edit Sydney Travel Guide

• The Sydney Opera House - millions of tourists a year flock to this impressive building, even if they have little or no interest in Opera. The Sydney Opera House is easily one of the most famous structures ever built.
• The Koala Park Sanctuary in the Outer West
• try the bondi to bronte coastal walk

By plane

Sydney has one major airport: Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport (SYD). Travelers from Europe and the Middle East tend to travel into Sydney via Asia, whilst travelers from South America fly via either North America or New Zealand.

By train

All major train links to Sydney terminate at Sydney's Central Station in the south of the CBD area. Travellers can transfer to Cityrail trains or the light rail service to Darling Harbour, as well as to taxis.

New South Wales' long distance train service CountryLink (http://www.countrylink.info/) runs daily services to Sydney from Brisbane, Melbourne, Canberra and many regions of New South Wales including the North Coast, New England, the Central West and the Southern Highlands. Travelling time from Melbourne and Brisbane is around 12 hours. Fares range between $30 and $100 for standard class seats.

The Indian Pacific train service (ph 13 21 47 within Australia or 08 8213 4592 internationally) runs from Perth to Sydney via Adelaide and Broken Hill. Adult fares from Perth are $1250 for a sleeper cabin and $513 for a seat. Children's fares are $805 for a sleeper cabin and $139 for a seat. The train departs from Perth on Wednesdays and arrives at Sydney on Saturdays. Note that these fares are much higher than return plane fares to Perth, this journey is really for train journey enthusiasts who want to see the interior of Australia.

The Cityrail network runs services several times a day from close regional cities: Newcastle via the Central Coast (New South Wales), Goulburn via the Southern Highlands, Nowra via the South Coast and Lithgow via the Blue Mountains. Fares on these trains range from $4 - $25 for adult.

By car

Sydney is within a reasonable driving distance (minimum 10 hours driving) of Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide. Most people allow two days to cover this distance.

• Melbourne - Sydney = 862 km via Albury-Wodonga (Hume Highway)
• Adelaide - Sydney = 1422km via Mildura or 1659km via Broken Hill (National Highway 32)
• Brisbane - Sydney = 938 km via the coast (Pacific Highway) or 961 km via Armidale (New England Highway)

By bus

By boat

By Car

Outside of peak times you can drive around Sydney reasonably freely. Driving is on the left hand side of road.

By Mass Transit

Sydney has a good public transport system, especially in areas closer to the city area where many attractions are. You can find out timetables, fares, and routes by phoning 131 500 within Australia for the cost of a local call, or by visiting http://www.131500.info/realtime/default.asp. The cheapest way to use the buses, trains and ferries is to purchase one of the many travel cards: multi-use tickets typically sold at a 10-20% discount.

Of particular interest to short-term visitors are the CityHopper ticket ($6.80 adults and $3.40 children, cheaper if bought after 10am) which allows unlimited train travel for a day in the centre of the train network; the DayTripper ticket ($15 adults and $7 children) which allows unlimited travel on all metropolitan Cityrail trains, Sydney Bus services and Sydney Ferry services; and the longer term SydneyPass tickets, allowing unlimited travel for up to 8 days including tourist services. An alternative is the week-long Red TravelPass which includes all trains, buses and ferries in the inner Sydney area for around $30.

By Foot

The main sights in central Sydney can easily be covered on foot in a days walking tour and best of all nearly everything is free. There are many picturesque and interesting walks throughtout Sydney. The following are just a few of the better-known routes.

• Coogee beach to Bondi - Following the eastern coastline past several of Sydney's beautiful beaches. Stop off for a swim if you get too hot.
• Manly to the Spit - Along the foreshore of Sydney Harbour - http://www.manlyweb.com.au/information/what_to_do/walks/walkway.asp
• Circular Quay and surrounds - Start underneath the Sydney Harbour Bridge, then walk past the The Rocks, Circular Quay, the Sydney Opera House, the Royal Botanical Gardens and Mrs Macquarie's Chair.

Sydney is perhaps best described as "sub-tropical" - although Sydneysiders talk about "four seasons", it is truer to say that Sydney has but two seasons: a hot, mildly humid one (summer), and a colder one (winter). The city is generally comfortable for travellers to visit any time of year. The average annual temperature in central Sydney is 25°C (77°F). The city enjoys 300 sunny days each year.

Police

000

Fire Department

Hospitals

Crime

Sydney has similar crime issues to most large western cities, but that being said, it is a safe place to visit. Be on the lookout for the usual big city crime problems such as pickpocketing, and exercise caution on the rail system late at night, as you would in other cities. It is generally advisable to travel in the carriage closest to the guard's compartment, which is marked with a blue light on the outside of the train.

Be careful in the red light area of Kings Cross at night. Although the main street in this area has been cleaned up immesurably by the police, crime does still occur and pickpocketing or mugging can happen to the unwary.

Whilst in late 2005 some ethnic tension between white Anglo-Celtic residents and Middle Eastern residents spilled over into rioting at Cronulla Beach and tension is generally on the rise, but the area has recovered and is now much quieter.

South-West Sydney has a higher than average crime rate, but most tourists are unlikely to venture there.

Smoking

Gays and Lesbians

Sydney's large gay scene is concentrated on Oxford Street in Darlinghurst although it still has a large range of pubs and clubs for all ranges of sexuality and is a prominent nightspot for alot of sydney goers. The Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras is a festival organised by and for the queer community. It includes sports, cultural and arts events that run throughout February, culminating in the Mardi Gras parade in Darlinghurst on the first Saturday of March each year. The festival began as a street protest, and has grown into a huge celebration. http://www.mardigras.org.au/ title="http://www.mardigras.org.au/"

Anything and everything you could possibly want to buy is probably available in Sydney, it may be scattered all over the city, but it will be there. Areas range from the more up-market to bargain and moderately priced items.

• Pitt Street Mall is the pedestrianised section of Pitt Street in the CBD of Sydney, Australia. It is one block long between Market Street and King Street and is one of Australia's busiest and most cosmopolitan shopping precincts. Despite the districts small size, it is home to many flagship chain stores.
• Queen Victoria Building is a renowned 20th century building, home to over 400 stores. The building retains a historic architectual style. Located on George St adjacent to Town Hall.
• Oxford Street close to the CBD in particular, the street is lined with numerous shops, bars and nightclubs.
• Castlereagh Street is lined by many of Sydney's most expensive boutiques and jewellery stores.
• Westfield Shopping Centre, Chatswood. A major suburban shopping complex easily reached by train or bus to Chatswood station. Westfield Shopping Cente,
• Westfield Shopping Centre Bondi Junction is held in similarly high regard as a Sydney fashion centre, and is easily accesible from Bondi Junction railway station which is ten minutes ride by train from Town Hall.
• Birkenhead Point - A multi-story factory outlet. Short bus ride from the Sydney CBD. Also accesible from the city centre via Ferry from Circular Quay, though the usual trip time is far greater than the equivalent bus trip.

There are a number of good day trips from Sydney.

• Drive across the Bell's Line of Road over the Blue Mountains to Lithgow. Buy some apples from the orchard vendors at the side of the road if driving over in autumn.
• Travel up into the populated area of the Blue Mountain. There are a number of good day walks in the Katoomba area, or you could tour Jelnolan Caves.
• Royal National Park, in the south of Sydney and accessible by train has nice 1 to 2 day walks
• Newnes Glen in Wollemi National Park
• Kanangra Boyd National Park 
• Take a tour of the Hunter Valley Wineries
  
• Wollongong is a lovely small city south of Sydney, accessible by driving down the F6 freeway or taking an Illawarra/South Coast line Cityrail train.
• Head up to Gosford for some quieter, but picturesque beaches.