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| Home > City Guide - Sydney - Getting Around | ||
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Getting Around Public Transport Sydney’s mass transit system, incorporating bus, ferry and various rail services, is well developed, efficient and cheap. The State Transit Infoline (tel: 131 500, Australia only; website: www.131500.com.au) provides route, timetable and fare information for all buses, ferries and trains. State Transit (e-mail: info@sydneybuses.nsw.gov.au; website: www.sydneybuses.nsw.gov.au) operates the buses and the ferries. Buses run daily 0600-2400 and night buses operate on selected routes. Fare starts at A$1.50 for inner-city journeys and is purchased from the driver. The commuter ferry network that crisscrosses Sydney Harbour is one of the best ways to see the harbour. Ferries ply between Circular Quay and almost 30 destinations (0600-2330). Fares start at A$4.20. CityRail (website: www.cityrail.nsw.gov.au) operates the network of trains designed primarily for rapid transit between the suburbs and the city. The stops are not necessarily very convenient for tourists within the city centre. Trains generally operate 0430-2400 and fares start at A$2.20. Sydney Metro (tel: (02) 9285 5600; website: www.metrolightrail.com.au) operates the monorail and light rail services. The monorail shuttles between the city centre, Darling Harbour and the Chinatown areas. Trains operate every three to five minutes Monday-Thursday 0700-2200, Friday-Saturday 0700-2400 and Sunday 0800-2200. Fares are A$4. The light rail service operates 24 hours between Central Station and Star City and Sunday-Thursday 0600-2300 and Friday-Saturday 0600-2400 between Central Station and Lilyfield. Fares start at A$2.50. Numerous money-saving passes are available, including the SydneyPass, a three-, five- or seven-day pass costing A$90, A$120 and A$140 respectively. This pass allows unlimited travel on public buses, harbour ferries, the Airport Express bus, the Sydney Explorer, the Bondi & Bay Explorer and the Parramatta Explorer buses, as well as the three sightseeing cruises operated by the State Transit authority and train travel within the red (city and inner suburban) travel pass zone. Passes can be purchased from the New South Wales Travel Centre, at the international airport, and from the Sydney Visitor Centre, 106 George Street, The Rocks. The colour-coded TravelPass, valid for one week or more, allows unlimited travel on public transport within a designated area. A weekly blue bus and ferry TravelPass, for example, costs A$26. A Travelten bus pass is valid for ten bus journeys and starts at A$11. A FerryTen ticket is valid for ten ferry trips and starts at A$26.30. All tickets and passes can be purchased from the railway and bus stations and from newspaper stands on bus routes. Taxis Taxi ranks can be found outside most bus and railway stations, as well as the larger hotels. The initial charge is A$2.45 and a three-kilometre (1.9-mile) trip costs about A$7. Fares are subject to surcharges for telephone bookings, crossing the Harbour Bridge and using certain parts of the Eastern Distributor, where toll systems operate. Travel between 2200 and 0600 costs an extra 20%. Taxi drivers do not expect a tip, although fares are generally rounded up to the nearest Dollar. Operators include Taxis Combined Services (tel: (02) 8332 8888) and Premier Cabs (tel: 131 017, Australia only). Limousines Chauffeur-driven limousines are available for trips around Sydney, with an optional commentary. Operators include First National Limousines (tel: (02) 9822 8007), Premier Limousines (tel: (02) 9313 4277) and Astra Chauffeured Limousines of Australia (tel: 132 121, Australia only). Collection from the airport to the city costs from A$66. Driving in the City Driving around Sydney was, until recently, a trying experience. The construction of a new road network for the 2000 Olympics has left many routes vastly improved. The new Eastern Distributor tunnel, for instance, has made driving to the Airport a breeze. However, Sydney drivers are renowned for speed and intolerance and parking is invariably difficult and/or expensive. Parking restrictions are clearly signposted and usually specify an hour or two of metered parking during business hours. There are ‘clearway’ zones that apply at certain times of day and vehicles will be towed away and impounded if they are found parked there during those times. It is probably easiest for visitors to park in one of the car parks around the city centre and take public transport from there. A convenient central car park is the Queen Victoria Building (QVB) Car Park in York Street. Metered parking generally costs A$2.20 per hour, while parking stations in the city can charge up to A$50 per day on weekdays. Car Hire A national driving licence printed in English is required for driving in Sydney, although an International Driving Permit is preferred by some hire firms. The minimum age for hiring a car is often 25 years. Minimum third-party insurance is required. Hire rates for a small car start from approximately A$62 per day. Major operators include Avis (tel: 136 333, Australia only; website: www.avis.com.au), Budget (tel: 132 727, Australia only; website: www.budget.com.au), Hertz (tel: 133 039, Australia only; website: www.hertz.com.au) and Thrifty (tel: (1300) 367 277; website: www.thrifty.com.au). Bicycle Hire Sydney’s many steep hills do not make for a leisurely ride and there are limited – and often dangerous – designated cycle lanes. Manly has better paths for cycling but best of all is the popular Centennial Park. Major hire companies include Woolys Wheels, 82 Oxford Street, Paddington (tel: (02) 9331 8190) and Inner City Cycles, 151 Glebe Point Road (tel: (02) 9660 6605). Hire rates start from about A$33 for 24 hours. |
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