Sydney Cross City Tunnel Opens

With the opening of the Sydney Cross City Tunnel late last night, predictions of city road chaos as a result of street closures and diversions seemed not to have materialised during this morning's rush hour as people started arriving in the city to work. Still, if planning to travel into the city by car, visitors are advised to take the train — or the ferry, where feasible — instead of driving into the city.

But if you're merely going through the city on an east-west route, taking your car and using the Cross City Tunnel will cut down travel time as you avoid congested city streets.

The Cross City Tunnel is a fully electronic tollway and motor vehicles must have a tag for electronic toll payment. If your vehicle is without an eletronic tag, and you are only in the city for a short period, you will need a pass to use the tunnel.

The toll on the Cross-City tunnel from end to end (Darling Harbour to Eastern Distributor exit or Rushcutters Bay; and vice-versa) is $3.53 each way per passenger car. There is an administration surcharge of $1.60 if you are using a pass.

Information on tollway beep passes can be found at crosscity.com.au.

If taking the train, check out the Sydney subway or how to take the Sydney trains. If crossing the harbour, city ferries have their "downtown" jetties at Circular Quay.

Driving in Australia