By Plane -- Sydney International Airport is 8 km (5 miles) from the city center. Shuttle buses link the international and domestic terminals. Single tickets cost A$5.50. The journey takes up to 10 minutes and operates every 30 minutes from 6am to 9pm (more often in the morning peak period). Bus stops are on arrivals levels, at T1 Bus Bay 21 (near the McDonald’s), and at T2 on the first roadway in the center of the terminal. In both terminals, you’ll find luggage carts, wheelchairs, a post office (daily 6am–8:30pm), mailboxes, currency exchange, duty-free shops, 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. Smarte Carte (at the southern end of the arrivals level) has luggage storage for A$12 a day for a small bag and A$15 for a suitcase. Luggage trolleys are free to use in the international arrival terminal but cost A$4 outside departure terminals (you’ll need coins).

Airport Link (www.airportlink.com.au) trains connect 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 also a commuter train to the city from the suburbs it gets very crowded during rush hours (around 7–9am and 4–6:30pm). If you have lots of luggage, it’s probably best to take a taxi. The train takes 10 minutes to reach the Central Railway Station and continues to Circular Quay. Trains leave every 10 minutes and cost A$17 one-way for adults and A$12 for children from the international terminal. Round-trip tickets are available only if you want to return to the airport on the same day.

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.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.