Sydney

Mongolian citizens need an Australian Visitor visa in advance (ETA and eVisitor do not apply). Apply online through ImmiAccount and pay the AUD 250 fee (from 1 July 2026) by card. In August 2026, 90% of applications were decided within 35 days, so apply 1–2 months ahead. Attach bank statements, an employment letter, hotel bookings and your itinerary.

Tip: Buy flights only after the visa is granted — decisions take weeks.

If biometrics are required after you apply, you will be emailed: within 14 days you must give fingerprints and a photo at the Australian Visa Application Centre (AVAC) in Ulaanbaatar, or the application becomes invalid with no refund. Book ahead and bring a copy of the email.

Australia's biosecurity checks are among the strictest in the world: meat products (borts, sausage), dairy (aaruul, khuruud, airag), seeds, fruit, vegetables and wooden items must be declared or dropped in the airport bins. Failing to declare or giving false answers can mean an infringement notice of up to AUD 7,280, visa cancellation and a ban of up to 3 years.

Tip: If in doubt, tick 'Yes' — declared items are never fined, only inspected.

Fill in the paper Incoming Passenger Card handed out on the plane, in English: answer truthfully about food, plant and animal products and visits to farms. The digital Australia Travel Declaration is still only a pilot on some Qantas flights, so passengers on other flights complete the paper card.

T8 trains run frequently between 5:00 and midnight. To the city stations with Opal or a bank card an adult pays A$21.64 (A$22.94 at peak) — A$18.61 of that is the airport station access fee. Children from A$18.15.

A flat-fare taxi trial runs from the airport to the Sydney CBD: A$60 for a standard taxi, A$80 for a maxi taxi or five or more people (fees and tolls included). Bus 350 goes cheaply to Bondi Junction via Coogee. For a family of four, a taxi can work out cheaper than the train.

Telstra, Optus and Vodafone have counters in the international arrivals area. A 28-day prepaid plan is about AUD 30–50 with plenty of data; you register with your passport. Outside the city, such as in the Blue Mountains, Telstra's network is the most reliable.

If your phone supports eSIM, buy an Australia plan from an app such as Airalo or Ubigi and install it before you fly so you are online on landing. It is data only, so if you need an Australian number (to book taxis or restaurants) a local SIM is better.

Tip: Download Sydney and the Blue Mountains in Google Maps for offline use.

On every service, tap an Opal card or your Visa, Mastercard or Amex (or phone wallet) when you get on and again when you get off. Adult daily caps are A$19.30 Monday–Thursday and A$9.65 on Fridays, weekends and public holidays, with a A$50 weekly cap — you never pay more.

Tip: Each family member needs their own card — two people cannot tap in on one.

Public ferries from Circular Quay to Manly (F1), Taronga Zoo and Watsons Bay run on Opal. Manly is about 30 minutes away, passing the Opera House and the bridge. With the low weekend daily cap, Sunday is the cheapest day to ride the ferries.

Blue Mountains Line intercity trains leave Central at least hourly and take about 2 hours to Katoomba. They are charged at normal Opal fares, and the low weekend cap makes them cheapest then. From Katoomba take a bus or the Explorer Bus to Echo Point.

Australia is nearly cashless: shops, cafes, transport and museums all take contactless cards. Some attractions (SEA LIFE, Taronga) take no cash at all. Some cafes and taxis add a card surcharge. For a little cash, bank ATMs are the most reliable.

Sydney is one of the world's expensive cities: a cheap meal is about A$25, dinner for two at a mid-range restaurant about A$135, a coffee about A$5.65. Tipping is optional — staff are well paid. Book hotels early; December–January is the priciest.

Spend over A$300 in one shop and you can claim back the 10% GST at the airport: keep the receipts and carry the goods in your hand luggage. Filling in the My Tourist Refund Scheme app in advance speeds up the queue.

Seafood (Sydney Fish Market), fish and chips on the beach, barbecue, meat pies, avocado toast for breakfast and a flat white. Asian food is cheap and excellent around Haymarket, Chinatown and Campsie.

Tip: Many parks and beaches have free public electric barbecues — buy meat at the supermarket and grill it yourself.

Ready meals, sandwiches and fruit from Woolworths, Coles and Aldi are the cheapest. Food courts (Westfield, Market City) are good value. Restaurants with views in Manly, Bondi and Circular Quay are pricey.

Police, ambulance, fire — 000 (free, 24 hours); 112 from a mobile reaches the same service. Non-urgent police matters 131 444, flood and storm help (SES) 132 500. Remember you cannot reach 000 from a mobile where there is no network coverage.

Swim only at patrolled beaches, between the red-and-yellow flags — rip currents drag even strong swimmers out to sea. The Australian sun is far stronger than Mongolians are used to: hat, sunglasses and SPF 50+ even on cloudy days. On Blue Mountains walks, carry water and head back while it is light.

Bushfires and heatwaves occur from November to March. Before going to the Blue Mountains check warnings in the Hazards Near Me app, and never light fires on Total Fire Ban days. Treatment is very expensive, so travel insurance is a must.

Australians use first names and greet you with 'How are you going?' — a short answer is fine. Queues are respected, and thanking the bus driver as you get off is the custom. On escalators stand on the left and leave the right for people in a hurry.

Many events and museums open with an 'Acknowledgement of Country' honouring the traditional owners. Don't photograph Aboriginal art or sacred sites without permission, and buy souvenirs from shops that work with Aboriginal artists.

Drinking in public places (beaches, parks) is often banned, and smoking is allowed only in marked areas. Forgetting to tap your card on transport gets you fined by inspectors. Sort your rubbish into the right bins.

Opal Travel — routes, Opal balance and fare estimates. Google Maps shows train, bus and ferry times accurately in real time in Sydney. Uber and DiDi are widely used for taxis.

Emergency+ — calls 000 and helps you read out your GPS location. Hazards Near Me NSW — bushfire, flood and storm warnings. Beachsafe — patrolled beaches and surf conditions.

The Airport Link train from the city to the international terminal takes about 15 minutes and costs around A$21.64 including the station fee. Plan to be there 3 hours before an international flight — immigration and security queues can be long.

The TRS counter is after passport control: show receipts, passport, boarding pass and the goods. Check Mongolia's customs rules for any souvenirs (meat products, plants) you take home. Overstaying your Australian visa causes problems for future visas.