Getting around Sydney will be a breeze with a free transit pass.

By Mark Maloney, chair of the Sydney Convention Committee and a member of the Rotary Club of Decatur, Alabama, USA 

One of the unique benefits for the Sydney Convention is the free transit pass offered to each convention registrant by the New South Wales Government. This pass will permit convention attendees to travel throughout most of the State of New South Wales without cost.

The pass will be honored on trains, buses, and government-operated ferries and will permit travel from Thursday, 29 May, until Thursday, 5 June. This includes the three days prior to the convention, the four days of the convention itself, and the day following the convention.

Recently I was in Sydney for a convention planning visit. Over the weekend, I used a similar pass to travel around greater Sydney. I was able to travel to all of my destinations by public transportation without a single taxi ride.

I began my travels at the Holiday Inn in Parramatta, a western suburb of Sydney. It was only a short five-block walk from the hotel to the Parramatta Station. From there, trains departed at least every fifteen minutes to Sydney’s central business district. It was only a 35-minute ride into the district. I enjoyed shopping and seeing the sights in Circular Quay, Hyde Park, and Darling Harbour.

That evening, I decided that I wanted to explore Sydney’s Little Italy in the suburb of Leichhardt. To get there, I caught a bus from George Street at the Queen Victoria Building direct to Leichhardt. Just two blocks from the bus stop, I found a delightful, family-operated Italian restaurant on Norton Street which I hope to revisit during the convention.

After a wonderful meal, it was time to head back to the hotel in Parramatta. A short bus ride from Norton Street in Leichhardt took me to Petersham Station. The bus driver was very friendly and made sure that I got off at the right stop and found my way into the station. From Petersham, it was a nice ride to Parramatta with a quick change of trains at Strathfield.

The New South Wales Government wants convention attendees to fully explore all that New South Wales has to offer. This complimentary transit pass provides all Rotarians with the opportunity to see as much as they wish to see. Take advantage of this tremendous convention benefit and join your fellow Rotarians from around the world in Sydney as we Engage Rotary, Change Lives.

• Read more blog posts about the Sydney Convention
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