From $95.00 per adult

Specials subject to limited availability

  • Explore Sydney and beaches the fun and easy way
  • Choice of packages valid for 1 to 7 days
  • Multilingual commentary and helpful onboard guidance
  • Easy to follow timetables

Explore Sydney by Bus and Boat

The fun and easy way to explore Sydney your way. Big Bus and Captain Cook Cruises have combined to create the ultimate hop-on, hop-off sightseeing experiences! Ride the open top bus around Sydney and Bondi with a choice of 24 or 48 hour passes. Jump on Sydney's famous red rocket ferries with stops at Manly, Taronga Zoo, beautiful Watson's Bay and more! Want to get a bit higher? Choose the Explore ticket which includes a visit to Sydney Tower Eye.

Essential Ticket

FEATURES

  • Cruise - 1 Calendar Day Hop On Hop Off Harbour Explorer
  • Big Bus - 24 Hour Tour including both the City Tour and Bondi & Bays Tour
  • Commentary in 8 languages
  • Present your Essential Ticket voucher to Captain Cook Cruises, Circular Quay Wharf 6, for your tickets
  • Please select your Cruise date when booking as this must be taken first
  • Big Bus ticket can be used within 7 days of cruise

Adult $95.00 | Child 3-15 $63.00

Explore Ticket

FEATURES

  • Cruise - 1 Calendar Day Hop On Hop Off Harbour Explorer
  • Big Bus - 48 Hour Tour including both the City Tour and Bondi & Bays Tour
  • Attraction - Sydney Tower Eye
  • Commentary in 8 languages
  • Present your Explore Ticket voucher to Big Bus at any stop, for your tickets
  • Fully Flexible - valid anytime up to 7 days from the travel date selected
  • Experiences can be taken in any order

Adult $135.00 | Child 3-15 $105

Big Bus Tour Stops

The City Tour

Red Route Timetable

Showing off the best of Sydney, from the 'sails' of the Opera House to the soaring arch of the Harbour Bridge

  • Operates 9:00am-3:30pm
  • Frequency every 30-45 mins
  • No. of Stops 23
  • Nearest stops to Captain Cook Cruises
    - Circular Quay, cnr George & Alfred St
    - Barangaroo, 21 Hickson Rd

The Bondi & Bays Tour

Blue Route Timetable

Hop on to visit Sydney's beautiful eastern bays, including the world-famous Bondi Beach.

  • Operates 9:00am-2:45pm
  • Frequency every 40-60 mins
  • No. of Stops 11
  • Nearest stops to Captain Cook Cruises
    - Town Hall, 339 Pitt St

Big Bus Tours

  • Operate 365 days a year
  • Commentary available in English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Japanese, Chinese and Korean
  • Complimentary headphones are provided on the bus

Hop On Hop Off Harbour Explorer Stops

The fun way to travel around Sydney Harbour

  • Jump on the red rocket ferries
  • Stop at 6 of Sydney Harbour's most popular destinations
  • Up to 5 departure daily
  • Includes commentary in English, French, Italian, German, Japanese, Korean, Chinese and Hindi
  • The helpful guidance of the Captain Cook Cruises Crew
  • Make the most of your time onboard and download your Cruise Commentary onto your Smartphone before you arrive. Don't forget your headphones! Click here for details

Circular Quay

Bounded by the Sydney Harbour Bridge and historic Rocks district to the west, and the Sydney Opera House and Botanic Gardens to the east, Circular Quay is a bustling ferry hub.

Taronga Zoo

Over 4,000 animals, including Australian native wildlife. Free daily seal and/or bird presentations. Purchase the Zoo and Explorer combo and save.

Manly

You don’t have to swim at this iconic beach to soak up the atmosphere. Shop at the Corso, dine at waterfront cafés, find your favourite gelato flavour or take a nature walk.

Shark Island

It would be hard to find a more spectacular picnic spot. Stunning, 360-degree views of Sydney Harbour and a delightfully deserted national park for your own private getaway.

Watsons Bay

Local must-do `Watto’ is famous for its seafood, waterfront pubs, picnic spots, swimming beaches and spectacular headlands walks overlooking the Harbour and the Pacific Ocean.

Darling Harbour

WEEKENDS ONLY
Start or finish your day at Darling Harbour, surrounded by restaurants, nightclubs and hotels at King Street Wharf, Barangaroo and Cockle Bay.

Cruise Timetables

  • Timetables are issued daily on arrival or onboard
  • Special timetables may operate on selected dates - see the notes shown the bottom of timetable.

See Legend below for variations

Darling Harbour - King St Wharf 1Circular Quay - Wharf 6Taronga ZooShark IslandWatsons BayManly - Wharf 3Watsons BayShark Island Taronga Zoo Circular Quay - Wharf 6Darling Harbour - King St Wharf 1
(Cancelled 9:00am#)9:15am9:30am9:35am9:45am10:00am10:15am10:32am
10:32am10:50am10:55am11:05am11:20am11:35am11:55am
11:55am12:10pm12:25pm12:40pm12:55pm1:10pm1:25pm(Cancelled 1:40pm*)
(Cancelled 2:20pm# )2:35pm2:45pm2:55pm3:10pm3:30pm3:35pm3:50pm
3:50pm4:10pm4:25pm4:40pm4:50pm5:05pm
5:05pm5:35pm5:50pm6:10pm(Cancelled 6:25pm*)
(Cancelled 6:25pm▲)6:40pm▲7:00pm▲7:00pm▲7:20pm▲*


Timetable Commencing 16 April 2024 | Updated 25 June 2024

Hop On Hop Off Weekend Leisure & Tourist Services: Saturday to Sunday and public holidays

Legend: #Pick-up only | *Set down only | ▲ Operates Saturday Nov-Feb

Closed: 25-Dec (Christmas Day), 26-Dec (Boxing Day selected services), 26-Jan (Australia Day)

Special Timetables Operate: 26-Dec (Boxing Day Zoo Express services only), 31-Dec (New Year’s Eve), 01-Jan (New Year’s Day) - to be confirmed

Temporary Cancellation of Darling Harbour Services: Due to maintenance upgrades, Hop On Hop Off services to and from Darling Harbour will be temporarily closed from Saturday 29 June 2024. Completion date to be advised.

See Legend below for variations

Circular Quay - Wharf 6Cremorne PointTaronga ZooShark IslandWatsons BayManly - Wharf 3Watsons BayShark Island Taronga Zoo Cremorne PointCircular Quay - Wharf 6
7:15am#^7:35am^
7:35am^7:42am^8:00am^8:00am^8:20am^
8:20am^8:40am^8:40am^9:00am^
9:05am9:15am9:20am9:30am9:45am10:00am10:20am*
11:00am11:15am11:20am11:30am11:45am12:00pm12:20pm
12:20pm12:35pm12:50pm1:05pm1:20pm1:30pm1:35pm1:50pm
2:15pm2:30pm2:45pm3:00pm3:15pm3:25pm3:30pm3:40pm*
3:45pm#@4:00pm@4:10pm@
4:50pm#5:00pm*
4:10pm^^4:30pm4:40pm4:55pm^^

5:20pm^^

5:20pm^5:40pm^5:40pm^6:00pm^
6:00pm^6:20pm^6:20pm^6:40pm^
6:40pm^7:00pm^7:00pm^7:20pm^*


Timetable Commencing 16 April 2024 | Updated 25 June 2024

  • Hop On Hop Off Midweek Leisure & Tourist Services: Monday to Friday
  • Commuter Services: Monday to Friday excluding public holidays

Legend: #Pick-up only | *Set down only | ^ Commuter Services | ^^ Mixed Commuter, Leisure & Tourist service | ▲ Operates Saturday Nov-Feb

Closed: 25-Dec-24 (Christmas Day), 26-Dec-24 (Boxing Day), 26-Jan-25 (Australia Day)

Special Timetables Operate: 31-Dec (New Year’s Eve), 01-Jan-25 (New Year’s Day) - to be confirmed

Cremorne Point Service @
Does not operate 30 Sep-11 Oct 2024, 11 Dec 2024 - TBA


Combo Prices & More Cruise Info

Big Bus & Cruise Combo Tickets

Valid to 31-Mar-2025Essential TicketExplore Ticket
Adult
Child 3-15yrs
$95
$63
$135
$105

Retail rates are valid to 31-March-2026. All prices are per person. Special subject to change.

Still looking? You might find it here

  • Wheelchair access - The entrance level deck of rocket ferries are wheelchair accessible with wheelchair accessible bathroom, however not all destinations are wheelchair accessible. Please check the Accessibility page for further details and wharf access.
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Our Fleet
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Credit card fraud - At check-in you will be required to present the credit card used to purchase your cruise online

Captain Cook Cruises Check-in Offices

Choose a departure from Circular Quay Wharf 6 (Daily) or Darling Harbour King Street Wharf 1 (Sat-Sun) based on the Hop on Hop off timetable above to collect your boarding passes and daily timetable.

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