Destination Information: Sydney, Australia (SYD)

Originally Published March 2016

Brisbane | Gold Coast | Melbourne

I love Australia even though it’s super expensive despite the Australian dollar tanking against the US Dollar. It has many great cities, but let’s talk about Sydney, which by the way, is not its capital, that would be Canberra :-).

Where Is Australia Located?

Australia is located in the southern hemisphere and its pretty far away from Europe, the rest of Asia, The Americas, the Caribbean, the Middle East and Europe. As an example, it takes about 14 hours to fly from the U.S. West Coast to Sydney.

And the fun part is that you cross the International Date Line which causes you to miss a whole day on your way there from the U.S. and have the longest day ever on your way back.

You do have to be cognizant of this as it helps in booking accommodations and ground transportation. As an example, if you leave Los Angeles, CA (LAX) on say a Monday night, you will arrive in Sydney early Wednesday morning. Tuesday never really existed, well for a few hours when you were flying.

On the way back though you depart in the morning at say 11:30a and you arrive in LAX at about 7a. It’s really strange, but that’s the dateline for you.

Things To Know About Sydney, Australia

Here are some initial facts about Sydney, Australia that you may find useful:

Airlines Serving Sydney Kingsford Airport (SYD)

Air Asia X (D7), Air Caledonie International (SB), Air Canada (AC), Air China (CA), Air India (AI), Air New Zealand (NZ), All Nippon Airlines (NH), American Airlines (AA), Asiana Airlines (OZ), Beijing Capital Airlines (JD), British Airways (BA), Cathay Pacific Airways (CX), Cebu Pacific Air (5J), China Airlines (CI), China Eastern Airlines (MU), China Southern Airlines (CZ), Delta Air Lines (DL), Emirates (EK), Etihad Airways (EY), FC, FP, Fiji Airways (FJ), Garuda Indonesia (GA), Hainan Airlines (HU), Hawaiian Airlines (HA), Iberia Airlines (IB), Japan Airlines (JL), Jetstar Airways (JQ), Korean Airlines (KE), LATAM (LA), Malaysia Airlines (MH), PX, Philippine Airlines (PR), Qantas (QF), Qatar Airways (QR), Regional Express Airlines (ZL), Sichuan Airlines (3U), Singapore Airlines (SQ), SriLankan (UL), T’way Air, TOR Air (OD), Thai Air Asia X (XJ), Thai Airways (TG), Tianjin Airlines (GS), Tiger Airways (TR), United Airlines (Star Alliance) (UA), VietJet Air (VJ), Vietnam Airlines (VN), Virgin Australia (VA) and Xiamen Air (MF)

Airport Website

Sydney-Kingsford International Airport (SYD) http://www.sydneyairport.com.au/.

Airport To The City

• • Train – The best way is by train. You can take the train which stops at the Domestic and the International terminals; it takes about 13 minutes to get into the city, so its pretty convenient. One thing to note is that in Australia the International and the domestic terminals are typically on either side of the airport runway. And there is usually a bus for which you must pay that takes you between the two terminals. In Sydney, you can take the train between the two as long as you pay the right fare. If you are connecting from Qantas to Qantas or a partner or Virgin Australia to Virgin Australia or a partner they will give you a coupon for a complimentary ride.To get from airport to the city and vice versa, ensure that you purchase the correct fare based on where in the city you are going. You can use a kiosk or ask at the counter. Central Station is in the center of the city.
  • Taxi – Of course you can always take a taxi from the taxi rank. Don’t take a taxi from anyone who walks up to you and offer you one.
  • Shared Ride – Information about shared ride services can be found here.

Airport Hotels

There are plenty of hotels at the airport and they prices do vary. I suggest using the hotel search box below to help you locate a suitable property.

Neighboring Areas

From the heart of Sydney, there are many ferries out to the neighboring islands that surround Sydney. Be sure and take one just for fun as its a beautiful ride and you get to see the city from afar. You can go to places like Manly and Parramatta.

Currency

Australian dollar (AUD). Here’s something interesting, there are no pennies in the currency. So when you shop, they will round up or round down depending on the cost of items. So a total of 20.34 would have you paying 20.35 and 20.31 will have you pay 20.30. It’s a neat system and it works :-).

Language

English with an Australian accent that is oftentimes mistaken for a British or New Zealander (Kiwi).

Visa Information

U.S. citizens do require a visa, but you can get it online. it cost about 20 AUD and is required for stays less than 90 days. The visa is valid for a year. Only select countries are allowed to apply for a visa online. Everyone else has to apply in person at the local consulate.

Alternatively, you can use the IATA Web site for visa/health requirements to see what are the requirements for your citizenship. Oh, Australia is very strict when it comes to bringing in items into the country. the flight crew will make an announcement and you have some paperwork to fill out. Leave all your food that you have with you on the plane as they will be confiscated at the Customs Hall.

Social Media Information

Facebook, Instagram, twitter

New South Wales Tourism Board

 http://www.visitnsw.com/.

Ground Transportation

Sydney has an excellent rail and bus system that will take you all over the region including the airport to the city.

The system in Sydney is actually quite good a bit pricey, but good. They have a card called an Octopus card, that makes it easier, but I think you have to get a minimum charge on it. You can still purchase one way journeys though.

Sydney is a walking city so you can do that as well. Wear comfortable shoes though.

Find out more about the local ground transportation.

Things to See/Do In Sydney, Australia

The two most iconic things about Sydney are the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Nope, that’s not a typo, they use the British English as they are a former colony.

But there other things to see as well, here are a few:

• The Blue Mountains
• Bondi Beach
• Manly Beach
• Paramatta
• Taronga Zoo

 

You can find much more information here.

Where To Stay In Sydney, Australia

Things in Sydney can get very expensive in terms of hotels. Actually its quite an expensive city so be prepared to spend a little more than normal. On a recent stay, I stayed at a IHG property where the rates were $299 USD/night. I used points luckily which was 30,000. Shop around for a place to stay and ensure that its near the train station or the buses.

You can use the hotel map below to book and if you do, I will earn a small commission from your booking. Than you for your support.

 

Where/What To East In Sydney, Australia

Umm, I don’t think there is such a thing as Australian food :-). But you can’t go without having a Victoria Bitters and for the record, Australians hate Fosters :-).

There are several restaurants all over the city, just follow your nose until you find something you like.

Side Trip

There are many possible ones as many interesting countries are within close proximity of Australia. The closest large one is New Zealand. But in terms of Australia, I’d recommend taking a trip to Hobart in Tasmania.

Have you been to this region? If so please leave a comment below about your recommendations and experiences. If you’ve not, then leave a comment if you need additional information about taking the trip.