Sydney by public transport

Red rattlers and hydrofoils

As many Australians are being asked to wear masks and physically distance on public transport, it’s a good time to reflect on happier memories of the daily commute.

Ticket to Sydney (1971) features a multiplicity of transportation delights, from 15 cent ferry rides to the old ‘red rattler’ trains, double-decker buses, the long-gone hydrofoil and even an amphibious car!

Smoke on the water

Sydney Harbour is famous for its network of ferries which connects Sydney city with Manly, Parramatta, Cockatoo Island, Taronga Zoo and the inner west, eastern and northern suburbs.

This North Shore steam ferry is probably the wooden paddle ferry Cammeray, built in 1884. It is shown docking at Milsons Point wharf in 1899 in footage captured using a hand-cranked Lumière Cinematographe:

Staying on the rails

The Sydney monorail, which ran in a single loop, connected Darling Harbour, Chinatown and the Sydney CBD. The 3.6 km track ultimately closed in 2013 and met with controversy when it opened in 1988:

Road runners

It turns out that traffic has been an issue for Sydney for some time. Buses, automobiles and trams compete for space in this chaotic scene of Anzac Parade junction traffic from the 1920s. No traffic lights here!

Other transport treats

1. Ain’t no social distancing on these trams after the races!
2. Taking the same route as the new Sydney trams, we see the view from the top of a tram heading south down George Street in 1906.
3. Parasols and papers – take a trip back to Newtown Railway Station in 1899.
4. The evocative sound of a steam engine leaving the platform at Central Station.
5. Don’t go changing ... The facade of St James Railway Station looks much the same today as it did when it opened in 1926.

Check out the Sydney time capsule for other iconic Sydney sights and sounds from the last 120 years, including the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Opera House, Bondi Beach and Taronga Zoo.