Public Transport to our airports - what's cheapest?

[Virgin Bart]

Umm... are you sure you weren't thinking of the old airport?

I assure you not! Hobart and Launceston from memory are much more.

Wellcamp was a pain in the cough.

 

[RobJ]

In Sydney you could also take a bus to Mascot and change to trains there. Should take about 40-50 mins to Central and cost $3.74 on Opal card ($7.40 on single tickets).

Yes, the 400 bus is useful, but you have to know where to get off at Mascot (or watch carefully); you could also finish the route and get an eastern suburbs train at Bondi Junction. One day in the improbable future you could get off the 400 at Randwick and take the Light Rail into town.

 

[Melburnian1]

Interested by a recent post in the SkyBus discussion, I've just spent too long looking at transport to/from airports....

Cairns Airport (to CBD)
Cheapest - Paid Shuttle ($6) to Bus ($2.20) into CBD - 29 minutes - $8.20
(No other scheduled public transport services operate)
Cheapest Weekend Terminal Parking - $55

Melbourne Airport (to Melbourne CBD)
Fastest - SkyBus - ~40 minutes - $19.75
Cheapest - Bus and Train via Broadmeadows - 1hr 20 minutes - $4.40
Cheapest Weekend Terminal Parking - $85

...If I've missed something, made an error or you've found a better/cheaper way - please feel free to share

Excellent post. Well done.

In Melbourne recently I got from Flinders St to Broadmeadows by Metro train and then by the 901 bus in under an hour. henrus is allowing for some waiting at Broadmeadows, which is worst on weekends because the bus only operates every half an hour.

In Cairns in 2018 I arrived ex SilkAir to be informed that the next (small) shuttle bus was booked out, so I took a taxi to the bus stop (cost about A$20 - expensive!) and then waited 10 minutes for a citybound SunBus. I purchased a day ticket on board for around A$9 and used it several times that day.

Concession fares available to Seniors, pensioners, welfare recipients and children/young persons can further cut the cost of using public transport.

Similarly day passes with their cap are often excellent value on public transport if one makes several trips.

So many Australians, even if self funding a trip, get ripped off by paying huge amounts for driving and then parking at airport or off airport with a private provider, or catching an Uber, other rideshare or taxis both ways, but even with luggage, it can be easy for many of us to use mass transit. If more got in the habit of researching alternatives to being in a single occupant car, the roads would be less congested.

 

[Melburnian1]

And well done to Mattg for showing us the way to walk to Wolli Creek with a clear map.

I can easily walk with a wheeled suitcase and backpack, although slow going up hills or ramps. If it takes an extra 30 minutes compared with a taxi...savings are well worth it, and as a bonus one can properly observe the landscape.

 

[1963transtasman]

With Sydney use the trip view App to find info on Bus 400 from/to the Airport .Get the Airport train from Central and get off at Mascot Station
There isn't a gate fee anymore at Mascot .When you exit the Station there is a Taxi rank directly outside the exit or If you want to get the 400 bus turn to the left when exiting the station ,and go to Coward St Stand B which is on the opposite side of the Road
If there a two or more get an Uber , i paid about $15 which is cheaper than the Gate fee at the Airport Station for two or more travelers

 

[moa999]

Yes, the 400 bus is useful, but you have to know where to get off at Mascot....
Oneday in the improbable future you could get off the 400 at Randwick and take the Light Rail into town.

First stop after domestic.. and normally it's follow the crowds.
When it opens you'd be better transferring at Kingsford.. but still 30+ min on the 400 from Domestic-Kingsford so not worth while.

With Sydney use the trip view App to find info on Bus 400

Or 420..

No need for a dedicated app these days.

Just open Google Maps and click on the bus stop icon and it will bring up live services for that stop.
Click on an individual route and it will show route map and live positioning.

 

[kpc]

As a comparison, the Metro subway to / from Lisbon airport and city (10-13 stops depending where you get on / off) is €1.50. We are so ripped off in OZ

 

[Melburnian1]

As a comparison, the Metro subway to / from Lisbon airport and city (10-13 stops depending where you get on / off) is £1.50. We are so ripped off in OZ

Is it multi modal though, allowing unlimited transfers, or just a single journey (point-to-point)? All Australian major cities (and many minor ones) have multi-modal fares with typically unlimited transfers either for say a two or three hour period (based on touch/tap on times with one's public transport smartcard or smartphone) . This is not always so in some other parts of the world.

 

[dajop]

Is it multi modal though, allowing unlimited transfers, or just a single journey (point-to-point)? All Australian major cities (and many minor ones) have multi-modal fares with typically unlimited transfers either for say a two or three hour period (based on touch/tap on times with one's public transport smartcard or smartphone) . This is not always so in some other parts of the world.

I think the point is the $15 gate fee in Sydney that inflated the fare, as an example which has nothing to do with multi modal. Or in MEL the skybus almost being $20, and public transport relegated to a stop that’s 10 min walk from the main terminal areas (1.2.3).

 

[big_RED]

Might not be the cheapest if you're by yourself, but if you have a number of people, OLA the Uber competitor has a good offer currently if you're within 20km's of the airport so could make for a quicker ride and if you have a few friends you can split the bill with it could be worthwhile... it always seems the better option than the train which is the ~$16 fee in Sydney each way...

Offer:
"Book the best value airport ride in Oz for just $25* (rides up to 20km).
Ola rides to and from the airport are available in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Canberra and Gold Coast.
Regular rates apply for rides above 20km (excludes tolls/third-party charges).

Coming home from the Airport? Apply Coupon: OLAPICK
Heading to the Airport? Apply Coupon: OLADROP"

 

[Stork]

On using train and bus, if you take the bus to Mascot and then the train to the airport, you still get hit with the $13 government fee. I take the train to Mascot Suburban, walk around the corner to Coward Street, and get the 400 bus there. The full fare is $3.54 for the train and $2.20 for the bus, and it takes15-25 minutes, depending on how the train and bus times mesh.

 

[clifford]

I assure you not! Hobart and Launceston from memory are much more.
.

I've taken a public bus from the centre of Hobart to near Cambridge airport and walked from there to HBA. About half an hour's walk as I recall and quite pleasant. Beats the $19.75 airport bus...

 

[mrsterryn]

I think with the gate fee cost at Mascot domestic and mascot international many people catch the 400 series to the closest non airport train .
Mascot (Suburb ) airport is nice and easy with lifts from top to bottom.
See many people get off and on at the train station bus spot

 

[JohnK]

They can move it even further to the end of the busport if they want, won't stop me using it when it works for me. Used it probably a dozen times over the last year, I calculate I've saved well north of $200 on Skybus fares.

I was in a bit of a hurry on the weekend and used BNE Airtrain. Fares are ridiculous. $19 Eagle Junction - Domestic and then yesterday Domestic - Toowong $21.65! The free bus ends at 5:50pm.

Extortion is one way of looking at it.

 

[Must...Fly!]

I was in a bit of a hurry on the weekend and used BNE Airtrain. Fares are ridiculous. $19 Eagle Junction - Domestic and then yesterday Domestic - Toowong $21.65! The free bus ends at 5:50pm.

Extortion is one way of looking at it.

Government sponsored...

For the people...

 

[Forg]

I was in a bit of a hurry on the weekend and used BNE Airtrain. Fares are ridiculous. $19 Eagle Junction - Domestic and then yesterday Domestic - Toowong $21.65! The free bus ends at 5:50pm.

Extortion is one way of looking at it.

You could compare it to a cab; which it’s cheaper, more comfortable, faster & way less scary than ... ?

 

[Quickstatus]

Monday a week ago, I drove Miss QS to SYD DOM for her 0700 flight to WGA
From the turnoff of Southern Cross Drive and General Holmes drive to SYD T3 was 50 minutes.
Got a bit desperate in the end and MissQS nearly bailed out of the car around the McDonalds, but some deft driving changing lanes we got to the airport with minutes to spare.

In the end it still took 20 minutes from Maccas/KrispyKreme Ross Smith Drive to SYD T3 by car. I estimate walking to take about 15 minutes???

 

[JohnK]

Government sponsored...

For the people...

Ah yes that word Government again where no one really knows it means.

I wonder if it will still be this expensive when driverless cars and buses become viable?

 

[Ausbt]

Out of SYD I used the 400 bus & Mascot station combo recently and found it convenient. With Tripview or Googlemaps functionality, arrival access in the lounge and then timing your departure to the bus stop seems like a winner.

 

[Renato1]

Melbourne Airport (to Melbourne CBD)
Fastest - SkyBus - ~40 minutes - $19.75
Cheapest - Bus and Train via Broadmeadows - 1hr 20 minutes - $4.40
Cheapest Weekend Terminal Parking - $85

Which is why almost no one does parking in the main terminal.

I've just checked prices in the Melbourne Airport Long Term car park - parking Friday night and picking up car on Sunday night, and price is between $45 and $49 from now till the end of the year. But putting in two weeks at the end of the year, comes to only around or just over double that price at $7 to $8.35 a day.

The cheapest Public transport to the airport may be viable when just carrying a 7kg bag, but I'd feel way too vulnerable doing so in Melbourne when carrying heavy luggage.
Regards,
Renato