Sydney Travel Guide | Tips and Info for a first-time traveler
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So, you’ve decided to visit Sydney! Fantastic idea. Before you visit Sydney, Australia for the first time there is a lot to consider, for sure! Sydney is a wonderful city with vibrancy. Like all other cities, visit Sydney is all about prepare, plan, and research in advance. There are a number of things to consider: the best time to visit, how to get from the airport, where to stay, what to see, what to do and where to eat, etc. Here is our Sydney travel guide to answering all those questions for a first-time traveler to Sydney.
Best time to visit Sydney
The best time to visit Sydney is December through March when the summer hits Sydney. Temperatures are mild and the city’s parks are green and blooming. However, late spring – along with summer – is also prime tourist season, and hotel and flight prices reflect the surge. December and January are a couple of months incredibly busy in Sydney due to a large number of vessels arrivals.
Money (Australian Dollars)
The currency used in Sydney is the Australian dollar (AU$). Moneychangers are abundant in the city, particularly in the traveler territories, and combined with inns and banks offering remote trade administrations, guests will have no issue getting to nearby cash. Click here for some currency exchange tips.
Getting a sim card at Sydney airport
Sydney airport has counters to buy SIM cards and some mobile providers are Lebara, Vodafone, and Optus. Lebara is one of the cheapest options in terms of mobile packages, however, it comes with coverage restrictions in certain regions and areas. In a positive side, Lebara offers international calls free of charge in most times. But if your primary plan to use the SIM for local calls, our choice is OPTUS.
How do I get from Sydney Airport to CBD?
By Train
This is a common question asked by many travelers and we have included the answer in this Sydney travel guide. There are a number of options for getting from Sydney Airport to Sydney CBD. Train from Sydney airport to Sydney downtown is the cheapest option if you travel solo. Approximately 14 mins by the use of Airport link get you to the CBD, but you need an Opal card to travel on the train. One-way trip from Sydney airport to CBD cost $14.30.
How much does a taxi cost from Sydney Airport to CBD?
A drive of nearly 20 mins you can reach to Sydney CBD and cost is approximately 45-55$ one way. However, this may arise due to long wait times.
A guide to Sydney travel by use of Opal
The Opal Card. This is a chip card which you top up at machines and touch on and off at the gates at every bus, ferry terminal or train station. There is an option to buy a single day Opal pass, however, we recommend to just get the Opal Card ‘pay as you go’. Minimum top-up is 10$, and you can do this at the ticket machines available at stations. Other option to top up is use convenience shops who have Opal logo displayed on their window. To remember – When you’ve purchased an Opal Card, make sure to tap on and off on our transports – else you’ll be charged almost 15$ per day as a flat rate.
A guide to find Sydney accommodation
Sydney consistently ranks as one of the world’s most expensive cities for hotel accommodation. The price of a hotel room will surge in December and January due to the high inflow of tourist arrivals. However, due to new accommodation options such as Airbnb, you can find a bargain in downtown. Keep in mind, however, that booking a cheap hotel on the edge of the Sydney city will be counterproductive if you must pay for taxis, which are expensive if you visit tourist sites in the city center. There are many hotel price comparison sites such as Kayak, hotels com, and booking com offers last-minute deals. Why not try a booking com referral discount code to save some?
Places to visit and things to do in Sydney
Sydney is one of the world’s most visited cities, and with good reason: it’s home to so many iconic attractions. Starting from a visit to Sydney Opera house, climbing the Harbour Bridge, the countryside of Kangaroo Valley, sightseeing tour to Blue Mountains, wine tasting tour to Hunter Valley, adventure at Port Stephens, Aboriginal experience, and many more to do.
What number to call in the event of an emergency in Sydney
Due to the severity of the emergency, you can choose below contact details. In a life-threatening situation (crime, and immediate danger) you can reach triple zero (000). Dialing 131 444 you can get the police assistance. 1800 679 737 is the Bushfire NSW rural fire services and dial 132 500 for flood, storm and tsunami situations.
What hospitals are in Sydney?
In closer proximity to Sydney CBD, you can find the Sydney Eye Hospital at 8 Macquarie street. In Darlinghurst, St Vincent’s Hospital is located at 390 Victoria Street. The Sydney Dental hospital is located in 2 Chalmers Street, Surry Hills. There is also a specialist women’s hospital located at Barker street in Randwick. Royal North Shore is another hospital with an established emergency department and located in I Reserve Road, St Leonards.
Sydney weather
Sydney appreciates a calm atmosphere with four particular seasons: summer keeps going from December to February, tumble from March to May, winter from June to August and spring from September to November. Winters are generally mellow with lows of 10°F and summer temperatures can reach over 100°F. Summer is really hot and brings a lot of sunscreens. Our guide to using SPF 30+ sunscreen to save your skin.
Precipitation is steady, with a normal of 12 days every month having precipitation, totaling roughly 47 creeps for the whole year. Sydney is fine to visit all year, with moderately gentle climate. The mid year takes into consideration the shoreline movement despite the fact that it tends to be very hot for different exercises.
Free WiFi zones in Sydney
Remaining associated is a top need for most explorers and fortunately, Sydney has got you secured. A greater amount of the CBD and encompassing neighborhoods are getting to be Wi-Fi hotspots. Indeed, even some green spaces like the Sydney Botanic Gardens are taking up the pattern.
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