Ryde Suburb Review

Good location and an abundance of amenities - shame about the traffic.

Summary: An incredibly well-equipped suburb in terms of amenities, shopping and services, Ryde on the North Shore is a true “hub” that’s central to almost everything – except the Sydney CBD. While as-the-crow-flies the city isn’t too far away, some traffic issues and the lack of a dedicated train station hurt the suburb somewhat; however its extensive variety in both homes and services as well as proximity to popular non-CBD work hotspots make Ryde far more self-sufficient (and enticing) than many other busy suburbs in Sydney.

Key stats

In terms of having everything one could want in terms of daily conveniences at your doorstep while still having access to suburban living, it’s hard to beat what Ryde has to offer. Situated in a relatively central position on Sydney’s north shore, its balanced location in terms of both its own environment and what it offers access to nearby is a major plus.

Ryde’s a buzzing suburb by day, as people both flock to it from elsewhere to take advantage of its mix of large and small-scale retail opportunities as well as using it as an artery to get from A to B.

Its cityscape is quite diverse, with big-box retail, a range of dining and other miscellaneous storefronts coexisting alongside leafy suburban backstreets and even a waterfront area down by the Parramatta River.

As a result, it’s one of the most varied suburbs in Sydney. It’s also an interesting mix of old-meets-new; Ryde is one of the older major suburbs in the city and has a proportionate blend of architectural and housing types to suit.

There’s quite a good balance between its quantity of larger, older freestanding houses and ultra-modern apartment blocks that offers pretty good choice for most family situations and career stages.

While its distance from the Sydney CBD proper can make things a little awkward for those whose workplace is more central, its proximity to popular tech working and education hubs such as Macquarie Park (north) and Rhodes (just across the bridge) makes it ideal as a base for workers in both of those suburbs.

Add in easy access to the likes of Sydney Olympic Park and other public event spaces, and there’s plenty to offer just on the suburb’s doorstep.

A Balanced Package

Ryde itself is also quite clean and green in general considering how built-up it is; many other highly commercialised suburbs in Sydney are either dirtier or more bland and concrete-heavy in general.

Ryde Park in particular offers a nice public green space for both kids and dogs to play in, and it’s fairly leafy considering its total population too.

Of special mention is the recently enhanced Top Ryde City shopping centre – this massive collection of shops has undergone a facelift and now ranks as perhaps Sydney’s best retail hub, with practically every major brand represented and larger department stores as well.

Top Ryde is one of Sydney’s best shopping centres

While it’s bustling by day, Ryde doesn’t have much to offer in terms of action once the sun goes down. It’s a fairly quiet suburb of an evening, with only a couple of pubs and its restaurant scene on offer.

Restaurant prices here tend to be slightly cheaper than the city proper, though, which is a small added bonus for those who like to dine out.

There’s little to no nightlife to speak of, which can be both boring but also provide the added bonus of a guaranteed decent night’s sleep. It’s also a very safe suburb, with one of the lowest crime rates (bottom 15) of Sydney’s more central suburbs.

Ryde’s convenience, as with many other North Shore suburbs, comes with a price. Ryde’s not as exorbitant as some of the north side suburbs closer to the city centre, but it’s far from cheap.

Expect to drop around $1.3 million for a modest freestanding house, over $600k for a mid-sized and non-flashy unit, while $550 per week rent is standard for a 2 bedroom apartment.

“In terms of having everything one could want in terms of daily conveniences at your doorstep while still having access to suburban living, it’s hard to beat what Ryde has to offer.”

The suburb’s central location also brings along with it one major downside: transport. Traffic here is a major negative issue in general, with many people using it as a passageway to get elsewhere in the city.

An abundance of continued high-density construction in recent years hasn’t helped things, and Victoria Road as the major artery that runs through Ryde is as terrible as always for drivers.

This creates an awkward situation, as Ryde is a suburb slightly off the main heavy rail lines that thus makes driving often required – yet driving here itself is also painful, which only serves to compound things.

The same goes for its buses; while Ryde has excellent bus connectivity to most major lines, the traffic situation means those same buses often take a very long time to get where they’re meant to be going.

The new Metro in North Ryde has been repurposed and provides some additional connectivity, however it’s not located in Ryde itself. West Ryde might also offer heavy rail access, but needing to “park and ride” with its abundance of cars can be an exercise in frustration, too.

As a result, if you need to commute to the CBD on a daily basis, there are numerous other Sydney suburbs which will likely serve your needs better and make everyday life far less draining.

It’s a shame, as it’s the only real black mark on Ryde as a whole. Amenity-wise it’s well-equipped, with solid school options nearby, good and diverse medical facilities, and an overall balanced demographic.

There’s a pleasant, even distribution of nationalities and ethnicities here as opposed to other suburbs which can lean to heavily one way or another. This means you get a nice sampling of the balance of international influence that makes Sydney interesting in terms of food and people as a whole.

The Verdict

Versatile and slightly upmarket without being excessively so, Ryde contains enough to make it appealing to one of the widest arrays of demographics of any Sydney suburb on this list. It’s pretty safe, it’s got some greenery, and it’s got just the right sprinkling of diversity to give it enough character to not feel too bland.

For those who can commute to nearby suburbs (or head west against the traffic of a morning), this makes it suitable to nearly all potential home-hunters – cashed up families can buy a nice freestanding home, uni students have options without a soul-sucking commute, and younger professionals can get a decently modern apartment and not be kept awake by aircraft or street noise.

Those who are attached to their car or reliant on buses to the city would be advised to look elsewhere; for almost anyone else, Ryde is well worth considering.