Sydney is one of the hardest places I have visited to find free WIFI. The usual Starbucks only offers 30 minutes, which is not sufficient for those who require more than just a quick email check. Entrepreneurs who need reliable internet, (but want to work out of home) can find it difficult. These are just 8 places I discovered during my time in Sydney, which offer the most reliable WiFi.
1. NSW Library
I spent many weekends and evenings at the NSW library. It is best to arrive early (before 10:00am) at the weekends as the desks soon get full. If your laptop battery is already full, then there are more couches and seats to sit on, located on the ground floor. The café in the library, is also a great place to catch up on emails over a coffee.
Address: State Library of New South Wales, Macquarie Street, Sydney NSW 2000
2. Surry Hills Library
On the corner of Crown Street and Foveaux Street is the new Surry Hills library. It is not as quiet as the NSW State library as there is a kids’ corner where children can be rather noisy after school hours. However, it is a comfortable place to catch up on emails and it is right in the heart of Surry Hills, so easy to nip out for a coffee.
Address: 405 Crown St, Surry Hills NSW 2010
3. Customs House
Directly opposite Circular Quay is the Customs House. Built in 1844, it was the headquarters of the Customs Service until 1990. There is free WIFI on the ground, first and second level. Customs House is fully air-conditioned and therefore is a welcome respite from the heat on a summer’s day. The ground floor also has a model of the CBD of the city, which shows the major landmarks of Sydney, a good summary of attractions to see for tourists and locals alike.
Address: 31 Alfred Street, Circular Quay
4. The Book Kitchen
The Book Kitchen was renovated earlier this year and now is open from 8am until late Wednesday to Sunday. I went to this café during my last few months in Sydney. The staff were very friendly and the prices are reasonable, (a bacon and egg roll is $11.) The WiFi is reliable but there are no plug sockets, so arrive with a full battery or catch up on just a few emails over a coffee. Many cafes in Australia do not seem to mind if you spend hours in their café, ordering just one drink (which I was very surprised about).
Address: 255 Devonshire St, Surry Hills NSW 2010
5. Spicer Street Cafe
Tucked down Spicer Street, this café offers a wide range of breakfast and lunch dishes. The coffee is one of the cheapest in Sydney, $3.30 for a regular latte. The staff are friendly and they offer home cooked Mediterranean and Turkish meals. For those looking for a light snack, the café serves home cooked muffins every day for $3.50 as well as one of the cheapest places to serve banana bread at $4.50.
Address: 2/128 Queen St, Woollahra NSW 2025
6. Hotel CBD
On the corner of King Street (just behind the Apple store), is the Hotel CBD, inside the bar has three levels. On the second floor is the sports bar, which has free WiFi. Normally packed late in the evenings and weekends, this place was a quiet haven on a Monday afternoon. Fully air-conditioned, it was a great place to get away from the heat on a summer’s day. As it wasn’t busy, I had the whole top floor to myself and could watch as much sport as I liked (even though I was there to work). The bar serves a selection of American style food and I had the burger and chips (quite generous portions) for $18.
Address: 52 King Street Sydney NSW 2000
7. Wholemeal Café
Set up by Anna Hopkins, founder of the protein bread, this café is located at Taylor Square. There is plenty of space inside and a few tables outside. It was set up in 2009, after Anna could not find a ran her personal training business. She wanted to provide a place to serve quick and easy but healthy food, to help with those who want to follow a healthy lifestyle. The café also has reliable WIFI.
The café is open every day from 6am to 6pm.
Address: 6 Flinders St, Darlinghurst NSW
8. Sydney Airport
You probably don’t want to travel all the way to the airport to use the WiFi, but if you do have last minute emails to send, you can rely on the fast internet connection at the airport. Every time I have been to the airport, it has never let me down and I can use it until I step on the plane.
For a major city, there is not a wealth of hot spots in Sydney but there are a variety scattered throughout the city. It just depends on where you are and what your needs are at the time. If you find anymore, let me know.
