Anhui Ankai HFF6121GS-3 at The Star Casino in April 2015
| |
| Parent | Big Bus Tours |
|---|---|
| Founded | 23 November 1980 |
| Headquarters | Banksmeadow |
| Locale | Sydney |
| Service type | Open top bus Hop-On, Hop-Off |
| Routes | Sydney City & Bondi Beach routes |
| Depots | 1 |
| Fleet | 15 (October 2020) |
| Website | https://www.bigbustours.com/en/sydney/sydney-bus-tours |
The Sydney Explorer was an Australian open top bus tourist sightseeing service operating in the Sydney central business district and Eastern Suburbs. Nowadays the company is owned by Big Bus Tours and trades as Big Bus Sydney.[1]
On 23 November 1980, the Urban Transit Authority commenced operating the Sydney Explorer looping the Sydney central business district. It was operated with Mercedes-Benz O305 and O405 buses that apart from being painted in red Sydney Explorer livery and having a public address system, were identical to those used in normal service.[2] In 1990, a fleet of six (later increased to eight) Pressed Metal Corporation bodied Mercedes-Benz O405 coaches were introduced.
In September 1998, the Bondi & Bay Explorer was introduced operating from Circular Quay to the Eastern Suburbs. It was operated by four Ansair bodied Scania L113CRLs painted in a blue livery.[3]
In November 2010, both services were sold to City Sightseeing who had been operating open top bus tours in Sydney since the early 2000s.[4][5]
No buses were included in the sale, with City Sightseeing continuing to operate its existing routes only with its fleet of MCW Metrobuses. From May 2012 new Anhui Ankai buses were introduced on these routes.[6] Operations initially operated under the City Sightseeing brand, before the Big Bus Sydney name was introduced in 2016.
When Ensignbus sold the City Sightseeing business in 2011, it retained ownership of the Sydney operation. In 2016, Sydney Explorer relinquished its City Sightseeing franchise and became a Big Bus Tours affiliate.[7]
Big Bus Sydney offers 4 tickets:
- Discover: valid for 24hrs
- Essential: valid for 48hrs
- Explore: 48hr ticket + 24hr Fantasea Harbour Hopper cruise
Big Bus Sydney now stops at 34 different locations in the Sydney City and Bondi & Bays tours. Hop-On, Hop-Off City Tour
