Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
GETTING AROUND SYDNEY
Sydneysiders love to complain about their public transport system, but visitors should find
it surprisingly easy to navigate. The train system is the linchpin, with lines radiating out
from Central station. Ferries head all around the harbour and up the river to Parramatta;
light rail is useful for Pyrmont and Glebe; and buses are particularly useful for getting to
the beaches.
Train
Sydney has a large suburban railway web with relatively frequent services. You can reach
most places by train, but lines don't extend to Balmain, Glebe or the northern or eastern
beaches. Trains run from around 5am to 1am - check timetables for your line. A short
and after 9am Monday to Friday you can buy an off-peak return ticket for not much more
than a standard one-way fare.
Bus
upon the number of 'sections' you traverse; tickets range from $2.10 to $4.50. Discount
passes will save you some bucks and are handy for 'prepay only' services.
Regular buses run between 5am and midnight, when NightRide buses take over. During
peak hour, buses get crowded and sometimes fail to pick up passengers at major stops if
they're full.
The major bus route hubs are Circular Quay, Argyle St in Millers Point, Wynyard Park,
Queen Victoria Building and Railway Sq (near Central station). Most buses exit the city on
George or Castlereagh Sts, and take George or Elizabeth Sts coming back in. Pay the driver
as you enter (correct change minimises annoyance), or dunk prepaid tickets in the green
ticket machines. Increasing numbers of services are 'prepay only'. Bus routes starting with
an X indicate limited-stop express routes; those with an L have limited stops.
At Circular Quay there's a
TransitShop
(cnr Alfred & Loftus Sts; 7am-7pm Mon-Fri, 8.30am-5pm
Sat & Sun)
, which sells bus tickets and offers bus info. There are other TransitShops at
Wynyard Park
(York St;
Wynyard)
, the
Queen Victoria Building
(York St)
and Railway Sq.
