SYDNEY METRO AND MONORAIL

Posted by Posted in About Sydney, Travel Posted on 10-04-2010

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metro-and-monorailSydney monorail and metro light rail are the two modern and sleek transportation systems owned by an Australian company. They make it easier for the commuters to travel through the most populated sections of Sydney. Both the systems are environment friendly and do not add to air pollution. Each one is known for a comfortable and quite ride and is ideal for locals as well as visitors.

Baby stroller, wheelchairs, prams can easily access the rails and its doors are wide enough for carrying the daily shopping loads.

One of the most popular modes of transport the monorail is a Bicentennial gift to Sydney which started operating in1988 and was earlier known as Darling Harbor Monorail. It carries approximately 4 million or more passengers per year. Hundreds of commuters from Pyrmont and Ultimo travel each day to the city center in this excellent transport system.

Sydney Monorail is a wonderful experience for all tourists as it offers a magnificent bird’s eye view of one of the world’s most breathtaking cities. Chinatown, Darling Harbor, business districts, the Spanish Quarter the central shopping centers, and Sydney’s main streets, all can be seen while taking a ride in the monorail. It also gives the passengers a great view of the historical Queen Victoria Building.

The monorail is unique inasmuch as it is a transport system that is elevated and operates from the centre of the city. On its 3.6km track it covers eight stations and all four trains operate simultaneously. The monorail stops for 40sec at each stop.

It stops at all of Sydney’s best tourist attraction places, and is considered as a perfect combo of quick transport and an important Sydney experience.

Metro Light Rail has recently started operating in Sydney. It is a comfortable, clean and fast way to travel from the city to Sydney’s suburbs. The light rail started operating in August 1997 and later got extended in August 2000. Clean, Green, convenient, and quiet Metro Light Rail is environmentally sound and the finest future transport system to look for.

Metro Light Rail carries more than 3.5 million commuters each year to major destinations around Sydney. It is an absolute pleasure to travel in this wonderful transport system. It covers more area than the old monorail and is a favorite with locals.

It links Darling Harbor and Chinatown to the Sydney Fish Markets, Star City Casino, and Wentworth Park 24/7. The light rail runs at 10-15 minute intervals and operates daily. It runs from Central Railway Station and terminates at Lilyfield traveling 7.2km and stopping at 14stops. It also runs from The Central to Star City. The green network is the most convenient way to travel across the city.

For those who want to ride on and off all day, Day tickets are the best options. But, one can also buy single fare tickets on-board the light rail beginning from $3.20 per person.

Experience Sydney like never before, go get a ticket for either of these unique rail rides and enjoy.

The Sydney Airport

Posted by Posted in About Sydney Posted on 09-04-2010

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sydney-airportThe Sydney Airport also known as the Kingsford Smith International Airport is located in Sydney’s Mascot suburb and is the main airport. One of the oldest commercial airports in the world, it is also the busiest in Australia and 33rd busiest airport in the world. It was earlier known as Aerodrome but got renamed later to honor a pioneering Australian aviator, Charles Kingsford Smith.

It is a complete No-Smoking zone and is equipped with all modern facilities and features essential for an international airport. They include chemist shops, ATM counters, children’s play area, separate smoking zone and internet facilities. There are clean showers, lounges, prayer rooms, pay phones, food outlets and restaurants and also a tourist information desk.

The airport has multi level car parking & facility for the disabled. The international airport has duty free shops and the security is top most with the entire area fitted with surveillance cameras.

Offices of all major airlines are located here so that travelers can obtain any information even buy flight tickets. The staff is friendly and helpful and provides all the assistance about anything related to the airport services and flights to the passengers.

The Sydney Airport has three terminals, the Qantas Terminal, the Ansett Domestic Terminal and the International Terminal. It is called the mini hub of Australia’s national airlines, and receives all the domestic flights of Quantas. All the flights from the major cities of Australia land here. The domestic terminal also serves local airlines. This helps prevent delays and helps move traffic smoothly.

Almost all the major airlines of the world like Air New Zealand Air Canada, and British Airways, Singapore Airlines, Cathay pacific, Virgin Atlantic, Japan Airlines land at the international terminal. The terminal has jet bridges in 28 of its 34gates. The international terminal (T1) is separated from the other terminals by a runway.

Known as the most modern airports in the world The Kingsford Smith International Airport handles approximately 30million commuters everyday.

There are business class hotel near by for the business travelers as well as the tourists.

There is a splendid mix of restaurants, stores, and amenities and a serene layout that makes the airport easy to navigate.

There is a warehouse in the geophysical centre of this airport and a high rise office building along with other facilities.

Getting to Kingsford Smith International Airport in Sydney is simple. Take the Airport link underground City Rail or taxi and come directly to the domestic or the international terminal at the airport. Car rental is available from the desks at the arrivals areas of all the terminals.

There are covered taxi ranks located in front of each terminal and rail stations at both the Domestic and International terminals. There are Trains to Sydney from the airport every 10 minutes which usually take13 minutes of travel time.

Kingsford Smith International Airport is among the top ten best airports in the world and with more multi million dollar upgrades by 2010 it sure will top the list.

Macquarie Ice Rink

Posted by Posted in About Sydney Posted on 08-04-2010

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ice-rinkAddress: Cnr Waterloo & Herring Rds, North Ryde, NSW, 2113
Phone Number: (02) 98881100

There are so many reasons why people take up ice skating. There are numerous varieties of this sport, as well as categories. The most popular types of Ice skating are offered at Macquarie Ice Rink.

For a day full of fun filled activity, the best thing is to don some warm clothing and head off to Macquarie Ice Rink with your children. It is very popular with the young ones!

Macquarie Ice Rink has a Kiddies Klub. This is run along with the coffee club three days a week in the morning. Here the children are first fitted with comfortable boots of their size. Some children actually come togged out in very fancy sequined outfits adding to the carnival kind of atmosphere at the club.

as there are many different varieties of skating. The list is pretty much endless of every category there is so it is nearly impossible to cover all of them at once. However, certain types are more popular and more well known than others.

Children can take a few lessons, even build things out with the snow that has been shaved off the rink for them, and even sing songs along with the friendly instructor who gets them into the rhythm of skating along with the songs.

Macquarie Ice Rink also runs a Coffee Club too. This Club offers skating lessons which include some choreographed moves that look very graceful. The warm up session is for fifteen minutes which is then followed by a half hour group session and another half hour of free style dancing. This is really fun and even if you are not the athletic sort, and it is great exercise that leaves you feeling invigorated. You can even make friends with fellow students after the class when every one gets together for coffee and sandwiches.

Macquarie Ice Rink is the home of Mcquarie Ice Skating Club

This is a club that has more than 240 members, many of them from various countries in the world and most of them are serious ice skaters with high level of expertise.

The 2006 Olympian, Joanne Carter is a member of this club and so are several other international and Australian champions. Members of the club participate in many Figure Skating Championships too.

As Macquarie Ice Rink is the home rink of the Ice Skating Club, they hold competitions often and one gets to view a lot of experts who participate. The skill and expertise one gets to witness is dazzling.

In case you want to learn Ice Skating or even just watch others skate, you must visit the Macquarie Ice Rink. We are sure that you will have a pleasant time and may be even get enthused enough to take up this sport. It is open to skaters of all levels and they welcome spectators to all competitions. Macquarie Ice Rink even offers private lessons.