Sydney Travel Forum

Do we need a rental car while in Sydney? I do have a car reserved, but now question whether it's needed. The rental rate for the 3 nights were there is $167, plus there will be cost for gas and insurance. For our stay in Sydney, I plan to spend two days exploring Sydney and beaches, and one day to the Blue Mountains. Now, I wonder if we really need a car. As for the Blue Mountains, there are day tours there, but cost for two tours would probably be more than car rental, but maybe not when you factor in gas/insurance. If local public transportation is best, and a car not needed, how is it in terms of getting from the airport to the hotel, Hilton Sydney, with luggage, and back?

When I visited New Zealand, including Auckland, we rented a car, and to see the things we needed to see, I am glad we rented a car. However, maybe this is not necessary for Sydney. I look forward to your replies, thanks.

I stayed in Sydney for a week and never felt the need to rent a car. There is a good bus and train network plus the skyrail.
There is a round city hop on - hop off bus with 2 routes, one around the inner city and one further afield stopping at Bondi.
You can get a train out to the blue mountains and again there is a hop on hop off bus that takes you to all the well known sites,

check out these links:

http://www.sydneypass.info/sydneyexplorer/
http://www.sydneypass.info/bondiexplorer/
http://www.cityrail.info/fares/link_tickets.jsp

I had no problems getting around in Sydney, using a variety of public transport- bus, taxi, train, ferry, on foot. Just didn't get to see everything we wanted to, and ended up canceling a trip to the Blue Mountains, coz we ran out of time- and we spent a week in Sydney and 2 1/2 weeks elsewhere in central and eastern Aus. Some of the day tours to Blue Mtns include a picnic lunch, tour commentary as you go through Sydney, stop at a place for scenery and koalas, etc,. but you may be able to make it cheaper on public bus.
Don't miss the Opera House, and make sure you go inside- usually open during the day, as are the inside restrooms and souvenir shop near the theatre- and take an inexpensive ferry to Bondi or some other beach instead of a Harbor tour- you get to see just as much for much less.

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Hi For 3 days I strongly recommend you do not rent a car as the traffic will be a huge hassel. Sydney would be 5 times as large as Auckland and has far better public transport to tourist attractions. Parking at Hilton Sydney will be expensive and also the beaches.Use the public ferries, Manly ferry to Manly and the faboulous beach is less than 10 minutes walk. Bondi is serviced well by transport.

The Opera House, Botanical Gardens, Harbour Bridge, Sydney Rocks Area, Darling Harbour are all walkable, or catch the metro for 1 or 2 stops.

Blue Mountains has a train service, far better than driving your car if you are not used to roads and toll way. My brother told me you can now organise guided tours when you reach Blue mountains or pre book, it might be cheaper thantaking a day tour from Sydney.

Some web pages that may help

www.sydneypass.info
www.sydneyferries.info
www.bluemts.com.au
www.cityrail.info
www.skywalk.com.au
www.thisweekinsydney.com
www.whereis.com.au
www.visitsydney.com.au

Good Luck,
Mike

Just dropped by to give everyone the thumbs up for great answers. You've said it all :o) Nope, no need to hire a car! Use the money saved to go on a Captain Cook sunset dinner cruise around the harbour instead -
http://www.captaincook.com.au/home.asp?pageid=1661F5DD27C61DDC&destinationid=55F0AB3672931FB9
Cheers,
Ann :o)

Get a Sydney transportation pass, this is cheap and includes all means of public transport, including all the harbour ferries which take you as far out as Parramatta. And you can also go to the Blue Mountains by public transportation.

The transport from the Hilton to the airport is no problem at all. The hotel is about 300 metres from the train station at Circular Quay. So if you are able to carry/roll your luggage that little distance it is straight forward.

Please let me clarify my comment about transportation in Sydney:

I write "transportation pass" - but I do not mean the Sydney Pass. This is not cheap as it does not only include normal public transportation but also the hop-on and -off buses, and rebates on Sydney attractions.

The cheap transportation pass is called TravelPass. It is available in different colours, depending on the areas you want to cover. Although for seven days the red pass costs $ 35, whereas three single day trippers would cost 3 x 16 $, so $ 48. (For comparison: The 3 day Sydney Pass would cost $ 110.)

More info here:

http://www.sydneybuses.info/tickets/prices.php#travelpass

The best thing always is to go to a ticket counter upon arrival and ask for the cheapest way of getting around, without any fancy extras.

Please let me clarify my comment about transportation in Sydney:

I write "transportation pass" - but I do not mean the Sydney Pass. This is not cheap as it does not only include normal public transportation but also the hop-on and -off buses, and rebates on Sydney attractions.

The cheap transportation pass is called TravelPass. It is available in different colours, depending on the areas you want to cover. Although for seven days the red pass costs $ 35, whereas three single day trippers would cost 3 x 16 $, so $ 48. (For comparison: The 3 day Sydney Pass would cost $ 110.)

More info here:

http://www.sydneybuses.info/tickets/prices.php#travelpass

The best thing always is to go to a ticket counter upon arrival and ask for the cheapest way of getting around, without any fancy extras.

I'm a Sydney native (but I have escaped the city) and I shudder everytime I have to drive there, the traffic, e-tolls, parking, rudeness (of some) so for a visitor I too would say no. Public transport is great.

Good answer Betty! .... and I cringe everytime I hear that hubby wants to drive in Paris!!...goodness...Sydney's bad enough! haha.

I'll add my vote to no car too. Not only the driving but the lack of parking - and hugely expensive if you can find a space - makes it a waste of time and money in the city. You can get around by walking as a lot of the attractions are close together, then use the public transport including ferries to go a bit further afield. the Blue Mountains is easy by either the formalo tours or just hopping on a train yoyurself.

Hey Ann - driving in Paris??? He's crazy!!!

Yeh Colin, I've told him he's crazy! haha.

Nope don't hire a car. We're a mad bunch of drivers in Sydney and getting worse every day. Plus the tolls & petrol are thru the roof. $170/litre for petrol is a crippler!

As far as beaches go, you can get a ferry to Manly beach, or buses to Bondi, coogee or the other city beaches.
Train for the blue mountains and the local tourist tram/bus thingy... sorry don't know the actual name but if you google it you'll find it.

I think the Hilton is actually closer to Town Hall station, so you can get a train from the airport.

Great! No car then. Thank you so much for answering this question!

I'm thinking of visiting Sydney in January 2009, but don't know if i should get a car or not. You all answered my question and concern. =)

I will be staying there for 1 week. So far, I only heard about the Blue Mountain and the Harbor are point of interest.

And as for transportation, I will get the Travelpass in Red color. =)
As for tours, do the hotels sell them? If they do, are they cheaper than online (Travelocity/Expedia)?


Thank you ...

Aglea

You can usually book any tour from your hotel. They will have a whole bunch on pamphlets on tours you can do. If you like wine, a day trip to the Hunter Valley is a good idea.