Sydney Ferry Service

 Sydney Ferry Service - How To Get There


You may be windering where this foggy city street is....Allow me to explain. This is George Street in the city of Sydney, Australia. You may be able to just make out the light rail tracks to the left of shot. 

The light rail connects southern suburbs such as Kingsford and Randwick to Circular Quay. Unlike the more traditional rail sevices, the light rail feels somewhere inbetween a bus and a chauffeur driven car.

The best way to catch the ferry is to travel via the light rail system, why? In Circular Quay, there is no parking to speak of. The nearest parking areas would be city car parks, which can be quite expensive.


What You'll See When You Arrive


 
 
Sydney Harbour is an amazing place. The humid sub-tropical climate means that the area is warm, well lit and lush, without the perpetual harsh sunlight that characterizes other Australian capitals.
 
The harbour itself is surprisingly clear. Peering over the edge of the dock, you can see to quite a depth, which is very strange for someone who was brought up peering into the murky brown of the Thames River, full with London waste and silt. 

Nearly all of the time, you can see right across the harbour. It's waters are generally calm, and the views are magnificent, taking in the Harbour Bridge, Opera House and City views.

The Quay itself is busy, without being obnoxiously so. There are excellent amenities there, such as toilets, places to eat, and souvenir shops.

The light rail, which terminates it's route here, stops literally on a few metres from the wharf, so the elderly and infirmed should have no problem reaching the ferry.


The Journey



Sydney takes it's social responsibilities seriously, so a lot of effort has gone into ensuring safe access for people of all abilities. 

As you can see from the above photo, the journey has great views from beginning to end. In addition, the Harbour, being quite narrow, is not subject to large swells, which means that your journey should be quite kind on the stomache.

When travelling, the most used option to buy a ticket is by purchasing an 'Opal Card', which is available in many newsagencies and other stores. Should you wish to purchase a card online, visit the Tickets section of the Transport NSW site.


Where You'll Go


 
 
One of the great things about the Ferry is the ability to visit beautiful areas such as Manly (pictured above), without negotiating heavy traffic on the Bridge, or through the Harbour tunnel.
 
In fact, the north shore of Sydney has many amazing places to visit, whilst being different in tone to many of the cultural and historic icons which are located south of the Harbour.
 
To get the most from your day, plan ahead. Consult a local directory, purchase your 'Opal Card' in advance, and allow sufficient time to enjoy what is, in essence, more than a means of transport. The Sydney Harbour Ferry is a great way to have a box seat view of the City's finest landmarks.
 
They say that when making a selection, reviews and recommendations are a good way to choose. I hope that my small review of the Sydney Ferry does just that. This is an iconic, and thoroughly enjoyable way to travel the next time that you visit the unofficial capital of Australia!





Comments