal in The Rocks, opposite the Sydney Opera House, or in Darling Harbour if The Rocks facility is already occupied.
By Car
Drivers enter Sydney from the north on the Pacific Highway, from the south on the M5 and Princes Highway, and from the west on the Great Western Highway.
Planning a Trip
The Sydney Visitor Centre at The Rocks, First Floor, The Rocks Centre, Corner of Argyle and Playfair streets, The Rocks (tel. 02/9240 8788; www.sydneyvisitorcentre.com), is a good place to pick up maps, brochures, Youth Hostel Association (YHA) cards, and general tourist information about Sydney as well as towns in New South Wales. It also sells books, T-shirts, DVDs, postcards, and the like. The office is open daily from 9am to 5pm. There's also the Sydney Visitors Centre Darling Harbour, 33 Wheat Rd., Darling Harbour, near the IMAX Theatre. It's open from 9:30am to 5:30pm daily. In Manly, find the Manly Visitors Information Centre (tel. 02/9976 1430) at Manly Wharf (where the ferries come in). It's open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm, and on weekends between 10am and 4pm.
Also in The Rocks is the National Parks & Wildlife Centre, in Cadmans Cottage (a little sandstone building, built in 1816, which is set back from the water in front of The Rocks), 110 George St. (tel. 02/9247 5033). This place has lots of national park information and runs boat tours to some of the islands in Sydney Harbour. It's open Monday to Friday 9:30am to 4:30pm, Saturday and Sunday 10am to 4:30pm.
Elsewhere, there are City Host information kiosks, at Martin Place (btw. Elizabeth and Castlereagh sts.), on George Street (adjacent to Sydney Town Hall), and at Circular Quay (corner of Pitt and Alfred sts.). They provide maps, brochures, and advice and are open daily from 9am to 5pm. There's also a Visitor Centre at the international terminal of the airport. If you want to inquire about destinations and holidays in Sydney or the rest of New South Wales, call Tourism New South Wales's help line (tel. 13 20 77 in Australia).
Electronic information on cinema, theater, exhibitions, and other events is available through Talking Guides (tel. 13 16 20 in Australia). You'll need a code number for each topic, which you can find on page 3 of the A-K section of the Sydney Yellow Pages. The service costs the same as a local call.
A good website is CitySearch Sydney (www.sydney.citysearch.com.au), for events, entertainment, dining, and shopping.
Tourist Refund Scheme -- Visitors to Australia are entitled to claim any Goods and Services Tax (GST) on purchases over A$300 (US$270/£135) per store. The GST component is 10% of the sale price. Do this at the refund booth located past Customs. After doing the paperwork -- you need to have the goods and receipt with you, not in your checked luggage -- you will receive your refund by check on the spot. You can convert this to cash at any foreign exchange booth at Sydney Airport. Claims are only available up to 30 minutes prior to the scheduled departure of your flight.
Special Attraction Passes
Sydney Ferries have teamed up with Taronga Zoo and Sydney Aquarium to provide two discount passes. The Zoo Pass includes return ferry trips from Circular Quay to Taronga Zoo, a trip on the Aerial Safari cable car to the top of the zoo, and a bus trip back to the ferry if you somehow end up back up at the top (which is unlikely, because generally you start at the top of the hill and work your way down). It costs A$44 (US$40/£20) for adults and A$22 (US$19/£9.50) for kids ages 4 to 15. Family tickets are available, with various prices.
The Aquarium Pass includes entry to the Sydney Aquarium and return ferry travel from Circular Quay. It costs A$33 (US$30/£15) for adults, A$17 (US$15/£7.50) for kids, and A$81 (US$73/£37) for a family of two adults and two kids. Buy tickets at Circular Quay.
Getting There
By Plane
Sydney International Airport is 8km (5 miles) from the city center. Shuttle buses link the international and domestic terminals. Single tickets cost A$5 (US$4.50/£2.25).
The journey takes up to 10 minutes and operates frequently in the morning peak period, then every half-hour until 8pm. The bus stops are on arrivals levels, at T1 Bus Bay 21 near the McDonald's, and at T2 Bus Bay 3 near baggage carousel 6. In both terminals, you'll find luggage carts, wheelchairs, a post office (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm), mailboxes, currency exchange, duty-free shops (including one before you go through Customs on arrival, selling alcohol and perfume), restaurants, bars, stores, showers, luggage lockers, a baggage-held service for larger items, ATMs, and tourist-information desks. You can rent mobile phones in the international terminal. There is also a Sydney Visitors Centre bookings desk (tel. 02/9667 6050) offering cheap deals on hotels, as well as car rentals, phone cards, and maps and brochures. Here you can also buy the SydneyPass. The airport is efficient, has extremely strict quarantine procedures -- you must declare all food -- and is completely nonsmoking. On arrival, pick up a copy of "Sydney: The Official Guide," from the rack just before passport control, which contains tear-out discount tickets for some of Sydney's major attractions. Luggage trolleys are free to use in the international arrival terminal but cost A$4 (US$3.60/£1.80) outside departure terminals (you'll need coins). Tip: Duty-free alcohol and perfumes are available on arrival in Sydney from an international flight. You can take two bottles of standard alcohol through Customs without declaring them.
The Airport Link connects the international and domestic airports to the city stations of Central, Museum, St. James, Circular Quay, Wynyard, and Town Hall. You'll need to change trains for other Sydney stations. Unfortunately, the line has no dedicated luggage areas and, because it's on a scheduled route into the city from the suburbs, it gets very crowded during rush hours (approximately 7-9am and 4-6:30pm). If you have lots of luggage and you're traveling into the city at these times, it's probably best to take an airport bus or a taxi. Otherwise walk to the end of the platform, and there should be more room onboard. There are elevators at the Airport Link stations and some at the city train stations (but the crowds and lack of staff and signs mean you'll probably end up lugging it all up loads of steps anyway). The train takes 10 minutes to reach the Central Railway Station and continues to Circular Quay. Trains leave every 15 minutes or so and cost A$14 (US$13/£6.40) one-way for adults and A$9.60 (US$8.60/£4.30) for children. Round-trip tickets are only available if you really hate Sydney and want to return to the airport on the same day. Ask at the ticket office about group tickets and family-fare tickets that allow a second child, or more, to travel for free with an adult. (The first child pays the standard child fare.)
Sydney Airporter coaches (tel. 02/9666 9988; www.kst.com.au) operate to the city center from bus stops outside the terminals every 15 minutes. This service will drop you off (and pick you up) at hotels in the city, Kings Cross, and Darling Harbour. Pickups from hotels require at least 3 hours advance notice, and you can book online. Tickets cost A$12 (US$11/£5.50) one-way and A$20 (US$18/£9) round-trip from the international terminal, and A$13 (US$12/£5.80) one-way and A$22 (US$20/£10) round-trip from the domestic terminal. The return portion can be used any time in the future.
Both short-term and long-term parking are available at both terminals. An example is a 4-day stay at the domestic terminal, which costs A$79 (US$71/£35).
Taxi Savvy -- Especially in busy periods, taxi queues can be long, and drivers may try to cash in by insisting you share a cab with other passengers in line at the airport. Here's the scam: After dropping off the other passengers, the cabdriver will attempt to charge you the full price of the journey, despite the fact that the other passengers paid for their sections. You certainly won't save any money sharing a cab if this happens, and your journey will be a long one. If you are first in line in the taxi stand, the law states that you can refuse to share the cab. Taxi drivers obviously like a tip, but there is no requirement to do so. If you've had good service, then 10% extra on top of the fare is enough.
A taxi from the airport to the city center costs about A$30 (US$27/£14) total. In 2006, a A$2 (US$1.80/UK90p) surcharge was added to taxi fares from the airport. An expressway, the Eastern Distributor, is the fastest way to reach the city from the airport. There's a A$5 (US$4.50/£2.25) toll from the airport to the city (the taxi driver pays the toll and adds the cost to your fare), but there is no toll to the airport. A 10% credit-card charge applies. The flag-fall rate is A$3 (US$2.70/£1.35) and a booking fee (not necessary at the airport) is A$1.60 (US$1.40/UK70p).
By Train
Central Station (tel. 13 15 00 for CityRail, or 13 22 32 for Countrylink interstate trains) is the main city and interstate train station. It's at the top of George Street in downtown Sydney. All interstate trains depart from here, and it's a major CityRail hub. Many city buses leave from neighboring Railway Square for such places as Town Hall and Circular Quay.
By Bus
Greyhound coaches operate from the Sydney Coach Terminal (tel. 02/9212 1500), on the corner of Eddy Avenue and Pitt Street, bordering Central Station.
By Cruise Ship
Cruise ships dock at the Overseas Passenger Terminal in The Rocks, opposite the Sydney Opera House, or in Darling Harbour if The Rocks facility is already occupied.
By Car
Drivers enter Sydney from the north on the Pacific Highway, from the south on the M5 and Princes Highway, and from the west on the Great Western Highway.
