Planes, trains and automobiles: 7 ways to get around Sydney like a boss
You know where you want to go, but how best to get there? In a city the size of Sydney, you have many modes of transport at your fingertips, so make the journey just as exciting as the destination with these travel tips.
Sydney covers a lot of ground: it stretches from the shining lights of the CBD to the lighthouse of Palm Beach, the surf of Manly, the skirt of the Blue Mountains, the seaside bars and cafes of Bondi, the eat streets of Parramatta, and the white sands of Cronulla Beach.
And you’re connected to all this by a myriad of movement options: four wheels, two wheels, tracks, water and foot. Take your pick!
Pyrmont is a literal hub for travel, with all available forms of transportation accessible in our little harbourside village. And you know what that means? It’s a cinch to get here, and even better, it’s incredibly easy to reach the rest of Sydney from our doorstep.
But how do you know what the best option is for you? Take a look at our 7 ways to wander Sydney (and our illustrated map here)…
Hit the streets
Love a good ol’ stroll? Sydney city and surrounds is relatively flat, with oodles of walkways, pedestrian strips and foreshores to explore. Heck, even half of Sydney’s iconic main street George is now pedestrianised! Hyperlocally, you can potter Pyrmont by foot and reach everything easily, from a night out at Sydney Lyric Theatre to a seafood splurge at the Fish Market. Venture further, take the pedestrian footbridge over to the city, and you can reach Sydney destinations like Paddington, Chippendale, Kirribilli and Surry Hills within 20-30 minutes on a casual stroll.
On ya bike
One of the best ways to see the sights of Sydney is by bike. There are more than 220km of cycleways and shared paths in the city, including across the famous Sydney Harbour Bridge and Anzac Bridge, along the harbour foreshore and through lush parks. Plus there are tonnes of quiet low traffic streets and laneways to explore by bike, giving you a great perspective on some of Sydney’s great villages. Download a free bike path map here and check out a range of cycle routes here. One of our favourite cycling routes is the picturesque Sydney Foreshore Loop, a 13km loop circuit linking Balmain, Glebe, Pyrmont, Dawes Point and Circular Quay together. Don’t have your own bike? Ask one of our hosts for an Ebike from Sydney Electric Bikes in Pyrmont.
Nothing beats the backseat
When you’re all about convenience and just want to get from A to B without messing up your hair or battling the elements, hailing a taxi or rideshare is the way to go in Sydney. And here, you won’t have to wait long for a cab or Uber to turn up and zip you to your destination. There are plenty of options and providers jostling for fares so take your pick. And with overpasses, bridges and slip roads stemming out from Pyrmont in all directions, your trip won’t take long either. There’s a taxi rank just outside the hotel or our team can call and book one for you anytime you need.
Fancy a float?
Ask a Sydneysider what their favourite way to travel around the city is, and you’ll soon discover the popularity of an iconic ferry trip on the harbour. We have an uncrushable lover affair with being atop our harbour, and with the city’s extensive ferry network, you can get almost anywhere onboard a ferry. In fact, some destinations are accessible only by water, like Cockatoo Island and Fort Denison, while others are reached quicker by water than road like Taronga Zoo, Luna Park, Watson’s Bay and Manly. Jump aboard a green and gold ferry and enjoy the leisurely pace on a scenic and serene skim across the harbour. You’ll get to see the city from a different perspective, and spot harbour islands, secret picnic spots, hidden beaches and lighthouses along the way. The best bit? The Pyrmont ferry wharf is just metres from our front door.
Tread lightly
The city’s newest mode of transport is the light rail network, connecting up hot spots like the QVB, Royal Randwick Racecourse, Circular Quay and Town Hall with an easy hop off and hop on system. The Inner West and City and South East Networks will take you across town and into some of Sydney’s best suburbs, from cultural and dining precincts in Chinatown, World Square and The Capitol Theatre, the Italian strip in Leichhardt and leafy Glebe, or sports grounds of Sydney Cricket Ground and Sydney Football Stadium in Moore Park. With no less than four light rail stations in Pyrmont, you can conveniently travel about on this easy to use travel system in no time!
Do the bus stop
Everyone has a bus story, from school antics to backpacking Europe, why not make this one your story? Nab yourself a window seat and enjoy Sydney in all its glory from the bus lane. Travelling west of the hotel you will see the grand ANZAC Bridge, heading east to Bondi you will see Sydney’s bustling CBD then green leafy neighbourhoods before you can put your feet in the sand of the iconic Bondi Beach. Pyrmont is included on numerous bus routes, taking you anywhere you need to go and in the comfort of the air conditioning. Flag the bus down and see where you end up!
All aboard
Historically, train travel is a classic mode of transportation and Sydney’s rail network won’t disappoint. Some of Sydney’s biggest and best connected train stations are within walking distance from the hotel, including Town Hall which connects you to Sydney Airport in just 17 minutes, the harbour hotspot of Circular Quay, iconic Bondi Junction, the food haven that is Parramatta and Chatswood, which can only be described as a shopper’s paradise. Further afield, you can travel out to the beautiful Blue Mountains or coastal towns of Wollongong south of Sydney or Newcastle a couple of hours north of Sydney.
Top 3 tips from our hosts
Leave it to the experts – Whether you’re sticking around for a night, a weekend or a week, ask our hosts for their suggestions and guidance on how to best get to where you want to go (and how to get back to the hotel too!). We’ll even book your transport for you!
Flash your card – Travel effortlessly on public transport with Sydney’s transport smart ticketing system, Opal. Grab yourself an Opal card at the convenience store next to the hotel and get access to cheaper fares and off-peak train fare discounts. You can use the card when travelling further afield to the Blue Mountains, Central Coast, the Hunter and the Illawarra. Alternatively, you can use contactless payment on your American Express, Mastercard or Visa credit or debit or a linked device.
Plan ahead – Head to www.131500.com.au or call 131500 for more information on public transport timetables, routes, stops and stations. For an offline app, we like TripView. Or ask us for help organising your journey.
Download our local area map
Discover more about the neighbourhood of Pyrmont and surrounds, including Darling Harbour and Barangaroo, with our downloadable illustrated map of the area. Click the map below or here for a downloadable PDF.
If you would like advice on how to get around Sydney before you travel or thinking about driving in? Get in touch with our team at hello@aidendarlingharbour.com.au or call +612 7203 8600.