Sydney Harbour's Express BridgeClimb is Made for Travelers with Little Time

Where: 5 Cumberland Street, Sydney, NSW, Australia, 2000

July 9, 2010 at 10:44 AM | by EricRosen | Comments (2)

One of the most sought-after tourist experiences in Sydney, and one that almost every visitor seems to do while in town, is climbing the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge with BridgeClimb. But it�s not just international travelers that come to admire the breathtaking views from the top of the �Coat Hanger�s� arch. Thirty-five percent of the over 2.5 million climbers who've scaled the structure since BridgeClimb began in 1998 have been Australians. Yeah, they seem pretty proud of it.

However, during a recent visit to Sydney, we were hesitant about booking a climb ourselves since the two traditional experiences�the classic Bridge Climb and the engineering fantasist�s Exploration Climb�last a whopping 3.5 hours. That�s a pretty daunting prospect for the small of bladder and the short of time. So imagine our excitement when we learned that the newest climbing experience at BridgeClimb, the Express Climb, takes only two hours.

The Express Climb groups are also limited to just 12 people, so the personable guides get to know every single climber, and you get answers to the questions that interest you most. Plus, if you want to know more about the Bridge and its construction, you can always visit the museum in the BridgeClimb Visitors Centre and take your time over the historical exhibits.

Just to be even-handed, there are a few drawbacks. First, there is little downtime on the climb, so we were in constant motion. That didn�t bother us so much, though, since we still got the whole spiel on the Bridge�s history and some of the more salacious episodes of its past (16 construction workers died!). The real downside is that the Express Climb surmounts the lower, inside arch of the Bridge for most of the route, then takes a staircase up to the zenith. You still end up 134 meters above the water and get the same picture taken of you as everyone else who does the climb, you just don�t have quite as long to enjoy it up there. Plus, the "Climber Certificate" will be waiting for you when you descend.

Rates for the Express Climb start at $188AUD ($164) for a night climb, with a day climb starting at $198AUD ($173), and the popular twilight climb starting at $258AUD ($225) for adults.

For an extra little thrill, and to see what good company you�ll be in going on a climb, check out BridgeClimb�s Celebrity Gallery. The kids from GLEE seem to be enjoying themselves�

Full disclosure: Eric Rosen was invited on the Express Climb as a guest of BridgeClimb, but all opinions expressed are his own.

Comments (2)

Return to » Sydney Harbour's Express BridgeClimb is Made for Travelers with Little Time

Great article about Sydney Harbour Bridge. I would love to do it but want to experience it with someone as well but believe it is a very expensive experience but i think you have convinced me it is worth the money. Can i book online at: <a href="http://http://www.sydneyharbourbridgeclimb.org" target="_blank">Sydney harbour bridge climb</a>

Sydney Bridge Climb Great article about Sydney Harbour Bridge. I would love to do it but want to experience it with someone as well but believe it is a very expensive experience but i think you have convinced me it is worth the money. Can i book online at: <a href="http://www.sydneyharbourbridgeclimb.org" target="_blank">Sydney harbour bridge climb</a>

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