About Sydney, NSW Australia (click on the blue or underlined links)
https://webcamsydney.com/
Will be updated from time to time
SYD & Info FT threads
Phones
__________________________________
Some information on the Sydney Opal card for public transport. The same Opal card is used for rail, bus & ferry.
If any Sydney locals have some more guidance on using the public transport system please advise.
Opal card links
https://transportnsw.info/tickets-opal
https://transportnsw.info/tickets-opal/opal#/login
https://transportnsw.info/news/2018/...ies-light-rail
Monday 26 November 2018
Contactless payments are now available for standard (peak) Adult Opal fares on Sydney Trains and NSW TrainLink Intercity rail services.
If you are catching a train you can now tap on and tap off using an accepted contactless payment card, which means there are more ways to pay for a standard (peak) Adult Opal fare on any train, Sydney Ferries or light rail service within the Opal network.
There’s no need to have an Opal card or wait in a ticket machine queue, just tap on and tap off to pay your Adult fare at an Opal reader with most American Express, Mastercard, Visa credit / debit cards or a smartphone, tablet or wearable device linked to one of these cards.
Contactless fares are now the same price as a standard (peak) Adult Opal fare for the same trip. Opal Daily, Weekly and Sunday travel caps are also applied, making contactless fares more attractive than before.
However some other Opal benefits such as Weekly Travel Rewards, Transfer Discounts, Off-peak train fare discounts, Trip Advantage and free access to Opal Park&Ride carparks are not available with contactless payments.
Being able to pay an Adult fare using cards and devices most people already carry makes public transport more accessible, particularly for tourists and locals who don’t use public transport often enough to need an Opal card. It also offers a handy backup option if you forget or lose your Opal card.
Whether you are heading to the airport, a concert, sporting event or conference or just want to explore for the day, contactless transport payments mean there’s one less thing to worry about.
From the Sydney Hilton thread---->
Hilton Sydney {AUS}
Post 311
Originally Posted by
anabolism
Originally Posted by
FLYMSY
How convenient is public transportation (bus/subway) to/from the airport (SYD) from the Hilton? I’m traveling with one carryon rollaboard.
It's easy, but takes a long time. You get on the train at the airport and ride it all the way to Town Hall, which is half a block from the Hilton. You can buy a one-way or round-trip ticket at the airport, but be aware that the Domestic and International terminals are different stops with different fares, so, e.g., a round-trip from the Domestic terminal won't be enough to get back to the International terminal from town. Or, buy an Opal card and use it for the train to the Hilton plus riding trains and busses around Sydney, then the train back to the Airport.
At Town Hall, easiest is to walk towards the Queen Victoria Building, then after exiting the station keep to the right (the Queen Victoria Building will be to the left). There is a New Zealand Naturals ice cream stall right there. Keep walking, staying to the right, and take the escalator up to street level. The Hilton is next door.
Post 327
Originally Posted by
moa999
Originally Posted by
FLYMSY
Looking at the Opal website, it seems like I can buy a card at several shops in the International terminal. That airport access fee is sort of pricey comparatively speaking. Thanks for the tip about getting the card?
You can also get the Opal card at the train station itself (with minimum topup of $35 which basically covers a return - put in place to stop a rort of putting cards into negative balance - something that will stop at the airport in early Jan)
However as of early December 2018, if only wanting to take the train - you can just tap on and off with any contactless Mastercard, Visa or Amex (although recognise some US banks are a bit behind on this front) for the same price as a trip using Opal.
Still worth getting the Opal if you plan on taking buses in Sydney (contactless rollout still a few months away) as there are a few more transfer and weekly cap benefits available.
Airport gate fee is a function of funding. When built in the late 90s prior to the Olympics the two airport station (and two regular stations) were privately funded under a 30-year concession. Some talk of it being reduced, but the line itself is at capacity at peak periods so there is some reluctance to induce more demand. (Can be avoided if you've got a bit of time by taking the 400 or 420 bus to Mascot / Rockdale stations instead and transferring to train)
As for the lounges over holiday period - always packed, the ratio of leisure - business travellers changes, so the usage of lounges increases substantially, even if the same number of rooms that notionally have access.
Definitely recommended to get to the lounge before 6 and stake out a table, or after 7 when the rush subsides somewhat.
Post 338
Originally Posted by
anabolism
Originally Posted by
FLYMSY
I’m arriving in Sydney on 1/24 and will only be there until 1/26. I would probably take a few bus rides, in addition to the train to & from the airport. I’m debating whether to try to squeeze by with the $35 top up or to be on the safe side, do a $50 top up. Any suggestions?
How long, approximately, is the train ride from the airport to the stop near the Hilton?
You can download the (free) Opal app for your phone or tablet. It can calculate routes between places and show the prices, so you can know if you will need to top-off or not. The app can also show the card balance if you forget it (it is shown when you tap off a train or bus). At the Hilton, the Woolworth's is super close (it's at Town Hall station) and provides top-off.
If you are arriving with luggage and don't want to walk further than necessary, take the train all the way to Town Hall station, but it does take a long time because you have to go all around the city loop. It always feels like it takes forever, but probably only 30 minutes in reality.
By the way, the train cars have a few seats on the level you enter, with most seats on the lower and upper levels. If you don't mind the stairs, go up or down. You'll get better views upstairs. If you'd rather not mess with the stairs, take one of the seats on the entrance level.
Post 340
Originally Posted by
moa999
Originally Posted by
FLYMSY
I’m arriving in Sydney on 1/24 and will only be there until 1/26. I would probably take a few bus rides, in addition to the train to & from the airport. I’m debating whether to try to squeeze by with the $35 top up or to be on the safe side, do a $50 top up. Any suggestions?
How long, approximately, is the train ride from the airport to the stop near the Hilton?
Also, as mentioned above, I’m going to try out the Sheraton Hyde Park. It seems like the two hotels are relatively close. If I take a bus from the Hilton to the Sheraton, which bus # and which stop would I get off?
Doing the loop to Town Hall its about 27 minutes (stay on the upper deck and look to the right at the Circular Quay Stop) or 18mins to St. James which is 2-3 blocks away. Only shave a few minutes by switching trains at Central, so not worth it.
I'd go the Opal card and $50 topup then.. Main reason is as a tourist I'd definitely recommend the ferry trip to Manly as a great opportunity to see the Harbour, and see Manly Beach. Manly ferry is about $7.50 each way. Or Taronga Zoo if thats more your thing.
Definitely walkable Hilton to Sheraton
Sydney transport is well mapped on Google Maps and the Citymapper App... locals will often use Tripview or the Opal Travel app.
__________________________________
Other
The correct map of the world, with Australia where it really is (at the top)
Australia compared to the USA
Australia vs USA map
Australia vs Europe map