Circular Quay is an important international passenger shipping terminal, public piazza and heritage area. It is situated in Sydney Cove just north of the Sydney CBD.
Address: Circular Quay, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia. Map link
Nearest landmark: First Fleet Park
Darling Harbour lies west of the Sydney CBD and is a lively area with large recreational spaces, shopping centers and tourist landmarks.
Address: Darling Harbour, Convention Jetty, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia. Map link
Nearest landmark: Tumbalong Park
Situated on the eastern shore of Darling Harbour, this area is a hub for tourism, residential, commercial, retail and maritime development. It falls on the west of the Sydney CBD.
Address: King Street Wharf, The Promenade, Lime St., Sydney, Australia. Map link
Nearest landmark: SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium
The Jervis Bay Wild area is an oceanic bay on the southern coast of New South Wales. It is just short of 3 hours away from Sydney.
Address: 15 Field St, Huskisson NSW 2540, Australia. Map link
Nearest landmark: Jervis Bay Marine Park
This ferry wharf is on the eastern side of Darling Harbour and provides much-needed assistance to Circular Quay in supporting the Sydney Ferries network. There are two wharfs side by side and provision for a third.
Address: Barangaroo, Wharf 1, New South Wales, Australia. Map link
Nearest landmark: Watermans Cove
This is an inlet in the north-west of Sydney Cove. This waterfront promenade section links land-based and harbor activities along Walsh Bay, The Rocks and the Overseas Passenger Terminal.
Address: 4 Circular Quay W, The Rocks NSW 2000, Australia. Map link
Nearest landmark: Hickson Road Reserve
The Man O’War Steps are located on the eastern bank of Bennelong Point, close to the Sydney Opera House. It is a heritage-listed jetty built in 1810 that is owned by Transport for NSW.
Address: Farm Cove Street, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia. Map link
Nearest landmark: Sydney Opera House
This scenic waterfront area is located in Walsh Bay, just to the west of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. It is close to Millers Point and is a 10-minute drive away from the Sydney CBD.
Address: 4 Towns Pl, Millers Point NSW 2000, Australia. Map link
Nearest landmark: Barangaroo Reserve
Note: While these are the most popular boarding points that Sydney Harbour cruises usually depart from, they are also just references on how to reach these locations. The exact boarding point and wharf number will be available in your voucher.
Travel time: It takes about 10 minutes to reach Circular Quay Wharf 2 from Sydney CBD by car.
Parking: There are a number of parking facilities near Circular Quay. Some of them are -
You can get to the boarding point via King St and Phillip St or take Clarence St or Macquarie St. All of these will take an average of 10 minutes.
Best for: Budget travel, light walking.
Travel time: By bus, it takes about 14 minutes to get to the boarding point from Sydney CBD.
Nearest stop: Circular Quay, Young St, Stand D is the nearest stand.
Take the 333 or 396 bus from the St James Station, Elizabeth St, Stand C and reach the Circular Quay, Young St, Stand D. After that, it is a 3-minute walk to the Circular Quay wharf.
Best for: Budget travel, moderate walking.
Travel time: It will take you about 13 minutes to get to the boarding point from Sydney CBD.
Nearest stop: Circular Quay Station is the nearest stop.
Take the T3 or T2 trains from the St James Station and you will reach the Circular Quay Station in 3 minutes. From there, it will take you 3 minutes to walk to the Circular Quay wharf.
Travel time: It takes about 5 minutes to reach Darling Harbour from Sydney CBD by car.
Parking: There are a number of parking facilities near Darling Harbour. Some of them are -
You can get to the boarding point via Market St or Sussex St. All of these will take an average of 5 minutes.
Best for: Budget travel, moderate walking.
Travel time: By bus, it takes about 1 hr 16 mins to get to the boarding point from Sydney Airport.
Nearest stop: Town Hall House, Druitt St, Stand L is the nearest stand.
You can take buses 350, 396 and 500X to reach Darling Harbour from the airport. First, take the 350 from Sydney Airport, Terminal 3 Domestic and get off at Pacific Square, Anzac Pde. Take the 396 next and reach St James Station, Elizabeth St, Stand C. Lastly, take the 500X from Hyde Park, Park St, Stand C and get off at Town Hall House, Druitt St, Stand L. From here, it is a short walk to Darling Harbour.
Best for: Budget travel, moderate walking.
Travel time: It will take you about 40 minutes to get to the boarding point from Sydney Airport.
Nearest stop: Town Hall Station is the nearest stop.
Take the T8 train from the Sydney Domestic Airport Station and disembark at the Town Hall Station. From there, it is a 10-minute walk to the harbor.
Travel time: The Darling Harbour boarding point is a 13-minute walk away from the Sydney CBD.
Route: You can walk through Market St and Kent St to reach the jetty point.
Travel time: It takes about 5 minutes to reach King Street Wharf from Sydney CBD by car.
Parking: There are a number of parking facilities near King Street Wharf. Some of them are -
You can get to the boarding point via King St or take Clarence. All of these will take an average of 5 minutes.
Best for: Budget travel, moderate walking.
Travel time: By bus, it takes about 1 hr 9 mins to get to the boarding point from Sydney Airport.
Nearest stop: St James Station, Elizabeth St, Stand C is the nearest stand.
Get onto bus no. 350 from the Sydney Airport, Terminal 3 Domestic stop and reach Anzac Pde at Garden Lane. From here, get onto the 396 from Maroubra Rd After Garden St and disembark at the St James Station, Elizabeth St, Stand C. Walk for 14 minutes and you’ll reach the wharf.
Best for: Budget travel, moderate walking.
Travel time: It will take you about 36 minutes to get to the boarding point from Sydney Airport.
Nearest stop: Wynyard Station is the nearest stop.
Take the T8 from the Sydney Domestic Airport Station and reach Wynyard Station. From here, you’ll need 11 minutes to reach the King Street Wharf.
Travel time: The King Street Wharf boarding point is a 12-minute walk away from Sydney CBD.
Route: You can walk through Market St and Sussex St or take Kent St to reach the wharf.
Get a train when you’re going to the Circular Quay if you are okay with some moderate walking. It takes 13 minutes and the nearest station is Circular Quay Station.
When booking your Sydney Harbour boat cruise tickets, look at the boarding information carefully. This will tell you which boarding point you should use.
It is best if you drive to the Darling Harbour area from Sydney CBD. It is just 5 minutes away and you’d easily be able to find parking here.
The best way to get to King Street Wharf is by car. The drive is just 5 minutes from Sydney CBD and parking is also easily available.
Sydney has a great public transport network that can take you around the city without hassle. You can avail of trains, light rail, buses, ferries and the Sydney metro to get to your destination.
There are a large number of parking spots near Sydney Harbour, mainly because it is a big tourist hub. However, keep in mind that most parking here is paid.
You should reach your boarding point at least 15-30 minutes before the scheduled start of your cruise. This will avoid delays and unnecessary hassle.
Sydney is a very pedestrian-friendly city with wide sidewalks and great traffic control. You can walk around Sydney and access public transport points easily.