If I go on a trip, I usually like doing it without the hassle (and the cost) that comes with driving, or hiring the car. Sometimes it’s more convenient to go for a walk, or take a brief bus or train ride to your destination without having to navigate the roads and traffic and learn the rules of driving and then try to locate parking.
Thankfully, Sydney is a very public-transport-friendly city; in fact, most Sydneysiders prefer public transportation over driving!
This article will go over the different transportation options in Sydney the advantages and cost, as well as the details for those who are thinking of how to get around Sydney without the use of a vehicle.
If you need a map of the city then check out these transport maps of Sydney.
Walking around Sydney
There are numerous locations around Sydney and, in particular, the CBD (central downtown/business district) via walking. I would recommend walking if you’re in the CBD region. Even though there are trains and buses but it is often easier and faster to walk rather than waiting in the traffic for buses, or paying for the train ticket.
If you’re located in the CBD it’s a small walk across the entire region; from the very beginning at the beginning of CBD (we’ll call it Central Train Station) to the border (Circular Quay, the place where there’s the Opera House is located) approximately 30-40 minutes walk. You’ll be able to walk easily to other attractions like Darling Harbour, the Harbour Bridge, Darling Harbour and Darling Harbour, the Queen Victorian Building, and other places.
Moving from the city into the suburbs is more difficult. While the majority part of Sydney has flat terrain (so only a few hills) The city sprawls out quite far. For instance, although travelling out of downtown to the CBD to the neighborhood of Bondi is just 20-30 minutes on a bus and a two-hour walk. It’s not impossible however, it’s not recommended for those who have traveled to Sydney during the extremely humid and hot summers!
Opal Cards
Opal cards are used to purchase tickets in Sydney and you are able to utilize them to travel on trains busses, ferry rides, as well as light rail. The cards that can be reloaded allow you to purchase a sum of money to travel, that is then taken off the card, based on how long your trip was. Opal cards are intended available in Sydney and its suburbs and suburbs; you are not able to use the card in any other state of Australia (most cities have their own tickets system i.e. Melbourne’s “myki” card).
The card is completely free However, the maximum value of a top-up is $5. The card expires every day following $16.30 dollars worth of travel (meaning you are able to use the card for unlimited travel once you have spent $16.30) or after you’ve spent $50 in the course of a month (Monday-Sunday). Opal offers rewards in the form of a $2 discount on transfers (catching another transportation option for 60 minutes or less). Holidays, weekends and holidays are priced at $8.15 or for the entire day. This makes it the perfect day to enjoy the cheapest ferry ride!
I suggest checking on the Transport NSW fare page, since fares are subject to vary without notice.
Opal Cards can be purchased to adults, however there’s the option of a child’s card for those who are 16 or less, and with discounted (half-price) rates. There are also discounted fare cards for seniors/pensioners as well as students however, they must also be Australian resident to qualify to use these cards (so unfortunately, you are unable to buy the cards if you are visiting Sydney).
Opal cards can be bought through the internet (but you must send them with the Australian address) or at locations such as the Sydney Airport, at train stations, Woolworths, Coles, 7-11 and a variety of other grocery and convenience stores. Additionally, you can add value to your card by visiting any of the above places, and on the internet or through the Opal application.
I suggest downloading the no-cost Opal Travel app on your Android or iOS device. Not only will you be able to monitor the card’s worth as well, but you can make sure you’ve tapped off correctly, check the history of your trips, increase your account’s value as well as use trip planner to organize your journey on trains, buses ferry, light rail or.
Taking the Train in Sydney
Sydney has a broad train network that connects the city as well as most of the suburbs. Sydney Trains are owned and managed through The State administration (specifically Transport for New South Wales) and can be used by purchasing tickets at the station or with the Opal card.
The majority of major suburbs in Sydney have trains at their stations and trains generally run every 5 to 15 minutes (frequency differs based on the time of peak and the demand at the station) from midnight to 12am every day. After 1am , all train stations are shut in the evening and until the early morning, but you are able to navigate around the city in the evening by using NightRide buses, which run in place of trains between midnight until 4:30 am.
Central Station (located in the CBD between Haymarket and Surry Hills) is the principal train hub in Sydney The station lets you transfer into any of the 9 lines within the network. Each line is able to cover a distinct part in Sydney (i.e. the T2 line covers the Inner West & Leppington area that permits passengers to take trains starting from to the CBD City Circle, through suburbs to Parramatta as well as Leppington).
Be aware of an additional charge for going via trains from Sydney Airport; on top of the usual ticket price the airport station access cost which is $14.30 (or $12.80 to children).
In general trains are extremely useful in Sydney. It is possible to reach all areas with a train and stations are distributed very well across the city. You can get there through walking or by a short bus journey. Trains are also among the fastest way to communicate in this article, when compared to ferry, buses, as well as light rail. Because of trains that you can move in and out of cities without difficulty, and get from A to B quickly and in a short amount of time.
Sydney’s train system is relatively punctual, with delays usually only occurring during peak times and stations closing only on weekends (for maintenance of stations and track maintenance- when buses are used to replace trains). Stations within the CBD can be extremely packed during peak times on days off (7-9:30am and between 4-6:30 pm) and I’d suggest that you avoid traveling to the city by train at these times, as much as you can.
I suggest using the official Transport for NSW site or the Opal Travel app (or even Google Maps) to plot your train travel routes, since any of these will provide simple and clear directions for getting at the train station. locate the platform and the stop you should get off at.
It is the Bus System in Sydney
Sydney also has a broad bus system that permits passengers to move around the city in addition to to the suburbs. All buses within Sydney are fitted with Opal reader, but some buses that aren’t in the CBD permit passengers to pay in cash (paper) tickets for single-way trips.
There are numerous bus hubs inside Sydney which includes one located that is located outside Central Station called Railway Square (located at the intersection of George and Lee Street), which offers buses towards the city east suburbs, and the inner west.
Regular city buses usually run between 15 and 30 minutes during peak times and then the frequency decreases to every 30 minutes or once an hour during non-peak hours or on public holidays, such as Sundays and Public Holidays.
Certain areas are that are accessible only via buses, for instance, Bondi and Coogee Beach can only be reached via bus (there’s no railway station at either Bondi as well as Coogee).
In Sydney are unpredictable, as are other cities, they are often late, and occasionally early, which means that timetables can be a waste of time. When you do are able to board buses, you’ll arrive at your destination quickly and, depending on the location you’re at or the location you’re going to, it could be more practical to use buses instead of trains. Each suburb has at the very least one bus line with numerous stops scattered along the streets to allow for easy access.
The problem with buses in Sydney in addition to the non-reliable schedule and the fact they are prone to being crowded at peak times, and seats are filled quickly. It is possible to be on a bus that is crowded when you are traveling during the morning or evening commutes, and there isn’t always have adequate ventilation on buses, too. You could experience an extremely uncomfortable sitting experience on a bus that lasts for several stops if you happen to be in a busy one.
It is also recommended installing and using either Opal Travel and Google Maps. Opal Travel app or Google Maps since both provide real-time updated information from your GPS on the anticipated departure as well as arrival times. You can monitor your bus using these apps and track it the bus as it gets closer to the stop. Make sure you flag the bus as it arrives, and to ring the bell when you’ve arrived at the stop. Buses require you tap once you’re on and off as you exit with the Opal card.
Taking the Ferry in Sydney
Ferries to Sydney aren’t the primary means of transport, but you’ll need to get on one when you’re in search of the most convenient method to reach Manly Beach or Taronga Zoo for instance.
There are eight ferry routes within Sydney In addition to those mentioned above, there are ferry service from Parramatta (along with the Parramatta River) as well as Neutral Bay Mosman Bay, Double Bay, Cross Harbour, and Cockatoo Harbour.
The primary hub for ferry services is Circular Quay, from where you can get ferries to the above destinations.
I strongly recommend taking the ferry service to get to Manly beach. It’s an iconic ferry trip which is perfect for visitors and city dwellers alike. It’s an amazing view of the ocean, and is a 30-minute journey across the ocean from Manly city (which could take more than an hour using several buses, in other words).
Most ferry lines operate every 30 minutes, but are also shut down by 9 pm. Also, I suggest looking at the timetable using an app prior to leaving and getting to the terminal 20 mins prior to leaving (particularly on Sundays, when there is being the $2.70 Opal cap, the ferry is extremely full and packed) So you’ll be able to find a seat! It is also recommended to arrive earlier because ferry services depart at a established departure times and you’ll be denied access if the ferry has reached capacity before you are able to board.
Sydney’s Light Rail
Sydney’s light rail system operates within the city as well as the surrounding suburbs. It is in the process of being built, along with another line planned to connect the CBD as well as those of the South East suburbs (Randwick and Kingsford) to be completed in 2020. The light rail runs above the ground and is comparable to a tram but is faster than buses.
There’s just one light rail route currently which runs through 23 stations throughout the CBD all the way the CBD to Dulwich Hill. The light rail runs at various points of interest within the CBD which include Darling Harbour, The Star casino, Pyrmont Bay, the Fish Market, and the Exhibition Centre.
The light rail is operated every 10 to 15 minutes, based what time it is during the day and the last one departs late at 11 p.m. on evenings during the week (12am on Saturdays and Fridays).
The light rail is the most convenient way to travel within the city to destinations such as Darling Harbour or the Star However, many other locations are likely to be accessible faster or easier via the train or bus. If you’re in one of the suburbs located along the rail line that is light, check out your Opal Travel app or Google Maps to determine whether it’s best to take the light rail, or other means of transportation.
Uber/Taxi
You can also travel around Sydney by using Uber as well as taxis. Uber is the primary ride-sharing service available in Sydney however, there’s Shebah (a service that has women drivers), Taxify, and Ola. Uber is by far the most widely used of all ride-sharing providers and you can usually hire a driver in just a few 30 minutes for most areas within the city. Lyft is not yet operating in Australia.
Uber rides are reasonably priced within Sydney However, public transport is usually cheaper. Utilizing an Uber alternative to. public transport is really down to convenience it is a door-to-door service and can arrive at your destination quicker that waiting in a line for the bus or walking to the bus stop to where you want to go.
An Uber journey starts at just $9 (this is the minimum price regardless of the distance you travel) It then adds the additional $1.45 per kilometre.
In the section on trains I would highly recommend you are traveling to the airport with more than two people more to reserve an Uber to avoid paying each time the airport access fee. You also you’ll be in a position to store your luggage into the boot of the vehicle and not having to transport your luggage up to train stations. It’s also much faster than taking a walk to the station and waiting in line, or taking the train. For the Uber between downtown CBD up to the airport is about $40 for UberX in comparison the cost of $17.70 per person on the train. Consider the ease of Uber and it’s worth the extra $4.60 for two passengers to use an Uber and, obviously, much cheaper if traveling with a group of 3 or 4.
It is still possible to take regular taxis in Sydney in the event that you point one down in the street, or see one waiting at the taxi stand. Taxis generally cost more than Uber however, with the base price of $3.60 and an additional $2.19 cost per km (this rises to $2.63 in the evening). There’s no minimum cost for taxis however in the event that you’re taking in a small distance that’s not worth the cost of an Uber ride (i.e. the distance of a few blocks and you don’t have the time or desire to walk) it’s better off calling taxis instead of hiring an Uber.
Personally, I am a fan of Uber for both a regular component of my weekly journeys and also as a tourist for trips to other cities. In a typical week I’ll make 2-3 Uber trips instead of my usual commute when the bus is late, when the timetable is inconvenient and I’m looking to travel faster, or if the destination is one that requires a lot of transfers (having to change between more than two trains or buses).