Sydney Travel Guide - Getting Around

Bus: Sydney has a good bus network, with most of the buses within the city operated by the state company, Sydney Buses. These buses are generally blue and white, although the tourist bus, the Sydney Explorer is red. The Explorer travels to some of the main sights in the city and a day pass allows unlimited rides.

Bus fares in Sydney are not straightforward and depend on the number of zones you are travelling through, so just tell the driver your destination and they can calculate the fare. It is a good idea to have the exact money, or at least small notes and coins for bus travel. Most bus stops are request stops, so when waiting at a bus stop you should raise your arm to inform the driver to stop. Outside of the city, bus services are less frequent and are generally run by private firms.

Children under five years travel for free, and there are one-day passes and family passes available. Passes include some discount vouchers for some of the city’s attractions so may be worth buying.

Tram (Metro Light Rail): Sydney’s Light Rail or Tram service is a fairly small service but is usually efficient and has some useful stops for visitors to the city. Like the monorail, there are a number of day passes and family passes available.

Ferry: Sydney Ferries run a commuter network that goes around the harbour and up the Parramatta River. The RiverCat travels to Parramatta and tends to be used by commuters, but is useful for a visit to Olympic Park at Homebush bay.

Water taxi: water taxis can be a convenient way to get around, but are more expensive than other methods, and can be chartered for private journeys.