So you are in Sydney without a car, and you want to spend a day at the beach. This article will help you discover how to visit Sydney beaches by public transport and what to do when you get there! Thankfully some of our best beaches are the easiest to get to as well.
Bondi Beach
Bondi is usually the first Beach visitors head to. It’s the one in your guidebook, and it has plenty of attractions, food and great views for you to enjoy. Bondi became a public beach in 1882 and the first life-saving club, which claims to be the world’s oldest, opened in 1907.
Stick to swimming at the northern end of the beach unless you are a strong swimmer. The Southern end of the beach is known for its strong currents and is often the place swimmers get into trouble. It is advisable to swim between the flags here and listen to the instructions of the lifesavers so that you don’t end up appearing in an episode of Bondi Rescue!
If all the talk of currents and lifesavers scares you a little, you can pay $7 for adults and $5 for kids and have your swim at the famous Bondi Icebergs Club. The club is opened from 6am-6.30pm every day but Thursday they close the club for cleaning. You can also rent a towel if you don’t have one.
What to see while you are in Bondi
- Check out the Bondi Graffiti wall
- Watch the action at the skatepark
How to get to Bondi Beach by public transport
Quickest way – Take the train from Town Hall, Martin Place or Kings Cross, it takes about 10 minutes to reach Bondi Junction station. From the station take the escalators to the top level of the concourse. From here buses to the beach take about 15 minutes try to catch the 380, 381, 382 or 333.
Scenic route – The bus journey is more scenic than the train so if you are only making this trip once and you are up for some site-seeing try the buses instead of the train. They leave from Circular Quay and travel up Elizabeth St into Oxford St. Look out for the 333 – it’s the express option and will get you there a little quicker. These buses are pre-paid so buy your ticket before you board.
Coogee Beach
This horseshoe-shaped beach is fringed with tall Norfolk pines and has a large grass area perfect for picnics. While it may only be a few kilometres along the coast from Bondi, I think it has an entirely different feel slightly fewer tourists. The word Coogee comes from a local Aboriginal word, Koojah which means smelly place, possibly because the beach can at times attract large amounts of seaweed. Thankfully today it is usually cleaned up quickly.
If you are not a surfer, you might prefer the rock pools at either end of the beach, at the northern end you have Giles Pool which is a deep natural pool and my personal favourite, and the southern end is home to a man-made pool at the Surf club. There are two more private pools with small entry feels a short walk along the track. McIvers Baths is a women’s only pool, and Wylie’s Baths is tidal pool an historic complex that has been operating since 1907 that provides lots of shade.
Check out the view for yourself on the Coogee Beach cam
What to see while you are in Coogee
There is a little library to borrow books down on the beach wall. You can leave a book you are finished with or just take one if you don’t have one to give. There is also a memorial to the victims of the Bali bombing at Dolphin Point
How to get to Coogee by Public Transport
There is no train station in Coogee although the area is very well serviced by buses heading both to the city and into surrounding suburban areas.
From the City
- M50 (limited stops)
- 370 – Leichhardt via Newtown
- 372 – Railway Sq via Clevland St
- 374\x74 from Circular Quay
From Bondi Junction
- 313 or 314
Cronulla Beach
It is easy to visit one of Sydney’s favourite suburban beaches, Cronulla, by train
At the opposite end of the Bondi Junction, train line is Sydney’s longest beach Cronulla. Located 45 mins by train south of the city centre, it is the only Sydney beach that has a railway station. If you want a day at the beach with the locals and not a bunch of other travellers you ought to consider an outing here. Cronulla’s beaches are less crowded, have great surf, nice cafes and restaurants and an attractive shopping street. There is also a YHA here if you fancy staying somewhere a little quieter than Bondi.
How to get to Cronulla beach by train
Take the train from platform four at Town Hall or Platform 25 at Central direct to Cronulla Station (or Kings Cross/Bondi Junction). The trip takes about 55 mins
Check on some more great photos of Cronulla Beach by local photographer Micheal Sutton. Once you have had enough of the beach why not explore the suburb on foot using the day walk of Cronulla from local blogger Travel with Joanne.
Manly Beach
My favourite beach for visitors because it offers so much in one place. The 30-minute ferry ride gets you out on the harbour. The beach itself is gorgeous and not usually as jam-packed as Bondi.
What to see while you are in Manly
There are lots of really great dining choices and bars here to help pass a sunny afternoon. Don’t miss the walk to Shelley Beach and the Cabbage Tree Bay Aquatic Park. I think it’s one of the best Sydney animal experiences.
How to get to Manly Beach by ferry
There are a couple of services that can get you to Manly. The regular Manly Ferry departs from Circular Quay. You can also jump on the Manly Fast ferry that takes half as long to travel the 7 miles from the Quay to Manly. The fast ferry is a couple of dollars more expensive but if you are in a hurry can save time. They also accept Opal cards
If you are a family, try taking the public ferry on a Sunday and using the $2.60 all day Opal travel option to save money on transport costs.
Balmoral Beach
Balmoral is a lovely harbour beach that is on this list for two reasons. First, the beach is home to lots of large fig trees that fringe the waterfront providing much-needed shade in the summer and secondly it’s home to the Bathers Pavilion Cafe.
How to get to Balmoral Beach by Public Transport
To get here, you can catch the 244 or the 247 bus from Wynyard to Military Road, Mosman; then it’s about a 900m walk to the beach. Other buses stop close to the beach, but they need a change. Check 131500 for your options if the walk is a problem for you. You can also walk from Taronga Zoo to Balmoral Beach via one of my favourite Sydney Walks
Further Reading for your Sydney beach holiday.
If you are planning on visiting Sydney with kids, you should check out this guide from Adventure Baby Blog covering 22 of the Best Sydney Beaches for Kids.
Please before you head to the beach if you are not a strong swimmer familiar with ocean swimming spend 5 minutes reading this page from Surf Lifesaving NSW about beach safety.
Need help planning your trip to Sydney? Join our Sydney Expert Facebook Group where you can ask questions, stay up to date with what’s happening in Sydney and meet a bunch of friendly locals just waiting to share their advice!
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