Planning a trip to Sydney

Fast Facts

ATMs/Banks -- Banking hours are Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm. Many banks, especially in the city center, are open from around 9:30am to 12:30pm on Saturday. Most major bank branches offer currency-exchange services.

Business Hours -- General office hours are Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm. Shopping hours are usually from 8:30am to 5:30pm daily (9am–5pm Sat), and most stores stay open until 9pm on Thursday. Most city-center stores are open from around 10am to 4pm on Sunday.

Dentists -- CBD Dental Practice, Level 2, The Country Centre, 74 Castlereagh St., (tel. 02/9221 2453; www.cbddental.com.au), offers same-day emergency treatment. It’s open Monday through Friday 8am to 6pm (by appointment). The Sydney Dental Hospital is on 2 Chalmers St., Surry Hills (tel. 02/9293 3333).

Doctors & Hospitals -- St. Vincent’s Hospital is at Victoria and Burton streets in Darlinghurst, near Kings Cross (tel. 02/8382 1111).The Park Medical Centre, Shop 4, 27 Park St. (tel. 02/9264 4488), in the city center near Town Hall, is open Monday through Friday 8am to 6pm. The Travellers’ Medical & Vaccination Centre, Level 7, the Dymocks Building, 428 George St., in the city center (tel. 1300 658 844 or 02/9221 7133; www.traveldoctor.com.au), administers travel-related vaccinations and medications. It’s open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday 9am to 5pm (until 6pm Tuesday and 8pm Thursday) and 9am to 1pm Saturday. Appointments essential.

Embassies & Consulates -- All foreign embassies are based in Canberra. The following consulates are in Sydney: Canada, Level 5, 111 Harrington St., The Rocks (tel. 02/9364 3000); New Zealand, 55 Hunter St. (tel. 02/9223 0144); United Kingdom, Level 16, Gateway Building, 1 Macquarie Place, Circular Quay (tel. 02/9247 7521); and United States, Level 59, MLC Centre, 19–29 Martin Place (tel. 02/9373 9200).

Emergencies -- Dial tel. 000 to call the police, the fire service, or an ambulance. Call the NRMA for car breakdowns (tel. 13 11 11). Call the Poisons Information Centre (tel. 13 11 26); the Rape Crisis Centre (tel. 1800 424 017 in Australia); or the Lifeline 24-hour counseling service (tel. 13 11 14).

Internet Access -- Sydney has many Internet and e-mail centers, particularly in and around Kings Cross, Bondi, and Manly.

Mail & Postage -- The General Post Office (GPO) is at 1 Martin Place (tel. 13 13 18 in Australia or 02/9244 3711). It’s open Monday through Friday 8:15am to 5:30pm and Saturday 10am to 2pm. For the nearest post office, call tel. 13 13 18 or find it online at www.auspost.com.au.

Pharmacies (Chemist Shops) -- Most suburbs have pharmacies that are open late. For after-hours referral, contact the Emergency Prescription Service (tel. 1300/ 882 294).

Police -- In an emergency, dial tel. 000. Make nonemergency police inquiries through the City Central police station (tel. 02/9265 6499 or 13 14 44).

Safety -- Sydney is generally a safe city, but as anywhere else, it’s good to keep your wits about you and your wallet hidden. Be wary in Kings Cross and Redfern and around Central Station and the cinema strip on George Street near Town Hall station in the evening—the latter is a hangout for local gangs. Other places of concern are the back lanes of Darlinghurst, around the naval base at Woolloomooloo, and along the Bondi restaurant strip when sunburned drunken tourists spill out after midnight. If traveling by train at night, ride in the carriages next to the guard’s van, marked with a blue light on the outside.

Parking

Sydney is one of the largest cities in the world, covering more than 1,730 sq. km (675 sq. miles) from the sea to the foothills of the Blue Mountains. Thankfully, the city center, or Central Business District (CBD), is compact. The jewel in Sydney’s crown is its magnificent harbor, which empties into the South Pacific Ocean through headlands known as North Head and South Head. On the southern side of the harbor are the high-rises of the city center; the Sydney Opera House; a string of beaches, including Bondi; and the inner suburbs. The Sydney Harbour Bridge and a tunnel connect the city center to the high-rises of the North Sydney business district and the affluent suburbs and ocean beaches beyond.

Main Arteries & Streets -- The city’s main thoroughfare, George Street, runs up from Circular Quay, past Wynyard train station and Town Hall, to Central Station. Other main streets running parallel to George include Pitt, Elizabeth, and Macquarie streets. Macquarie Street runs up from the Sydney Opera House, past the Royal Botanic Gardens and Hyde Park. Martin Place is a pedestrian thoroughfare between Macquarie and George streets. It’s about halfway between Circular Quay and Town Hall—in the heart of the city center. The easy-to-spot Sydney Tower, facing onto pedestrian-only Pitt Street Mall on Pitt Street, is the main city-center landmark. Next to Circular Quay and across from the Opera House is The Rocks, a cluster of small streets that was once part of a historic larger slum and is now a tourist attraction. Roads meet at Town Hall from Kings Cross in one direction and Darling Harbour in the other. From Circular Quay to The Rocks, it’s a 5- to 10-minute stroll, to Wynyard a 10-minute walk, and to Town Hall a 20-minute stroll. From Town Hall to the near side of Darling Harbour, it’s about a 10-minute walk.

Visitor Information

The Sydney Visitor Centre at The Rocks, First Floor, The Rocks Centre, Corner of Argyle and Playfair streets, The Rocks (tel. 1800/067 676 in Australia, or 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. You can ask questions by e-mailing them (visitorinformation@shfa.nsw.gov.au). 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).

A good website is CitySearch Sydney (www.sydney.citysearch.com.au), for events, entertainment, dining, and shopping. Another is www.sydney.com.

Getting There

Sydney Airporter coaches (tel. 02/9666 9988; www.kst.com.au) travel 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$15 for adults and A$10 for children 4 to 11 one-way and A$28 for adults and A$18 for round-trip tickets.

Taxi Savvy

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 appreciate a tip, but there is no compulsion to do so. If you’ve had good service, a 10% tip is enough.

A taxi from the airport to the city center costs about A$50. An expressway, the Eastern Distributor, is the fastest way to reach the city from the airport. There’s a A$5 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, and the Sydney airport charges a A$3.75 fee to catch a taxi from there.

By Train -- Central Station (tel. 13 15 00 for Sydney Trains, or 13 22 32 for NSW TrainLink 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 Sydney Trains 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. 02/9281 9366), on Eddy Avenue (Bay 13 at Central Station).

By Cruise Ship -- Ships dock at the Overseas Passenger Terminal in The Rocks, opposite the Sydney Opera House, or the White Bay Cruise Terminal in the suburb of Rozelle, about 5 km (3 miles) from the city center.

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.

Neighborhoods in Brief

South of Sydney Harbour

Circular Quay -- This transport hub for ferries, buses, and trains is tucked between the Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House. The Quay, as it’s called, is a good spot for a stroll, and its outdoor restaurants and street performers are popular. The Rocks, the Royal Botanic Gardens, the Contemporary Art Museum, and the start of the main shopping area (centered on Pitt and George sts.) are a short walk away. To get there by public transport, take a train, ferry, or city bus to Circular Quay.

The Rocks -- This small historic area, a short stroll west of Circular Quay, is packed with colonial stone buildings, intriguing back streets, boutiques, pubs, tourist stores, restaurants, and hotels. It’s the most exclusive place to stay in the city because of its beauty and its proximity to the Opera House and harbor. Shops are geared toward Sydney’s yuppies and wealthy tourists—don’t expect bargains. On weekends, a portion of George Street is blocked off for The Rocks Market, with stalls selling souvenirs and crafts. A foodies’market operates on Fridays. To reach the area on public transport, take any bus for Circular Quay or The Rocks (on George St.) or a train or ferry to Circular Quay. Check out www.therocks.com for event info.

Town Hall -- In the heart of the city, this area is home to the main department stores and two Sydney landmarks, the Town Hall and a historic shopping mall called the Queen Victoria Building (QVB). Also in this area are Sydney Tower and the boutique-style chain stores of Pitt Street Mall. Farther up George Street are movie houses, the entrance to Sydney’s Spanish district (around Liverpool St.), and Chinatown. Take any bus from Circular Quay on George Street or a train to the Town Hall stop.

Darling Harbour -- Designed as a tourist precinct, Darling Harbour features Sydney’s main convention, exhibition, and entertainment centers; a waterfront promenade; the Sydney Aquarium; an IMAX theatre; the Australian Maritime Museum; the Powerhouse Museum; the Star City casino; a food court; and plenty of shops. Nearby are the restaurants of Cockle Bay and King Street Wharf. To reach Darling Harbour by public transport, take a ferry from Circular Quay (Wharf 5) or the light rail from Central Station. It’s a short walk from Town Hall.

Kings Cross & the Suburbs Beyond -- “The Cross,”as it’s known, is the city’s red-light district—and it’s also home to some of Sydney’s best-known nightclubs and restaurants. The area has plenty of backpacker hostels, a few bars, and some upscale hotels. The main drag, Darlinghurst Road, is short but crammed with strip joints, prostitutes, drunks, and such. It’s certainly colorful. Also here are cheap Internet centers. There’s a heavy police presence and usually plenty of “ordinary”people around, but do take care. Beyond the strip clubs and glitter, the neighborhoods of Elizabeth Bay, Double Bay, and Rose Bay hug the waterfront. To get here, take a train to Kings Cross. From the next stop, Edgecliff, it’s a short walk to Double Bay and a longer one to Rose Bay along the coast.

Paddington/Oxford Street -- This central-city neighborhood, centered on trendy Oxford Street, is known for its expensive terrace houses, off-the-wall boutiques and bookshops, and restaurants, pubs, and nightclubs. It’s also the heart of Sydney’s large gay community and has a liberal scattering of gay bars and dance spots. To reach the area by public transport, take bus no. 380 or 382 from Circular Quay (on Elizabeth St.); no. 378 from Railway Square, Central Station; or no. 355, 378 or 380 from Bondi Junction. The lower end of Oxford Street is a short walk from Museum Station (take the Liverpool St. exit).

Darlinghurst -- Between grungy Kings Cross and upscale Oxford Street, this extroverted, grimy, terraced area is home to some of Sydney’s best cafes—though it’s probably not wise to wander around here at night alone. Take the train to Kings Cross and head right from the exit.

Central -- The congested, polluted crossroads around Central Station, the city’s main train station, has little to recommend it. Buses run from here to Circular Quay, and it’s a 20-minute walk to Town Hall. The Sydney Central YHA (youth hostel) is here.

Glebe -- Young professionals and students come to this central-city neighborhood for the cafes, restaurants, pubs, and shops along the main thoroughfare, Glebe Point Road. All this, plus a location 15 minutes from the city and 30 minutes from Circular Quay, makes it a good place for budget-conscious travelers. To reach Glebe, take bus no. 370, 431, 433, 439, or 470 from Circular Quay.

Bondi & the Southern Beaches -- Some of Sydney’s most glamorous surf beaches—Bondi, Bronte, and Coogee—lie along the South Pacific coast, southeast of the city center. Bondi has a wide sweep of beach (crowded in summer), some interesting restaurants and bars, plenty of attitude, and beautiful bodies—but no train station. To reach Bondi, take bus no. 333 to Bondi Beach from Circular Quay—it takes about 40 minutes. You need to buy a ticket at a newsdealer or 7-Eleven store beforehand. A Travelten bus ticket is a good option if you are staying in Bondi. Bus no. 378 from Railway Square, Central Station, goes to Bronte, and bus no. 373 travels to Coogee from Circular Quay.

Watsons Bay -- Watsons Bay is known for The Gap—a section of dramatic sea cliffs—as well as several good restaurants and a good beer garden. It’s a terrific spot to spend a sunny afternoon. To reach it, take bus no. 324 from Circular Quay. There’s limited ferry service daily from Circular Quay (Wharf 4), starting at 10:20am on weekdays, 9:30am on weekends and holidays.

North of Sydney Harbour

North Sydney -- You can see the giant smiling clown face of Luna Park from Circular Quay, but North Sydney—across the Harbour Bridge—has little in the way of tourist attractions. It’s predominantly a business area. Chatswood (take a train from Central or Wynyard station) has some good suburban-type shopping; and Milsons Point has a decent pub, the Kirribilli Hotel.

The North Shore -- Ferries and buses provide access to these wealthy neighborhoods across the Harbour Bridge. Gorgeous Balmoral Beach, Taronga Zoo, and upscale boutiques are the attractions in Mosman. Take a ferry from Circular Quay (Wharf 2) to Taronga Zoo (10 min.) and a bus to Balmoral Beach (another 10 min.).

Manly -- Half an hour from Circular Quay by ferry, Manly is famous for its ocean beach—it gives Bondi a run for its money—and scores of cheap food outlets. A privately operated fast-ferry service also runs from Circular Quay to Manly.

West of the City Center

Balmain -- A short ferry ride from Circular Quay, Balmain was once Sydney’s main shipbuilding area. In the last few decades, the area has become trendy and expensive. The neighborhood has a village feel to it, abounds with restaurants and pubs, and stages a popular Saturday market at the local church. Take bus no. 441 or 442 from Town Hall or George Street, or a ferry from Circular Quay, and then a short bus ride (or walk) up the hill to the main shopping area.

Getting Around

By Public Transportation

State Transit operates the city’s buses and the ferry network; Sydney Trains runs the urban and suburban trains; and Sydney Ferries runs the public passenger ferries. Some private bus lines operate buses in the outer suburbs. In addition, a light rail line runs between Central Station and Wentworth Park in Pyrmont. Transport (tel. 131 500) is a one-stop search engine for bus, train, and ferry timetables. Public transit fares are subject to change, so the prices given should act only as a guide.

To pay public transit fares, you'll need an Opal Card — a smartcard ticket that you keep and add value to. Adult and child (4-15) tickets are readily available at retailers around the city, and single-trip tickets are also available. The Opal travel caps mean that adults won't pay more than A$15 a day, A$7.50 for children, no matter how much they travel or how many modes of transportation they use.

By Public Bus — Buses are frequent and reliable and cover a wide area of metropolitan Sydney. The minimum fare (which covers most short hops in the city) is A$2.10 for a 3 km (1 1/2-mile) “section.” The farther you go, the cheaper each section is. For example, the 44 km (27-mile) trip to Palm Beach, way past Manly, costs A$4.60. Sections are marked on bus-stand signs, but if you’re confused or in doubt, ask the bus driver.

Most buses bound for the northern suburbs, including night buses to Manly and the bus to Taronga Zoo, leave from Wynyard Park on Carrington Street, behind the Wynyard train station on George Street. Buses to the southern beaches, such as Bondi and Bronte, and the western and eastern suburbs leave from Circular Quay. Buses to Balmain leave from behind the QVB.

Buses run from 4:30am to around midnight during the week, less frequently on weekends and holidays. Some night buses to outer suburbs run throughout the night. You can buy single tickets onboard.

By Sightseeing Bus — Bright red open-top Sydney Explorer buses operate daily, traveling a circuit that takes in 26 places of interest. These include the Sydney Opera House, the Royal Botanic Gardens, the State Library, Mrs. Macquarie’s Chair, the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Kings Cross, Elizabeth Bay House, the QVB, Sydney Tower, the Australian Museum, Chinatown, Darling Harbour, and The Rocks. Bus stops are identified by a distinctive red sign. The interval between services is about 15 to 20 minutes, and you can board the bus at any stop along the route. The first departure from Alfred St., (near the corner of Pitt St.), at Circular Quay is at 8:30am, and the last service will return you to Circular Quay at 7:30pm.

The Bondi Explorer operates every day, traveling a 30 km (19-mile) circuit around the eastern harborside bays and coastal beaches. The 10 stops along the way include Chinatown, Sydney Tower, Double Bay, Rose Bay, Bondi Beach, North Bondi, and Paddington’s Oxford Street. The interval between the hop-on-hop-off services is around 30 minutes. The first departure is from Central Station (Stop A at Eddy Avenue) at 9:30am. Tickets cost A$45 for adults, A$25 for children 5 to 16, and A$120 for a family of four for 24 hours, or A$65 adults, A$40 children and A$180 families for 48 hours. If you stay on the bus, the full circuit of each tour will take around 90 minutes. When planning your itinerary, remember that some attractions, such as museums, close at 5pm. Buy tickets onboard the bus. Call tel. 02/9567 8400 for more details.

By Ferry — The best way to get a taste of a city that revolves around its harbor is to jump aboard a ferry. The main ferry terminal is at Circular Quay. For ferry information, call tel. 131 500, check out www.transportnsw.info, info, or visit the ferry information office opposite Wharf 4. One-way trips within the inner harbor (virtually everywhere except Manly) cost A$5.74 for adults and A$2.87 for children ages 4 to 15. Kids under 4 travel free.

The ferry to Manly takes 30 minutes and costs A$7.18 for adults and A$3.59 for children. It leaves from Wharf 3. Ferries run from 6am to midnight. There is also a privately run fast ferry that runs to Manly from Circular Quay, which takes 18 minutes. The Manly Fast Ferry (tel. 02/9583 1199) uses its own ticketing system and turnstiles and departs from Wharf 6 at Circular Quay. Tickets cost A$7.70 adults and $5.10 kids, one way. The first ferry leaves Circular Quay at 6:30am and the last at 9pm; the last fast ferry departs Manly at 9:30pm. Ferries operate as every 10-30 minutes or so, depending on the hour. The fast ferry also goes to Darling Harbour, Pyrmont Bay, and North Sydney.

By Train — Sydney’s publicly owned train system is a good news/bad news way to get around. The good news is that it can be a cheap and relatively efficient way to see the city; the bad news is that the system is limited. Many tourist areas—including Manly, Bondi Beach, and Darling Harbour—are not connected to the network. Though trains tend to run regularly, the timetable is unreliable. And many carriages aren’t air-conditioned, so it can be really hot in summer.

Trips less than 10 km (6 miles) cost A$3.38 for adults and A$1.69 for children during peak hours, but cost 30% less during off-peak hours. Peak hours may vary by station, but are usually from 6am-9am and 4pm-6:30pm.

By Light Rail — A system of trams runs on a route that traverses a 12.7 km (7 1/2-mile) track between Central Station and Dulwich Hill. It provides good access to Chinatown, Paddy’s Markets, Darling Harbour, the Star City casino, and the Sydney Fish Markets. The trams run every 10-15 minutes. The one-way fare is A$2.10 to A$3.50 for adults and A$1.05 to A$1.75 for children 4 to 15, depending on distance. Contact Sydney Light Rail (tel. 131 500) for details.

By Taxi

Several taxi companies serve the city center and suburbs. All journeys are metered. If you cross either way on the Harbour Bridge or through the Harbour Tunnel, it will cost a few extra dollars (depending on the time of day). An extra 10% will be added if you pay by credit card.

Taxis line up at stands in the city, such as those opposite Circular Quay and Central Station. They are also frequently found in front of hotels. A yellow light on top of the cab means it’s vacant. Cabs can be hard to get on Friday and Saturday nights and between 2pm and 3pm every day, when cabbies are changing shifts after 12 hours on the road. Passengers must wear seatbelts in the front and back seats. The Point to Point Transport (taxis, hire car, rideshare) Complaints Hotline (tel. 1800/648 478 in Australia) deals with problem taxi drivers. Taxis are licensed to carry four people. The main taxi companies are 13CABS (tel. 13 2227); Silver Service Fleet (tel. 02/9020 2000); RSL Cabs (tel. 02/9581 1111); Legion Cabs (tel. 131 451); Premier Cabs (tel. 131 017); and St. George Cabs (tel. 132 166).

By Water Taxi

Water Taxis operate 24 hours a day and are a quick, convenient way to get to waterfront restaurants, harbor attractions, and some suburbs. They can also be chartered for private cruises. Fares for a direct transfer are based on an initial flag-fall for the hire of the vessel and then a charge per person traveling. Fares for a harbor jaunt are usually around A$15 per person. On most transfers, the more people traveling, the lower the fare per person. The main operators are Yellow Water Taxis (tel. 1800/326 822) and Water Taxis Combined (tel. 02/9555 8888).

By Car

Traffic restrictions, parking, and congestion can make getting around by car frustrating, but if you plan to visit some of the outer suburbs or take excursions elsewhere in New South Wales, then renting a car will give you more flexibility. The National Roads and Motorists’ Association (NRMA) is the New South Wales auto club; for emergency breakdown service, call tel. 13 11 11.

Tolls apply for some roads, including the Cross City Tunnel and Sydney Harbour Bridge; increasingly you must go through automatic toll booths using a prepaid electronic tag called an E-Tag. If you are hiring a car, you may be provided with an E-Tag, but make sure you ask about how you pay. Drivers without E-Tags have 2 days to pay; call the Roads and Maritime Authority (tel. 132 213) within 2 days for details on your payment options.

Car-rental agencies in Sydney include Avis, 200 William St., Kings Cross (tel. 13 63 33 in Australia or (02) 9246 4600); Budget, 93 William St., Kings Cross (tel. 13 27 27 in Australia or 02/8255 9600); Europcar, 100 William St., Kings Cross (tel. 13 13 90 in Australia or (02) 8255 9070); Hertz, corner of William and Riley streets, Kings Cross (tel. 13 30 39 in Australia or 02/9360 6621); and Thrifty, 75 William St., Kings Cross (tel. 13 61 39 in Australian or 02/8374 6177). All also have desks at the airport. One of the best-value operations is Bayswater Car Rental, 180 William St., Kings Cross (tel. 02/9360 3622), which has small cars from around A$30 a day, sometimes less. A good option is to compare prices and book discounted vehicles through Vroom, Vroom, Vroom.