Anzac Day is fast approaching, beginning with commemorative dawn services across Sydney on April 25 before shifting into the time-honoured Aussie tradition of packing out pubs across the city for a game of two-up.
While plenty of pubs host two-up games across the city, the most popular spots are notorious for drawing massive crowds, with queues often snaking down the street. The usual suspects include The Clovelly Hotel, The Sackville Hotel and The Clock Hotel.
Many Aussies will drift to the pub after the dawn service (perhaps after grabbing some brekky or squeezing in a quick nap) while others head straight to the city’s most popular venues, lining up early to lock in a spot for a day of two-up. In Paddington, The Royal Hotel and The Bellevue Hotel are taking a different approach, offering fast passes that let punters skip the Anzac Day queue entirely. The catch? It’ll set you back up to $60.
The Royal Hotel and The Bellevue Hotel are two of the most popular destinations for two-up on Anzac Day. Here’s what each of them is offering.
The Royal Hotel fast pass
The Royal Hotel typically reaches its full capacity of around 1,100 people by 10am. The venue is split between a lively outdoor area that spills onto the street, accommodating about 450 people, and an indoor space that holds roughly 650.
The $50 fast pass offers guests priority entry, unlimited access, and the freedom to come and go throughout the day. Holders can skip the crowds entirely, using a dedicated fast-track line that takes them straight to the front, bypassing the inevitably long ANZAC Day queue outside.
It also gives you unrestricted access to both indoor and outdoor areas, so you can move freely around the venue and join the two-up action wherever it’s happening. While most pubgoers have to choose between lining up for either the indoor or outdoor section, the fast pass lets you skip the queues entirely and access both.
With only 100 passes available (and a complete sellout last year), it’s clear that some keen two-up players are more than willing to pay for guaranteed entry. Maybe they’re counting on winning it back once the coins start flying.
That said, the pass can’t actually guarantee you entry to the Royal. The T&Cs state “lining up follows a ‘one in, one out’ policy, and entry is subject to venue capacity. *Access not guaranteed if venue is at max capacity. Non-refundable*“.
Doors open at 9am at the Royal, with bacon and egg rolls available for purchase and two-up kicking off at 10am. There’s an Aussie BBQ outside, the lunch menu is available inside, and after sundown, DJs begin their sets until 12am, with the Last Post at 6pm. It’s a strong lineup, but would you pay extra to lock in your spot or take your chances in the queue?
The Bellevue Hotel’s Skip The Line tickets
The Bellevue Hotel, located just a 12-minute walk from the Royal, is also offering tickets for punters to skip the queue, although these are even more expensive, at $60 per person.
The Bellie draws a crowd for good reason. Like the Royal, its Anzac Day two-up spills into the laneway beside the pub, creating a lively outdoor setup.
For $60, you’ll get priority entry and an official Bellie Anzac Day bucket hat thrown in. Only 50 of these tickets are up for grabs, and you’ll need to arrive before 12pm to make the most of the queue skip.
Unlike the Royal, there’s no fine print suggesting you’ll be turned away if capacity is reached, so the assumption is they’re holding back 50 guaranteed spots for fast pass holders to walk straight in.
The Bellevue Hotel also shared that part of the proceeds from the sale of these tickets will be going to Legacy Australia, an incredible non-profit organisation providing support to the families of Australian Defence Force men and women who have lost their lives or health in conflicts
Worth it or a waste of money?
The Royal typically hits capacity just an hour after doors open at 9am. That means even with a fast pass, arriving later could still leave you stuck at the front under a strict “one in, one out” policy. And if you’re in a group, don’t count on getting in together.
If you just have to go to the Royal this year, I’d recommend getting into the queue at about 8am if you want to guarantee your entry. So if you’d rather pay $50 than queue for an hour, it’s probably worth it. That being said, you should still arrive before 10am.
The same applies to The Bellevue Hotel. Aim to arrive at least an hour before doors open at 10am if you want the best shot at getting in. It’s a slightly later start than the Royal, so marginally more forgiving, but still one you don’t want to leave too late. The Bellevie is also likely to hit capacity within its first opening hour, so bear this in mind.
If you are willing to pay to skip the queues, I’d vouch for buying The Bellevue Hotel’s Skip The Line pass over The Royal’s fast pass, because they’re proactively donating to Legacy with the sale of these tickets.
The Bellie also guarantees entry, unlike the Royal.
That being said, there are so many pubs and bars in Sydney that will also offer a great day of two-up, all with their own exciting lineup. Plenty of these venues are also donating proceeds to Legacy from food and drink sales. These are the venues that we should be supporting on Anzac Day, so make sure to check before planning your pub trip.
