Central Station Pedestrian Tunnel

Okay, while I’m not a native of Sydney, I am quite familiar with this tunnel, namely because I have the bad habit of going down here to get to the main concourse only to discover that I have walked all the way to the otherside of the station, and then have to make my way through the southern concourse to get to where I am going (which usually results in me getting lost the the maze beneath the station). However, it is really, really useful to get from Railway Square to the suburban platforms without having to take the long way round. Unfortunately, which is one thing I don’t like, there isn’t a quick way to the main concourse (where the long distance trains depart).

An indispensable part of Sydney CBD’s pedestrian infrastructure. Lined with classy murals and consistently populated with often talented buskers. Cyclists please dismount though!

It may be just a tunnel that makes getting from Elizabeth/​Chalmers Street to Railway Square/​Broadway a lot more convenient (it’s technically an pedestrianised extension of Devonshire St), but in reality it has plenty of charm to compliment its convenience. As you probably know from walking down it’s 100m or so tunnely goodness, it’s home to plenty of buskers throughout the day and seeing as it’s undercover, come wind or shine, they’ll be there! It obviously gets pretty busy during rush hour, but everyone seems to know to stick to the left, which makes for a pretty steady traffic stream. If you follow it right along to the end you’ll eventually end up at the entrance to the ABC building, without the need for having to stop at any traffic lights!
At night, it may appear a little creepy, horror film-​esque, but you should be ok and you can see people coming from the other end due to its straight nature! So if there are any strange looking people coming towards you, you can always turn back!

Central Station Tunnel (or Devonshire St Pedestrian Tunnel) links Chalmers St to George St and it’s amazing how much activity goes on in that 100m or so of walkway. In fact in trying o find out exactly how long it actually is, I just discovered that the Tunnel is an old burial ground… Poltergeist anyone?
The tunnel is a long-​time favourite of buskers and beggars. Busker protocol dictates that it’s rude to use an amplifier in a closed environment such as this but sometimes you’ll see some guy in a cowboy hat rocking covers on his trusty portable karaōke amp. Other regulars include a blind woman with the most amazing soprano who could have stepped straight out of a Peter Greenaway film, Neil the William Burroughs look-​alike with his assortment of flutes and fiddles, and various Japanesee tourists peddling hand-​made bracelets or drawings. As a former favourite of taggers and graffitti artists the Tunnel was done over with graffiti-​proof paint and railway themed illustrations a while ago which I think has detracted from the old Sydney atmosphere.