My husband & I will be in Sydney for 3 nights before heading onto other Aussie destinations. On our way back to the states we will have a 4 hr layover in Sydney. Is there anything near the airport that we could see or do to kill some time? I'd hate to just sit & wait for my plane for such a long period of time.<BR><BR>Thanks.

Hi, Christina!<BR>Sydney Airport is very close to the centre of Sydney and also well-served by public transport. There is a train station at the terminal which will have you into the CBD in fifteen minutes (underground, so you won't see much until you alight). There is also a green-and-gold exress bus which will take you into the CBD, but, of course, in peak hours that will take a bit longer. Luckily, both are very frequent, and, in the case of the bus, all you have to do is remember where you got off, as it's a circuit. <BR>You should be able to get down to Circular Quay (from where you can explore the water's edge, the Opera House, the Harbour Bridge, the Botanical Gardens, and even take a ferry ride) within forty-five minutes of leaving the terminal, even allowing for waiting time and a possible subway interchange. That gives you two hours, minimum, to explore..... not ideal, but Sydney is pretty compact, and you can do a lot with a camera in that time. As you say, better than sitting in the terminal! Good luck!

Alan--<BR>Since Christina and her husband will have already spent 3 days in Sydney, alternately, would one of the beaches in the Eastern Suburbs be feasible for their 4hr layover??<BR><BR>Just wondering..<BR>Debbie

Hi Christina and Debbie!<BR>Ah, Debbie, it's easy to see I am getting too old for this.... you very correctly picked up that I hadn't read the original post very carefully! Of course your alternative is much more sensible for someone who's spent three days here already! Christina, ignore all that earlier stuff, and try this instead: outside the terminal there is a bus stand used by all the various bus routes. One of these is a blue-and-white government bus headed "Bondi Junction". Take that and about thirty minutes later you are two kilometres from Bondi Beach. A taxi from the Bondi Junction bus stop will have you at the water's edge in five minutes... or, if you have seen Bondi already, there are several other nearby beaches (Bronte, Clovelly) that might be worth exploring on a nice day. Or, if time allows, the taxi might take you to Watson's Bay, from where you could catch a ferry back to Circular Quay, and then get that green-and-gold bus back to the airport. Does any of this sound any good?

Thanks Alan & Debbie for the suggestions. The beaches sounds like a good idea!

Further to the last post, I'd recommend the eastern suburbs beaches. There is a spectaculr coastal walk from Bondi over to Coogee. The wlk takes about 1½ hours at a leisurely pace without stops. I'm fairly sure there is a direct bus from Coogee to the airport. If not, its not that far by taxi.

Hello Alan Jarman<BR><BR>We really need your help on a posting about the Sydney airport. No one seems to know what can be done with one's luggage while sightseeing for the day and not staying at a hotel. Have you any thoughts?<BR>

I'm pretty certain I saw a counter where you can store your luggage at the domestic terminal when I was there last week.<BR><BR>

The locker storage of baggage has been canned at sydney airport.<BR>However a baggage storage operation exists on the arrivals floor at the international terminal.I think about $8 a day for storage per item.<BR>You can expect a thorough inspection of your items prior to storage.

john,<BR><BR>are you serious? this could be the answer to my problems!?!? - i will be arriving from CA (well, via vancouver, via honolulu to sydney) on air canada...so i will be in the int'l terminal- do you know anymore about this "storage operation" they have going? is that 8$ AUS? can i trust it? i don't care if they put my clothes on while inspecting through it as long as i can store it safely and use my precious time in sydney wisely! thanks for any help you can give!

If John said that there is a storage service at the International Airport then you most certainly are in business. It will be 100% reliable and safe and it would be $8 Australian as well. <BR>Take the train into the city and return the same way - pick up your bags and get the airport bus to take you to the Virgin Terminal.................<BR>No worries!!!!

Its on first floor- arrivals at the international terminal. Fair dinkum.I guess you will have about 20 items of luggage being from the usa and all...thats a joke.<BR><BR>Get off the flight, thru customs,change some cash,leave ur luggage,check out the traveller info,buy a sydney morning herald,catch a train to circular quay,check out sydney harbour,get a train back to intnl terminal,pick up luggage,get a cab to the virgin terminal,hop on ur no frills flight (and you thought south west was basic!) have a nice sleep at port douglas and wake up to a tropical wonderland.<BR>If that plan doesn't work you can leave ur luggage at my place.

John & Liz - PROBLEM SOLVED! yahoo! and john, you know that if i arrive in sydney, and there's no luggage storage area in the int'l terminal, i WILL be calling you up to drop my luggage off before exploring your beautiful city! just kidding. hehe. THANK YOU ALL so much for the help! this site is AWESOME!<BR><BR>p.s. and john, if only the airline would allow me 20 items to bring!! ha! yet, i will restrict myself to the maximum allowable limit... - somehow i'll make it all fit! hehehehehehehe. thanks again!

Hi Leaving: glad everything is solved for you and I hope you enjoy your Virgin flight ( especially with all those - their own words "spunky crew" ) <BR><BR>Cheers<BR>