Saving a few dollars getting to Syd airport...

[moa999]

I would also add for anyone in or visiting Syd looking to take the Bus and having an iphone or android - download TripView for realtime Sydney Buses (and train timetables)

 

[Mattg]

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.

I suspect this is a secret. I doubt they would actually publicise this fact or more people would exploit it. Perhaps someone can confirm the price of domestic to Mascot when next in SYD?

 

[Mrmaxwell]

I suspect this is a secret. I doubt they would actually publicise this fact or more people would exploit it. Perhaps someone can confirm the price of domestic to Mascot when next in SYD?

I'm always at Mascot so will check it out...I always get a $3.60 full price single to Mascot then the bus using my TravelTen so City to airport for about $5.40 (except if the weather is very nasty) but $11 is better than $15.90 if my maths is correct

 

[m535607]

Hi

Just wondering if anyone has recently travelled by train to SYD International terminal and

• confirm that the exit ticket barrier at the international airport station does not capture your single ticket
• that its possible to travel to Mascot on one ticket eg $3.60 from where I live and then buy a new ticket at Mascot ''transfer to Airport'' for $7.40 and then use this new ticket to International terminal.....save a few $. I cannot walk from Wolli Ck or catch 400 bus as I have 2 suitcases

thanks

 

[medhead]

Hi

Just wondering if anyone has recently travelled by train to SYD International terminal and

• confirm that the exit ticket barrier at the international airport station does not capture your single ticket
• that its possible to travel to Mascot on one ticket eg $3.60 from where I live and then buy a new ticket at Mascot ''transfer to Airport'' for $7.40 and then use this new ticket to International terminal.....save a few $. I cannot walk from Wolli Ck or catch 400 bus as I have 2 suitcases

thanks

$7.40 is the price from mascot to domestic. Not sure if it's the same to international.

The domestic barrier does not capture the ticket. Should be the same at international. The only reason to want to keep the ticket is as a tax invoice. Just tell a barrier attendant you need to keep it for your tax records and they'll either let you through or tell you the ticket isn't captured.

 

[cove]

kpc there I was thinking the walk up the street to the InterContinental smorgasbord was about the limit seeing it is a little uphill. I do prefer the downhill walk.
I did the train from T3 to Circular Quay and because it was the weekend it was a wait so I won't become a regular of that service.
When I walked to Mascot station it was one of those high humidity days so I won't bother doing that when the weather is ugly.It sure feels like a marathon when Sydney goes 100% humidity even though it is 1.7 Kms.

 

[medhead]

kpc there I was thinking the walk up the street to the InterContinental smorgasbord was about the limit seeing it is a little uphill. I do prefer the downhill walk.
I did the train from T3 to Circular Quay and because it was the weekend it was a wait so I won't become a regular of that service.
When I walked to Mascot station it was one of those high humidity days so I won't bother doing that when the weather is ugly.It sure feels like a marathon when Sydney goes 100% humidity even though it is 1.7 Kms.

Martin Place station might be an easier but slightly longer walk to the intercontinental.

The 400 bus to mascot is useful for those hot days. Get tripview, I check this while taxiing to the terminal to work out my ground transport option.

I would also add for anyone in or visiting Syd looking to take the Bus and having an iphone or android - download TripView for realtime Sydney Buses (and train timetables)

 

[BadgerBoi]

Hi

Just wondering if anyone has recently travelled by train to SYD International terminal and

• confirm that the exit ticket barrier at the international airport station does not capture your single ticket
• that its possible to travel to Mascot on one ticket eg $3.60 from where I live and then buy a new ticket at Mascot ''transfer to Airport'' for $7.40 and then use this new ticket to International terminal.....save a few $. I cannot walk from Wolli Ck or catch 400 bus as I have 2 suitcases

thanks

I took the train from Green Square to International last week. The barrier did not capture my ticket.

 

[Mrmaxwell]

The barriers at the airport almost never capture your ticket but there are a few odd times where it does for no reason. If keeping your ticket is a must just walk through the gate and advise the attendant (there is ALWAYS one standing there as opposed to most other stations where $15+ fares do not need protecting!)

And yes tripview is great for tracking the 400 bus especially as there is a 20 min wait between services - throw in peak hour traffic and the wait can be up to an hour.

 

[TripleB]

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.

I tried this for the first time early onSaturday morning (my flight landed at 6:35am) and this strategy works well. Justa few updates as the bus stop seems to have moved.
The new bus stop number for the SMS arrival details is:2020113 (those with a smartphone other than a blackberry, probably should justdownload tripview for live updates).
New directions between the bus stop and Mascot station: Getoff at the first stop after the QF domestic terminal (outside Anytime Fitnessgym) walk back in the direction the bus has come from for 70m to the junction -turn right and walk down the hill 50m to the station (you will be able to seeit from the junction).
Train from Mascot to Central was $3.80.

Verdict:
If you have plenty of time on your hands, are cost consciousor were planning on doing it on a weekday when the busses and trains are on amore frequent schedule then it is a great strategy.
As most of my trips to Sydney are a Friday night red-eye(arrival 6:30am Saturday morning) down and Sunday night back I think that Imight save the time and stick to the overpriced train from the airport or acab. I had to wait about 15 minutes for the bus and then just missed the train (becauseI went the wrong way - oops!) so spent 14 minutes waiting for that too. (Admittedlydue to my own failings) It took me almost 90 minutes to get from the boardinggate to Chippendale (bus+train+walk) - which at that time of the morning can bedone by cab in 20 minutes for $22 or so.

 

[moa999]

Agreed that these $ savings are a time tradeoff

 

[markis10]

Agreed that these $ savings are a time tradeoff

Isnt that always the case?

 

[JohnK]

Agreed that these $ savings are a time tradeoff

I guess that would also depend on how often you did it and whether that time was important to you or not.

I know this is the SYD airport thread but my situation in BNE is similar.

On a Friday afternoon I can get on the 3:30pm train at Milton and make the 3:41pm airtrain at Central and arrive at domestic airport by 4:04pm and inside Qantas domestic terminal at ~4:10pm for a cost of ~$20 and travel time of ~40 minutes.

Or I can get the 3:30pm train at Milton and get off at Toombul and then the 590 bus at 4:00pm to the DFO and wait for the 4:20pm T-Bus and be at domestic terminal at ~4:40pm for a cost of $0 and travel time of ~1h 10m. If you are using a Go card and dont have the 9 trips this would cost $4.91 so still good value.

Repeat on the return from the airport. So effectively I am saving ~$40 every weekend I go back to SYD from BNE for a loss of ~1 hour extra I put in at work on a Monday night.

If I do this 25-30 times a year you can see how it can all add up and pay for an extra trip to Thailand. Better in my pocket than Airtrain's pocket....

 

[dajop]

which at that time of the morning can bedone by cab in 20 minutes for $22 or so.

That's assuming the cab driver uses the correct meter rate, doesn't add an unknown surcharge to the amount and doesn't insist there's been an accident so need to take eastern distributor and cross city tunnel instead.

 

[Buzzard]

I did the T3 to Mascot walk earlier this month as I only had carry on.

Took me just on 20mins. As it was a hot morning I don't think it was worth doing to save a few $$$

Each to their own.

 

[medhead]

Domestic to/from mascot is now $8.80

 

[moa999]

If you purchase a "weekly" from Mascot to Airport how much is that.

I know you can buy a weekly gate pass if you have an alternative weekly ticket that let's you go via the Airport stn.

 

[medhead]

If you purchase a "weekly" from Mascot to Airport how much is that.

I know you can buy a weekly gate pass if you have an alternative weekly ticket that let's you go via the Airport stn.

Good question. A domestic to city weekly was about $10 to $15 more than a Wolli Creek to city weekly. I've never thought to check a weekly to mascot...

 

[Mattg]

Domestic to/from mascot is now $8.80

Is that because of a general fare increase or is that specific to Mascot?

 

[Grooba]

Is that because of a general fare increase or is that specific to Mascot?

I think a general increase as my regular fare has increased by over $1.00 to/from dom/int.