Saving a few dollars getting to Syd airport...

[medhead]

Ideally, running a fixed interval train every few minutes, reducing the gate fee significantly, making the connections less of a hassle at Central and having baggage carts in the station waiting would make it a more popular link

For me the gate fee is the main thing. Sure it isn't really that expensive. But I would have thought the idea is to play to the strengths of trains as a former of transport. They are called mass transit for a reason. It is absolutely crazy to make a taxi cheaper from town when there is more than one person in a group.

 

[Martin J Cowling]

For me the gate fee is the main thing. Sure it isn't really that expensive. But I would have thought the idea is to play to the strengths of trains as a former of transport. They are called mass transit for a reason. It is absolutely crazy to make a taxi cheaper from town when there is more than one person in a group.

I completely agree. Having just been to Singapore where its fully integrated and bangkok where its cheap.

 

[moa999]

And Mascot is getting even cheaper

Train fares to fall at two stations

 

[medhead]

And Mascot is getting even cheaper

Train fares to fall at two stations

Nice little piece of election politics - my opponent made you all pay this rip off.

 

[Blackadder]

If you are travelling on a weekend where there is trackwork on the Airport line, then the access fee is waived and just the normal cityrail fare applies.

 

[SFSC]

Mrs SFSC and I will probably be using the Mascot station + 400 bus combination for Domestic or International from now on rather than via Rockdale. It is quite cost effective for us because we are both entitled to buy $2.50 pensioner excursion tickets which can be used on the train and the bus.

The only off-putting thing we discovered on some earlier trips when getting off at Mascot for the Holiday Inn was that some Pax on the train were concerned that these older folks (us) must have become confused about the airport layout and were getting off (with their luggage) at suburban Mascot rather than Domestic or International

 

[medhead]

The only off-putting thing we discovered on some earlier trips when getting off at Mascot for the Holiday Inn was that some Pax on the train were concerned that these older folks (us) must have become confused about the airport layout and were getting off (with their luggage) at suburban Mascot rather than Domestic or International

They must have had a few people do this as there have been announcements about this most weeks on the train. But there was a lady last week who didn't seem to know not to get off at mascot.

 

[UP4014]

Mrs SFSC and I will probably be using the Mascot station + 400 bus combination for Domestic or International from now on rather than via Rockdale. It is quite cost effective for us because we are both entitled to buy $2.50 pensioner excursion tickets which can be used on the train and the bus.

The only off-putting thing we discovered on some earlier trips when getting off at Mascot for the Holiday Inn was that some Pax on the train were concerned that these older folks (us) must have become confused about the airport layout and were getting off (with their luggage) at suburban Mascot rather than Domestic or International

Hi SFSC, Mascot is also a levied station with the fare higher. Wolli Creek would be the one to use.

Cheerio
Matt

 

[SFSC]

Hi SFSC, Mascot is also a levied station with the fare higher. Wolli Creek would be the one to use.

Cheerio
Matt

Hi Matt, All about to change. Ain't elections wonderful. Hope Bazza doesn't decide to put it back on after March 26

And Mascot is getting even cheaper

Train fares to fall at two stations

 

[UP4014]

Trouble is I'm not brave enough to hold my breath based on pollies grand offerings.

If they were serious about getting people to use the train and ease congestion they would simply make the airport service $1. (NY style)

Matt

 

[Warks]

As the article says the NSW govt could have bought the line for a song when the builder went broke but instead made sure we'd pay through the nose forever and a day by selling it on to some other greed factory. Now it's apparently making money it's worth more.

I saw an older woman all confused and getting off at Mascot last week too, someone called her back onto the train.

Imagine if it were only a buck or two to use. That might solve some of the appalling congestion around the airport.

 

[medhead]

Hi SFSC, Mascot is also a levied station with the fare higher. Wolli Creek would be the one to use.

Cheerio
Matt

It is a levied station but the levy is still lower than for the airport stations at least. Mascot + 400 is still about $5 cheaper than domestic. With an extra discount for a couple of weeks at least.

 

[SFSC]

Looking at the amount of backpackers using the 400 bus these days even though there isn't a bus stop at T2, there may eventually be a call to change the routing to similar to the 410 service in the airport area and protect AirportLink's profits.

 

[odysseus]

As the article says the NSW govt could have bought the line for a song when the builder went broke but instead made sure we'd pay through the nose forever and a day by selling it on to some other greed factory. Now it's apparently making money it's worth more.

Aint hindsight wonderful?

We'd all be rich if we bought CBA shares a couple of years back too.

Back when the line venture collapsed there was a brouhaha about PPPs and the government throwing good money after bad by buying a lemon. The public and media cry was unanimously to let private equity suffer with the lemon, instead of the taxpayer bailing them out. And now someone has the gall to complain about why they didn't back then???

 

[moa999]

Used the 400 bus last Friday - crazy taxi queues and wet weather meant train to the city was likely to be quicker.
So thought I might provide a guide.

400 Bus stop is on the Qantas side (ie T3) on the inner ring road.

Sydney Buses has a useful SMS service with realtime bus Information so you can see how far the bus is away when leaving the terminal.
(Text 0488 TXT BUS / 0488 898 287) with the Stop Number "202067"). Only problem at the Domestic terminal stop is the same bus number is used for both Inbound and Outbound (stupid) so you cant tell which direction) (better way - use 202058 (the next stop in Bondi direction) and subtract 4-5 min).

Catch the 400 Bus to Bondi Junction. Get off at the first stop Coward St (and Bourke). Walk about 100m in the direction of the bus to Mascot station (overall walk is probably similar to going to the Domestic station).

I waited 3min for a bus, about 3min for train and I suspect was almost in the city before I would have made the front of the taxi queue.


Total Cost to City:
Bus : $1.68 (1/10 of a $16.80 MyBus1 Travel10, $2.10 as Single)
Train : $3.40
Total == $5.08 / $5.50 versus $15.40 without using Mascot or a $40-50 cab ride.

 

[Fifa]

Total Cost to City:
Bus : $1.68 (1/10 of a $16.80 MyBus1 Travel10, $2.10 as Single)
Train : $3.40
Total == $5.08 / $5.50 versus $15.40 without using Mascot or a $40-50 cab ride.

Thanks for this - I often use the 400 bus then change to a city bound bus at Mascot on Botany Road but your route would be a much quicker option.

 

[ncairns]

Yes - I often use the 400 bus to get to/from Sydney Airport and connect with a train. I tend to head towards Mascot if coming from Domestic, and towards Rockdale if coming from International. The train from Rockdale to the city is slightly more expensive at $4.20 but since I already have a MyMulti ticket for my day job there is no extra cost for me.

I also do similar bus/train connections in Brisbane and Melbourne to save a few dollars instead of catching the Airtrain (BNE) and Skybus (MEL). Happy to share this if anyone wants.

 

[medhead]

Time for a quick update on this thread.

Bulk buy airport link tickets no longer provide a discount. So the full price of $15.90 now applies.

However, I happened upon a bit of a sneaky way to shave a few dollars off the fare, with a trade off in time lost. You just need to add in a transfer at Mascot. Domestic to Mascot is $7.40, Mascot to the city is $3.60. So the total cost is $11.

 

[kpc]

Time for a quick update on this thread.

Bulk buy airport link tickets no longer provide a discount. So the full price of $15.90 now applies.

However, I happened upon a bit of a sneaky way to shave a few dollars off the fare, with a trade off in time lost. You just need to add in a transfer at Mascot. Domestic to Mascot is $7.40, Mascot to the city is $3.60. So the total cost is $11.

The City rail online fare calculator (Fare Calculator - CityRail) suggests it is $15.90 1 way between Mascot and domestic train stations...is that incorrect?

The 400 bus comes every 20 minutes, and only costs $2.20 from the domestic airport to Mascot train station.

If and when I do this now, I just catch the 400 bus to / from Mascot station as I'm too lazy to walk now; the bus comes every 20 minutes, and the timetable below helps you minimise bus waiting time. Domestic airport to my home station is $16.70 one way by train but only $6.60 by bus ($2.20) to Mascot and then train from Mascot to my home station ($4.40), a saving of $10.10

http://www.sydneybuses.info/routes/400_20101128_tt.pdf

 

[medhead]

The City rail online fare calculator (Fare Calculator - CityRail) suggests it is $15.90 1 way between Mascot and domestic train stations...is that incorrect?

Maybe it is a secret then. I did Granville to mascot on Thursday. Once I got to mascot in a nice A/C train, I really couldn't handle the thought of walking in the hot. So I just tried the ticket machine for a single to domestic airport - $7.40.