The way to Australia is quite a long flight, literally to the end of the world. Airport them. Kingsford Smith in Sydney is the main air gateway of the continent. There are no direct flights here from Russia, but there are plenty of options to get there with one or two transfers.
It is most convenient to fly from Moscow to Sydney with a transfer in Singapore (Singapore Airlines), Doha (Qatar Airways), Guangzhou (China Southern Airlines), Abu Dhabi (Etihad Airways), Dubai (Emirates)). Minimum travel time 19 hours 30 minutes (via Singapore). If you fly through Guangzhou, China, the journey will take 28 hours. Check ehangzhou for other cities and countries as well as overview of Australia.
Flights from Moscow to Sydney via the airports of Amsterdam (KLM), Paris (Air France), Berlin (Air Berlin) are carried out with two transfers, take longer and, as a rule, are more expensive than those in Asia airlines.
From St. Petersburg to Sydney, the fastest (21 hours 30 minutes) you can fly from Emirates to Dubai, and from there by plane of the Australian company Kuantas Airways.
From airport to city
Sydney Airport International Terminal is located 9 km south of Sydney city centre.
The fastest way to get to the city is by Sydney’s Airport Link train (website in English). Runs from 4:56 to 1:19, interval from 6 to 30 minutes. To the Central railway station (Central station) the train goes 14 minutes. Town Hall (Town Holl station) is 26 minutes away. Ticket price 23.20 AUD, for children 20.45 AUD. Prices on the page are for August 2022.
Bus route No. 400 passes through the international terminal. It can take you to the Banksia railway station and further to the desired place. Travel time to the center is about 50 minutes.
A taxi to the city will cost 80-90 AUD, on the road – 20-25 minutes.
Sydney Hotels
To find affordable hotels in Sydney, it is not necessary to go to the outskirts of the city. Even in the Central Business District, 5 * hotels (from 235 AUD per day) peacefully coexist with budget youth hostels, where a place in a dormitory room costs from 45 AUD.
There are many hostels and popular two- and three-star hotels in the areas of Kings Cross and Potts Point, a 10-15 minute drive to the center. True, not everyone may like it here – there are a lot of haunts and noisy nightclubs.
Accommodation in quiet and peaceful areas on the north side of Sydney Harbor will cost from 135 AUD in a 3 * hotel and from 230 AUD in a four-star hotel overlooking the Sydney Opera House and Harbor Bridge.
A reasonable compromise of comfort and price – apartments. For example, in the Pyrmont area with modern residential complexes or in Bondi Beach, which looks like a prestigious holiday village.
Transportation
The public transport system in Sydney is the best in Australia. It includes buses, trams, ferries and railways.
- Buses run from 5:00 to 23:00, the rest of the time there are NightRide night buses on the line.
- The railway replaces the Sydney Metro and runs from 4:30 am to midnight (websitein English).
- A single Sydney tram line links Central Station to the South West Business District (websitein English).
- Ferries in Sydney are the oldest form of public transport, especially popular with tourists (route mapin English).
The fare depends on the distance, time of day, age of the passenger, mode of transport and form of payment (see on the website of the Sydney Transport Authority in English).
Fare payment
It is more profitable to pay for all types of public transport with a reusable Opal card (website in English). You can buy and activate it at specialized or newsstands, 7/11 stores and EzyMart. Opal single tickets are sold at vending machines at railway stations, bus and tram drivers, but they will cost more.
When entering public transport, you need to attach your Opal card to a special terminal (the rest of the money will be displayed). When leaving, you must repeat the procedure so that the amount for the trip is debited. You can replenish the balance in terminals with the inscription “Opal Top up”.
Taxis
The average cost of a Sydney taxi ride is 21 AUD, about 3 AUD per kilometer.
Bicycles for rent
In Sydney, there are several companies where you can rent bicycles, points of issue are located, among other things, in large parks. The average cost of renting a bike is 15 AUD for 1 hour, 40-50 AUD per day.
Rent a Car
There are offices of international car rental companies at Sydney Airport: Alamo, Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Europcar, Thrifty. The lowest prices are offered by the local company East Coast Car Rentals – renting a Hyundai i30 for 1 day costs about 90 AUD, a prestigious Toyota Corolla will cost 108 AUD per day.
Before getting the keys to the car, it is worth remembering that in Australia there is left-hand traffic, that on weekdays drivers standing in traffic jams in Sydney follow the buses going along the dedicated lane and, finally, about the difficulties of parking in the city center.
