Big Bus Sydney: routes, stops and tickets

Route and stops

Big Bus tickets in Sydney

• 

  Annulation gratuite

  Sydney et Bondi Big Bus Hop-on Hop-off Tour avec croisière en option

  80–90 min4,0(3 k)3 k avis·Big Bus Sydney

  dès53 $US

• 

  Annulation gratuite

  Visite nocturne panoramique Big Bus de Sydney avec Live Guide

  1 h et 30 min4,7(82)·Big Bus Sydney

  dès49 $US

Want to see every hop-on hop-off bus in Sydney, not just this one? Compare hop-on hop-off tours in Sydney.

What riders say

Across these tickets travellers rate Big Bus Sydney 4.0 out of 5 from 2,944 reviews.

It was a great way to see a lot of Sydney, save on cab/Uber fairs, and learn a lot about the city. I would definitely recommend to anyone traveling to Sydney or anywhere the Big Bus Tours run, great value.

It’s great way to know the city! There are 3 different lines, one of them goes to Bindi beach and we spent 3 hours there beautiful beach. The only thing is the bus doesn’t come on time. It supposed to come every 35-45 minutes but people waited 1 hr 15 min.

We took several different routes and got to see a lot of things. I was able to take some great pictures from the top of the bus. it started raining but the bus still did their routes. we just chose not to get off in the rain.

Best time to ride

Sydney has warm summers with late-spring and summer days that can exceed 35 C, and cool winters. For an open-top ride, the milder shoulder seasons of spring and autumn tend to be more comfortable, and starting in the morning keeps you ahead of the afternoon heat. The Bondi route is most rewarding on a clear day.

Who it suits

Families

Two routes on one pass lets children break up the day with stops such as SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium and the Powerhouse Museum. Stops are spread out, so choose two or three to explore rather than all.

Couples

The Opera House, Botanic Garden and The Rocks cluster is a natural pairing, and the Blue route adds beach and harbour-suburb views.

Seniors

Hop-on hop-off avoids long walks between harbour sights. Check the operator for wheelchair and step-free boarding details before travelling, as the sources reviewed did not confirm them.

First-time visitors

The Red route covers the headline sights in one loop starting at Circular Quay, with audio commentary reported in several languages.

Tips before you go

• Both routes are reported to be included on one ticket, but check ticket type before buying as reseller listings disagree on extras.
• Audio commentary is reported in eight languages, including English, Spanish, Italian, German, French, Chinese, Korean and Japanese.
• The Red route starts and ends at Circular Quay; the Blue route is reported to start at Central Station, Pitt Street bus bay.
• The Captain Cook harbour cruise is a separate product that departs from Circular Quay and may be bundled with some tickets.
• Timetables vary with public holidays and season, so confirm on the day.

Sights along the way

Sydney Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge, The Rocks, Royal Botanic Garden, Darling Harbour, Sydney Tower Eye, Bondi Beach, SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium.

Top-ranked in Sydney: Sydney Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge, Sydney Harbour, Circular Quay, Featherdale Wildlife Park. All things to do in Sydney.

Why take the bus in Sydney

The case for a sightseeing bus here is about sequencing. The harbour highlights are close together, but the Royal Botanic Garden, Kings Cross, Darling Harbour and Bondi are not, and linking them on foot means long, hot stretches or several changes on public transport. A hop-on hop-off bus gives you a seated overview first, so you can decide where to spend real time afterwards. For a first visit, or one or two days in Sydney, that overview is useful.

Walking is the better choice for the core cluster around Circular Quay. The Sydney Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge, The Rocks and Mrs Macquarie's Chair sit in one compact area that suits a slow half-day on foot, with stops for the waterfront and the sandstone lanes. Riding a bus between sights that are a short stroll apart wastes the ticket. The same goes for a Manly ferry day or a coastal walk: those are better done by ferry or on foot, and no bus is needed.

Compared with a guided walking tour, the bus is looser and covers more ground, while a walking tour is typically led by a local guide, runs a fixed length and goes deeper into one neighbourhood such as The Rocks. If you want stories and history in a small area, pick the walk. If you want range and the freedom to skip things, pick the bus. Many visitors do one of each on different days.

It is also a sensible fit for hot days and for travellers who tire quickly. Sydney summer afternoons can be punishing, and an open-top seat in the morning is more pleasant than a long trek across the city. Mornings in the shoulder seasons are the most comfortable time to ride.

How the routes work together

Think of the two routes as a hub and a spur. The Red City Tour is the hub: a downtown loop that begins and ends at Circular Quay and links the harbour, The Rocks, Darling Harbour, the Botanic Garden and the central city. It calls at 21 stops, from Sydney Tower Eye and the Australian Museum to Chinatown, Barangaroo and the Sydney Harbour Bridge, so it works as an overview of the whole centre.

The Blue Bondi & Bays Tour is the spur. It starts at Central Station and heads east through Double Bay and Rose Bay to Bondi Beach in four stops. Central Station is also a Red route stop, which is where the two meet. The practical result is that you can spend part of a day downtown and then switch to Blue for the beach, rather than treating them as separate outings.

Some sights line up neatly with a stop. The Sydney Opera House, Circular Quay, The Rocks, the Royal Botanic Garden, Kings Cross and the Sydney Harbour Bridge each have a Red stop right at them, and Bondi Beach has a Blue stop right at it. St. Mary's Cathedral is about 350 metres from the Australian Museum stop. Sydney Harbour is best taken in from the Sydney Harbour Bridge stop.

Some sights have no stop within walking distance. Darling Harbour, Mrs Macquarie's Chair and Featherdale Wildlife Park fall in that group. Mrs Macquarie's Chair is best reached on foot from the Botanic Garden, and Featherdale needs separate transport.

A sample day on the bus

Start in the morning at Circular Quay and take the Red loop once through without getting off. This gives you the geography: where the Opera House sits relative to the Botanic Garden, how far Kings Cross is, and what Darling Harbour looks like from the road. Use that first pass to mark two or three places you want to return to.

Get off at the Sydney Opera House stop and spend a while on the forecourt and the harbour edge. From there, the Royal Botanic Garden is the natural next stop, and walking its shoreline path brings you to Mrs Macquarie's Chair, the classic viewpoint for the Opera House and the Bridge. This second cluster of the Botanic Garden, Kings Cross and St. Mary's Cathedral suits a slower, greener stretch of the day.

For the afternoon, you have two options. Stay on the Red loop and finish at The Rocks and the Sydney Harbour Bridge stop, which pairs well with a late lunch in the old quarter. Or ride to Central Station and take the Blue route out to Bondi Beach for the sea air, which is worth doing only on a clear day.

If you have a second day, use it for what the bus handles badly: a ferry across the harbour, a coastal walk, or a day trip to the Blue Mountains. The bus is a way to see the centre efficiently, not a full itinerary.

Booking advice

Check the ticket page for how each one describes its route.

If you are travelling with a mobility need, look at the ticket page for step-free boarding and wheelchair information before deciding, rather than assuming. Pick the date for a clear, milder day where you can, since both the harbour views and the Bondi ride reward good weather.

Sights worth the stop

The Sydney Opera House is the one stop to make deliberately, because the building looks different up close than from the water. The Sydney Harbour Bridge and Circular Quay are easier to take in on foot nearby, and The Rocks rewards an unhurried wander through its sandstone streets.

The Royal Botanic Garden is the best place to slow down, with the walk to Mrs Macquarie's Chair as its payoff. Kings Cross offers a very different, more urban feel from the harbour, and St. Mary's Cathedral is a quieter stop for those who like architecture. Bondi Beach is the reason to take the Blue route at all. Darling Harbour suits families and a waterfront meal, though it takes a little extra effort to reach from the bus.

More on Sydney sightseeing

• Big Bus Sydney FAQ

Questions about Big Bus Sydney