British Expats - sydney : Basic information

Arriving in Sydney
The Kingsford Smith Airport is the main international and domestic airport. It is about 10 kilometres (6 miles) south-west of the Central Business District and Sydney Harbour. For direct bus transport from the airport to your hotel or catch the train for a 13 minute trip to Central Station.

Public Transport
Sydney has a large and well run Government public transport system. Web sites offer extensive information on:

Bus services

Bus maps

Ferry services

Ferry maps

City Rail services

City Rail maps

Country Link rail services

Banking Hours
Generally 9.30am-4pm Monday to Thursday, and 9.30am-5pm Friday, but some banks offer extended hours and some are open on Saturday mornings. Travellers cheques are widely accepted, as are major credit cards VISA, Mastercard and (to a lesser extent) AMEX and Diners Card. Most banks will engage in foreign currency exchange.

Climate
For Sydney climate and monthly mean temperature, rainfall and sunshine information.

Currency
Dollars and cents. Notes: $5, $10, $20, $50 and $100 bills. Coins: 5 cents, 10 cents, 20 cents, 50 cents, $1 and $2. The Australia dollar is floated on the world currency market and is presently fluctuating at around 70 to 73 cents to the US$. For the current exchange rate, and conversion to other world currencies, use this currency conversion guide.

Health
Sydney, like most parts of Australia, presents no real health risks for foreign visitors. Tap water is good, restaurants and eating places are required by law to maintain a high standard of food preparation, and the city is generally clean. Smog is less of a problem than with cities such as London, Hong Kong and Bangkok, but is still quite high. Exposure to the sun can be a problem for those who are fair-skinned. Also, those with little experience in swimming in the surf should be cautious when swimming at Sydney's famous surf beaches, Bondi and Manly, and should always swim between the warning flags erected by lifeguards. Medical costs in Australia are not exhorbitant like in the United States and Europe, but travel insurance is still recommended.

Electricity
Australia runs on 240V, 50hz current, make sure the transformers, chargers, and electronic gear you bring can handle it. Plug adaptors with transformers are essential. If you need to purchase a transformer buy it before you depart for Australia, they are not easy to find here. The plugs used here are different from those used in the UK and USA. Plug adaptors are pretty easy to purchase here at electronic stores.

Lockers / Storage
A number of Locker and/or Luggage storage facilities are located around Sydney.

Visitors' Information Centres
Sydney Visitor Centres make planning your holiday easy. Located at the corner of Argyle and Playfair Streets in The Rocks, it offers one-stop-shop convenience for visitor information, providing comprehensive details on tours, accommodation and entertainment, in and around Sydney at the time of your visit. It is open from 9.30am to 5.30pm daily except Christmas Day and Good Friday.

The New South Wales Travel Centre is situated at 11 York Street, just above Wynyard Station. It is open from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday and 9am to 1pm Saturday.

The CitiRail Host Centre is opposite No. 5 jetty at Circular Quay. It is open from 9am to 5pm, seven days a week.

There is an information kiosk in Martin Place, near Castlereagh Street, that is open 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday.

There are information booths at the top of Sydney Tower and at Darling Harbour, both open seven days a week.

Post Offices
Open from 9am until 5pm Monday to Friday.

Shopping Hours
Generally 9am-5pm, Monday to Friday; 9am-9pm, Thursday; 8.30am-4pm, Saturday. Shops in tourist areas may be open on Sundays.

Public Holidays in Sydney for 2010

Public Holidays for 2010
New Years Day Friday, 1 January
Australia Day Tuesday, 26 January
Good Friday Friday, 2 April
Easter Saturday Saturday, 3 April
Easter Monday Monday, 5 April
Anzac Day Monday, 26 April
Queen's Birthday Monday, 14 June (To be proclaimed)
Bank Holiday Monday, 2 August (Not State wide)
Labour Day Monday, 4 October (To be proclaimed)
Christmas Day Saturday, 25 December
Boxing Day Monday, 27 December

Essentials
Electricity voltage: 240.
Units of measure: metric.
Public phones: 40-cent local calls (Sydney metropolitan area).
Phone directory assistance: 1223 (Sydney area), 1223 (Australia), 1225 (International).
Phone international dial out prefix code: 0011
Coffee: around $3.50 a cup, sometimes less, quite often more in tourist areas.
Petrol (gas) in cents per litre:

Emergency phone number for police, ambulance and fire is 000.

Rail Travel Throughout NSW & To & From Other Australian Cities
Australia has an extensive rail network from Sydney connecting cities within New South Wales and throughout Australia.

From Sydney to Melbourne, Brisbane & Dubbo on The XTP; from Sydney to Canberra, Broken Hill & Tamworth, Moree & Armidale; From Sydney to Adelaide and on to Perth on the Indian Pacific; and other major train networks including The Ghan, The Overland, The Inlander, The Sunlander, The Westlander, The Gulflander and numerous more.

regards,

naufil