Getting Around Sydney - Travelling By Bus

State transit’s Sydney buses provide a punctual service that links up conveniently with the city’s rail and ferry systems. As well as covering city and suburban areas, there are two Airport Express services and two excellent sightseeing buses – the Sydney Explorer and the Bondi Explorer. The Transport Infoline can advise you on routes, fares and journey times for all Sydney buses. Armed with the map on the inside back cover of this book and a composite ticket; you can avoid the difficulties and expense of city parking.

• Using Sydney Buses

Route numbers and journey destinations are displayed on the front, back and left side of all State Transit buses. An “X” in front of the number means that it is an express bus. Only single-journey tickets can be purchased on board regular buses. Single fares are bought from the driver. Try to have coins ready as drivers are not always able to change large notes. You will be given a ticket valid for that journey only – if you change buses you will have to pay again.

If using a TravelTen ticket or TravelPass, you must insert it in the automatic stamping machine as you board. Make sure that the arrow is facing towards you and pointing downwards. If sharing a TravelTen ticket, insert it into the machine once for each person traveling.

Front seats must be given up to elderly or disabled passengers.

Eating, drinking, smoking and playing music are prohibited on buses. To signal that you wish to alight, press one of the stop buttons – they are mounted on the vertical handrails on each seat – well before the bus reaches your stop. The doors are electronic and can only be opened by the bus drivers.

• Bus Stops

Bus stops are indicated by yellow and black signs displaying a profile of a bus. Below this symbol, the numbers of all buses along the route are clearly listed. Timetables are usually found at main bus stops.

Public holidays follow the Sunday timetable. While bus stop timetables are kept as up-to-date as possible, it is best to carry a current timetable with you. They are available from State Transit Information and Ticket Kiosks, as well as some tourist information facilities.

• Sightseeing By Bus

Two Sydney bus services, the red Sydney Explorer and the blue Bondi Explorer, offer flexible sightseeing with commentaries. The Sydney Explorer covers a 26-km (16-mile) circuit and stops at 22 of the city’s most popular attractions. The Bondi Explorer travels through a number of Sydney’s eastern suburbs, taking in much of the area’s coastal scenery.

The red buses run daily every 17 minutes, the blue every 30 minutes. The great advantage of these services is that you can explore at will, getting on and off the buses as often as you wish in the course of a day. The best way to make the most of your journey is to choose the sights you most want to see and plan a basic itinerary. Be sure to note the various opening times of museums, art galleries and shops; the bus drivers can often advise you about these. Explorer bus stops are clearly marked by the colors of the bus (red or blue).

Tickets for both Explorers buses can be bought when boarding and are available from State Transit Information and Ticket Kiosks.