Country: Australia

State: New South Wales (NSW)

Population: 5 million

Time Zone: The time in Sydney is 14 hours ahead of the time in New York City. When it is 12:00 Noon in New York, it is 2AM of the following day in Sydney.

Average Temperatures:

When to Visit: Sydney enjoys a warm temperate climate with no cold season. It has warm to hot summers and rainfall equally distributed throughout the year. The weather can be changeable at times, and droughts and heat waves sometimes occur in the summer. Since Sydney is "down under," its seasons are opposite of those in the Northern Hemisphere; the city boasts 340 sunny days a year. During springtime (late October to December) and autumn (late February though May), Sydney is sunny and warm with only a few sprinklings of rain. Even in the coldest part of winter (June through August), the average temperature ranges from 48 to 52 degrees Fahrenheit. Temperatures in the summer months rarely exceed 80 degrees.

Holidays

January 1 New Year’s Day

January 26 Australia Day

First or second Monday in March Labor Day

April (dates vary) Good Friday, Easter Monday, Easter Tuesday

April 25 Anzac Day

2^nd Monday in June Queen’s birthday

Last Thursday in September Melbourne Show Day

First Tuesday in November Melbourne Cup Day

December 25 Christmas Day

December 26 Boxing Day

Getting There:

Sydney is the country’s main international gateway and has good transport connections with destinations around Australia.

By Air

Sydney is a good spot to get a cheap domestic flight up and down the coast with good deals to Brisbane and Melbourne.

Sydney Airport (tel (02) 9667 9111 is located about 8 km south of the city centre and is easily accessible by Train from Central Station. The airport is split into domestic and international terminals that are located several kilometres apart. The international terminal is all contained in one building, while the domestic terminal is comprised of separate buildings that are used for Qantas, Rex and Virgin Blue flights.

The easiest way to the airport is the new Airport Train line that gets you to the airport in around ten minutes. Trains leave from Central Station and less frequently from other stations on the City Circle line.

You can combine your airport Train ticket with a Day Tripper or TravelPass ticket, which works out considerably cheaper than buying the tickets separately.

Bus route 400 connects the airport with Bondi Junction station. This is the cheapest way to and from the airport and is handy if you’re staying at Bondi Beach.

By Ship

Cruise ships dock in Sydney Harbor near Circular Quay and the Ferry Terminal. All local transportation is available in the immediate area.

Bus

Sydney has good bus connections to the rest of the country with the majority of buses departing from Eddy Avenue near Central Station.

Train

Central Station is Sydney’s hub for Train travel with long-distance services departing upstairs from the bus station in front of the SLR tram stop. The station has all the facilities that you would expect including bars, shops, fast food outlets and lockers.

Countrylink and CityRail both offer intercity Train services although CityRail’s network extends only as far south as Goulburn and Nowra, west to the Blue Mountains and north to Newcastle and Scone. Countrylink goes further afield within New South Wales and also runs a few interstate services. Really long-distance Train journeys are operated by Great Southern Railway and include the Indian Pacific to Perth (via Broken Hill and Adelaide) and the Ghan to Alice Springs and Darwin (also via Broken Hill and Adelaide).

Getting around: Many of Sydney's prime attractions (The Rocks, Darling Harbour, The Opera House) are all located within a relatively small area and are best explored on foot. Travelers to the city will find Sydney's public transportation welcoming, efficient and economical.

Ferries run to 30 docks all along Sydney Harbour, allowing spectacular sightseeing as travelers reach their destinations. The monorail is another excellent mode of transportation, but it runs only between the city center, Darling Harbour and Chinatown.

Taxis roam throughout the city to take visitors to outlying attractions; water taxis are also available. A three-day Sydneypass allows unlimited travel on any public bus or ferry, including the Airport Express Bus, connections to Bondi Beach, and three sightseeing tours. Driving a car around Sydney is not recommended.