Insider Guides International Student Guide to Sydney | Page 42

42 Neighbourhoods TRANSPORT Sydney Transport CITY Sydney STATE New South Wales Understanding your transport options is an important concept when you arrive in a new place. Whether it is getting to university or exploring the city’s neighbourhoods, read on to discover Sydney’s transport system. Trains Sydney has several train lines from the Central Railway Station that head east, north, west and south from the CBD. There are plenty of stations along each line, so check out the timetable to see if any are close to where you live. The train system is an effective choice for getting to the outer suburbs and around the CBD quickly. Buses For getting to many of Sydney’s metropolitan areas, buses are the best option. Buses service almost all parts of Sydney and its outer suburbs, so it’s pretty likely there’ll be a bus stop near you. Buses around Sydney vary in arrival times, usually averaging between 5-15 minutes at popular bus stops and ranging up to an hour in the outer suburbs. If the bus has an L or X somewhere in the number, be careful! Some of these buses are express buses, meaning they won’t stop at certain bus stops. Check with the driver if you’re unsure. Ferries Ferries cover almost every suburb that’s fronted by Sydney Harbour, including Manly, Balmain, Circular Quay and even extend as far as Parramatta. The ferry system is one of the prettiest ways to get around the city, taking advantage of the city’s harbour, port and river system. Tickets are a little more expensive but worth it for the scenery. Ticketing From 2015, Sydney will have the Opal card as its preferred ticket for buses, trains and ferries, but you can still use the standard MyMulti tickets if you have one. The reusable smart card (Opal card) is easy to use. It works a bit like a debit card: first, you’ll need to load money onto your Opal card at a station or an authorised store such as 7/11. Visit www.opal.com.au for information on where to buy and top up an Opal card. Then, as you board, tap on using your Opal card. To tap on, place the Opal card on an Opal card reader. Some are located on platforms while others will be located in the vehicle. When you want