Shopping Tours

Shopping Tours Around Sydney by Coach and Minibus

Sydney’s outlet centres and shopping precincts are spread across the city, and getting a group between them by car or train takes most of the day. A private coach or minibus links three or four stops in one relaxed loop, keeps the shopping bags on board between stops and brings everyone home together. It is a favourite day out for seniors clubs, community groups and visitors from overseas.

Popular stops

• DFO Homebush
• Birkenhead Point
• Alexandria warehouse outlets
• City and Pitt Street Mall
• Your own choice of centres

Timing the day

Most shopping tours run around eight hours from pick-up to drop-off. That allows about two hours at each centre, travel between them and a sit-down lunch.

Shopping always takes longer than planned, especially in the weeks before Christmas. If you think you need four hours, book five.

A sample shopping day

Morning: Homebush

Pick up around 9.00 am and head to DFO Homebush, close to Sydney Olympic Park, as the shops open. Two hours here is plenty for most groups.

Lunch: Birkenhead Point

A short drive across to Drummoyne for lunch on the waterfront at Birkenhead Point, then time to browse the outlets.

Afternoon: a final stop

Finish at a centre of your choice, or swap the last shopping stop for a scenic drive past the harbour before heading home.

Why a coach works for shopping days

• Bags stay on the coach between stops, so no one carries them around all day.
• The driver drops at the entrance and knows where coaches can wait at each centre.
• Everyone travels together, with a set meeting time at each stop.
• Itineraries can change on the day if the group wants longer somewhere.

Groups who travel with us

Seniors and Probus clubs, church and community groups, and visitor groups who want a day off sightseeing. For overseas groups, a shopping day often follows an airport transfer or sits between tours to the Blue Mountains and the Hunter Valley. See also our Sydney bus tours.

We use 12, 20 and 24 seat vehicles for small groups and touring coaches of 39 to 57 seats for clubs. Quotes are based on the hours from start to finish and the size of vehicle.

Shopping trips from further afield

Clubs and community groups from the Central Coast, the Blue Mountains and the Southern Highlands also book shopping days in Sydney. The coach collects the group from home, spends the day linking the outlets and brings everyone back with their purchases in the hold. For these longer days we plan a rest stop on the way in and an earlier finish so the group is home by evening.

Seasonal shopping trips

Shopping days follow the calendar. The weeks before Christmas are the busiest, when clubs and community groups book outings to finish their gift lists together, and the end of financial year sales in June bring a second rush. Mid-week trips are quieter, with easier parking for the coach and shorter queues in the shops, so they suit seniors groups who prefer a gentler pace.

Some groups pair a shopping stop with something else: a harbour lunch, a visit to a market or a scenic drive along the eastern beaches on the way home. Because every tour is private, the itinerary can be as simple or as varied as you like.

Planning tips for group leaders

• Agree a meeting time and place at each centre and share the driver’s phone number with the group.
• Remind everyone to keep valuables with them, even though bags can stay on board.
• Allow extra time for the first stop; groups always take longer than planned on the first one.

Shopping tour questions