Sydney Transport Stock Images

Sydney and its surrounding regions are served by an extensive network of public transport services. The New South Wales state has Australia's largest public transport system. Public transport operators in NSW carry over 2 million passengers each weekday on rail, bus, ferry and taxi services. Around 72% of trips to the Sydney CBD each weekday are made using public transport.

The rail network offers passengers one of the most cost effective, reliable and convenient ways to travel around Sydney and beyond. The railway network spreads from Bondi Junction in the east to the Blue Mountains in the west. Services depart at least every 30 mins to most areas and inner city trains depart every few minutes. Sydney's suburban train service consisting of eleven railway lines is operated by CityRail. Sydney does not have a separate metro system, but the suburban lines run underground where they converge in the city centre, and on the Eastern Suburbs and Airport lines. On most lines, there are two to four trains an hour at off-peak times. Fares are calculated on the basis of distance travelled.

Sydney's Metro Monorail is one of the few above-ground rail systems in the world. The circular route winds its way through the city centre and around Darling Harbour. Sydney Monorail operates every day of the year except Christmas Day. The Monorail runs every 3 to 5 minutes linking the City with Darling Harbour providing easy access to many of Sydney's tourist attractions. There are monorail stops at the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre, Haymarket, World Square, Park Plaza, City Centre and Darling Park. The standard fare is $4.80 and all day tickets are available for $9.50.

Sydney once had the Southern Hemisphere's largest tram network. Patronage peaked in 1945 at 405 million passenger journeys. The system was in place from 1861 until its winding down in the 1950s and eventual closure in 1961. It had a maximum street mileage of 181 miles (291 km) in 1923. A short tramline linking Loftus station and the Royal National Park has operated since the 1990s as a museum and tourist attraction.

Light Rail is the environmentally friendly way to travel from Sydney Central with stops at Haymarket, Darling Harbour, Star City, Sydney Fish Markets, Glebe, Leichhardt and Lilyfield. Metro Light Rail is Sydney's newest transport system. Modern trams run from historic Central Station through vibrant Chinatown and Darling Harbour to the Star City Casino, the Sydney Fish Markets and Wentworth Park 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Trams run 10 to 15 minutes apart. Services run from Sydney Central to Star City and Lilyfield. Fares are between $3.20 and $4.20 each way.

There is an abundance of taxis that can be hailed from the street, or engaged at ranks at Circular Quay, Wynyard Station, and Town Hall Station. Sydney's Taxis carry 175 million passenger journeys each year. They are a vital part of the public transport system as they deliver door to door service and operate around the clock. The state of New South Wales, Australia is served by a fleet of around 6000 taxis. The industry employs over 22,700 taxi drivers. This state has the largest amount of taxicabs and drivers in Australia. Many taxis are owned by small-scale operators who pay membership fees to regional or citywide radio communication networks. These networks provide branding and telephone and internet booking services.

Buses are a major part of public transport in the city of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Services are operated by both a large government operator and numerous smaller private operators. Sydney Buses operates an extensive network of bus services throughout the city. The main bus terminals are located at Circular Quay, Wynyard, Town Hall and Central Station. Sydney Buses gets you to your place of work, leisure, shopping and more. On an average working day, buses carry over 600,000 people on a network of over 300 routes. Sydney has one of the largest and most modern fleets, comprising in excess of 1,700 buses. Sydney's newest buses are all low floor, wheelchair accessible and fully air-conditioned. Sydney Buses also operates the popular Sydney Explorer and Bondi Explorer tourist services as part of the Sydney Pass ticket.

The water transport network is excellent with regular services for the Sydney Harbour foreshore suburbs departing Circular Quay. Ferries terminate at Circular Quay and service the harbour area and Manly. Jetcats only service Manly and Rivercats service the suburbs along Parramatta River to Parramatta. Sydney Ferries are operating on the harbour for over 135 years. Sydney's regular ferry services can bring you to 37 wharves, including the magical suburb of Manly, the wild Taronga Zoo and the historic riverside city of Parramatta. These services are great for commuting around our harbour-side suburbs and the ferry trips themselves are great voyages of discovery. In addition to regular commuter services, Sydney Ferries also operate day and evening sightseeing harbor cruises every day of the week, special all-inclusive passes to Taronga Zoo and Sydney Aquarium. Tickets for normal ferry services including Jetcat and Rivercat services cost between $3.20 and $5.20.