Everything you need to know about the WHV in Sydney

Getting to Sydney

By plane

Most travellers will fly into Sydney International Airport, Australia’s main airport. Check prices for your plane ticket with Ulysse for preferential fares with no change fee and one checked bag included.

To reach Sydney via a domestic flight from another Australian city, you will have more choice of airlines. As well as the top-rated airlines like Qantas, you can choose from budget airlines like JetStar.

By car/van

Sydney’s location makes it an easy city to reach by car. You can take the Hume Highway from Melbourne or Highway 1 (the Pacific Highway) from Brisbane.

If you are planning to buy a car or van in Australia, make sure you read Buying a car or van in Australia.

If you need to rent a car for your journey to Sydney, check out Hertz for a 10% discount.

Be aware that some roads in Sydney are toll roads and have tolls without barriers (so you don’t necessarily know that you are on a toll road!). Cameras take a photo of your car’s licence plate and you will have to pay online within three days of using the toll road to avoid extra charges.

By bus

The main bus station is located in Sydney Central Station (the same location as the main train station).

Regional buses connect Sydney to other cities in NSW and the rest of Australia. You can find all the routes on the Transport NSW website.

By train

Sydney Central Station is the main train station in Sydney. Major regional trains and the Indian Pacific Train depart from here.

There are several regional train lines that run through NSW. NSW Trainlink allows you to travel to Sydney from Melbourne, Canberra or Brisbane.

The Indian Pacific Train is a tourist train that connects Sydney to Adelaide and Perth. The Indian Pacific Train is not backpacker-friendly due to its high costs (expect to pay a minimum of AU$2,890 in low season), and is recommended as a luxury means of travel rather than a public transport option.

Getting to the city centre from the airport

Getting to the city centre is easy with the Airport Link, which runs between the airport and the main train stations in the Central Businesses District (CBD). It takes around 10 minutes to reach Central Station, 20 minutes to Circular Quay, and about 35 minutes (with one change) to Bondi Junction.

Costs vary depending on if you are travelling during peak hours or off-peak. You can also reduce the price by getting an Opal card (AU$17.70 for an Airport Link single ticket, or AU$17.34 if you tap your Opal card).

The Opal card is free to get, but you must load it with a minimum of AU$10. It’s worth considering an Opal card if you plan to stay in Sydney for a while. You can get your card at the train stations or in WHSmith.

For Opal card fares, visit the official Transport NSW website.

If you do not have an Opal card, you can pay directly by tapping on with your contactless bank card.

Other options for getting downtown include taxi/rideshare services (expect a 20-25 minute ride at a price of around AU$60), or a shuttle service if you are spending your first few days in a hotel that offers rides to/from the airport.

Getting around Sydney

Sydney is a large city and, depending on which area you live in, it can be a long commute into the CBD. Transport is an important factor in deciding where you want to base yourself.

Public transport prices fluctuate depending on the distance you travel, the time of day and the type of journey selected. For more info, see Tickets and Opal.

Once in the CBD, it is very walkable. It only takes 30 minutes to walk from Central station to Circular Quay.

By train

Sydney has several train lines, all of which pass through Central, the main station. The most used line is the City Circle, which loops around the city centre and stops at all the tourist attractions.

Trains run every three minutes during peak hours, and up to every 15 minutes the rest of the time. Trains run from 4 a.m. to midnight on weekdays and until 2 a.m. on weekends.

By bus

Most buses are equipped to accept contactless payments and Opal cards (though some buses only accept Opal cards).

If you want to go to Bondi Beach, you can travel to Bondi Junction by train and change to a bus, or you can take a bus directly from the CBD. There is also a night bus service (from midnight to 5 a.m.).

By ferry

Because of its location on the waterfront, Sydney also has a ferry network. As well as being another option for commuting, the ferry is a cheap way for tourists to enjoy the city skyline and sunsets from the water.

Circular Quay is the major port for various ferry routes (and cruise ships). You pay the same way as the trains and buses, by tapping your contactless bank card or Opal card. The ferry service stops at midnight.

By car

Because Sydney is a big city, many Sydneysiders prefer to own a car and drive from A to B. Properties in the suburbs (outside of the CBD) often come with a parking space. If you live in areas that are not well served by public transport, you will need to consider buying a car.

However, it is not worth buying a vehicle if you plan to live in the city centre, or within a close distance to public transport options. Parking in the CBD is expensive (at least AU$50/day) and you may pass through toll roads during your commute.

By bike

Cycling in Sydney is not common; cycle paths are few and far between, making it dangerous to cycle in the CBD. Some areas of Sydney are also quite hilly, making it more of a challenge. The SydneyCycleways website offers a map of the city’s cycle routes.