I’m planning to live in Sydney, but I’ve read that the public transport system can sometimes be unreliable or confusing for newcomers. Has anyone tried commuting daily using buses and trains there, and how easy was it to get around without owning a car, especially during peak hours or on weekends?

Depends on what you are used to… I came from a country with ZERO reliable public transport options and I love Sydney’s public transport. You can get anywhere and sure it will take time, but you could do it and there are endless combinations for busses, trains, ferries. A daily commute is easy and with the right mindset could even be productive and energising!

Sydney is a huge place mate. Your location makes a difference in this, as do the amenities you want to access.

Generally inner city has plenty of great public transport (light rail, city circle on trains, and some buses, and metro if you wanna access the north/west like Chatswood/Macquarie/Hills District etc.). But rent there is insane.

If you're anywhere with easy connectivity to the Sydbey metro (see the blue M on maps) you're in a great spot to connect to the city. They're usually very reliable and VERY frequent.

If you're on the train lines your mileage may vary. Until Parramatta/Blacktown/Chatswood/Epping you're probably fine. If you're living further than that trains just take a bit longer and a bit less frequent so I'd prefer metro.

There are a bunch of middle areas where buses are still your only option. These areas for whatever reason are a bit tougher because buses infrastructure hasn't improved in about 10 years. Focus has been on metro and trains. Still okay though.

With any of those options you'll find that last mile (to get from home to your nearest metro/train station) is still via buses - this is still pretty good though traffic is the issue. You can always supplement that with a bicycle, car, or motorbike. (Though in my experience... Aussie drivers aren't as motorbike aware as they should be so I don't feel too safe here on 2 wheels even if I've got all the gear on).

So ultimately to get to work you'll mostly be fine. Aim for somewhere near a metro station - that's probably your optimal. Even better if it has BOTH colocated (Epping, Macquarie, Chatswood, North Sydney, etc.).

In order to reach the other amenities you like... that varies (I connect to music communities all over so some venues is just better with a car frankly).

The only other thing I'll add is convenience for payment. All modes of transport accept credit card now. Which is fantastic. You don't actually need an opal card.

I live in Melbourne, but I’ve joined my husband on some work trips where he gets a rental car. I personally could never drive in Sydney. Google Maps has major issues knowing where you are with the tunnels and the submerged highways, so it’s constantly rerouting. Parking is stupidly expensive and tight — if you can find a spot. Plus if you live too far out, you will be spending so much money on tolls.

I navigated with public transport without him near the CBD/Bondi, and it’s fairly easy to do. People actually use the buses vs. Melbourne. The downside of buses and tram is that they are a bit slower than the metro because of the traffic lights. My only concern of relying on public transport is that there have been quite a few public transportation strikes and outages recently which completely shut down Sydney. Also, Uber whacks on the tolls on top of whatever was quoted to you if your driver decides to take a toll route.

I moved from the US where I drove everywhere and now I live in Sydney and don't own a car and don't miss driving. However I live where there's a lot of access to buses that can take me to the city, shops and work. The metro is fantastic and reliable. I didn't find learning public transport for the first time difficult.

Don't worry about it. Your biggest concern here will be the cost of living and retaining a job (if you havent secured one).

The biggest problem with Sydney is the gridlock traffic.