Cheap(er) options getting to/from BNE airport

[JohnK]

I have known about this option for a long time now but was hesitant in doing it until early last month.

As most are aware the T-Bus is complimentary to/from Airport Village/DFO so last month the day before I was going overseas I thought I would try it.

- Train from Central to Eagle Junction
- walk outside to Junction Road and go across the road and wait for 369 bus to Airport Village
- wait for T-bus to international and domestic terminals

It was fairly painless although it takes ~75-90 minutes and it may well be possible to do it in less time but most connections seem to just miss. So after that experience I thought I would definitely try it again.

Cue forward to last week which was my first trip back to Sydney after returning from overseas holidays. On Friday afternoon

- Train Central to Eagle junction
- Bus from Eagle Junction to Airport Village (not sure what happened here but the bus I was supposed to connect to may have gone early)
- T-bus from Airport Village to Domestic airport

Cost = $0 as I had already paid for 9 trips for the week. I think peak fare is $3.56 and off-peak fare is $2.87.

And earlier today

- T-bus from domestic airport - Airport Village (purchase some bread from Woolworths for some extra bonus points)
- 369 bus from Airport Village to Eagle Junction
- train from Eagle Junction to Central (waited ~15 minutes for a train which is quite unusual)

Cost = $0 as I had already paid for 9 trips this week.

Now I know this may not be for everybody but the cheapest the airtrain would have cost me was $26.10 and most likely it would have been $29. When one does ~70 single trips/year to/from airport then these costs add up.

Some other useful information

- The 369 bus comes past Eagle Junction and also Centro at Toombul which is near Toombul station. I think this bus goes back to Kedron, Mitchelton etc if people live out that way.
- I saw another bus at airport Village today (500?) that goes out to Carindale if that helps anyone
- The outbound 369 bus to Airport Village can have delays so leave enough time
- The last T-bus service from airport is 6:00pm and last service from DFO back to airport is 6:20pm and services run every 20 minutes on the hour, at 20 minutes past the hour and at 20 minutes to the hour
- The last 369 bus from Airport Village is 6:54pm

Unfortunately most of my arrivals are after 6:00pm but I will definitely do this again where possible (especially trips out to airport) and I do not need too much motivation other than knowing I am not being gouged by airtrain.

 

[tuppaware]

The cost of the Airtrain is too high. Might give this ago. Lucky I live next to the GBB and the ICB .. so its painless for my flatmate to drive me.

 

[k_sheep]

I thought the bus ran much later than 6pm? Of course that won't help with your onward bus. But I _may_ have once parked at DFO and got the transfer bus after 7pm. I mean, I have a friend who did. *cough*

www.bne.com.au/files/pdf/Parking/A1_bustimetable_proof.pdf

 

[MadFairlane]

I've got a slighty cheaper way for me to get to the airport this week...

Living at Greenbank, its normally up the Logan Motorway, then over the bridge to the airport... at at cost of around $7 in tolls...

This week, going to go through the Clem7, onto the airportlinkM7 and to the airport... for only the cost of the Clem7...

Disclaimer: This is only for a month, whilst they aren't tolling the new M7 tunnel hahaha :mrgreen:

 

[Mal]

I thought they used to charge $5 from domestic to the Village to try and counter this (or did they just not run it to domestic so you would be forced to pay $5 to transfer to International? ) Does seem to have been removed.

I've caught one of the airport buses before from DFO to near the city. Does take quite a while, but isn't too bad considering the saving.

 

[richie9x]

I have been tempted to take the bus via the village. But never got around to it.

Crazy that from Brisbane it is cheaper to take public transport to Gold Coast airport than it is to Brisbane airport.

Although when I took the airtrain on Saturday I was charged $15.50 on the go card to go to the airport. But on the way back on Sunday night it was $0.00. Even the go card history shows it as $0.00. Still trying to work out what happened.

 

[JohnK]

Although when I took the airtrain on Saturday I was charged $15.50 on the go card to go to the airport. But on the way back on Sunday night it was $0.00. Even the go card history shows it as $0.00. Still trying to work out what happened.

Was the trip on Saturday your 9th trip for the week and then on Sunday the 10th trip? All trips after the 9th trip are free Monday-Sunday but I did not think the Airtrain was included.

I suspected this may have been the case but I have never tried using the go card on the airtrain.

 

[Mal]

All trips after the 9th trip are free Monday-Sunday but I did not think the Airtrain was included.

I suspected this may have been the case but I have never tried using the go card on the airtrain.

Airtrain is excluded ... but who knows, there are many bugs in the Translink system. I'd give it a burl, but would need 9 other trips first

 

[Aussie_flyer]

sort of like the Melbourne option of train to broadmeadows and bus to melbourne airport. painful but cheap, just a zone 1+2 ticket. skybus is expensive too, $28 return... but it's always full so I guess there is no point making it cheaper for them.

 

[Must...Fly!]

Skybus $28 rtn now? Little increase I see...still value I think. It is a good service.

 

[richie9x]

Was the trip on Saturday your 9th trip for the week and then on Sunday the 10th trip? All trips after the 9th trip are free Monday-Sunday but I did not think the Airtrain was included.

I suspected this may have been the case but I have never tried using the go card on the airtrain.

That did cross my mind but they would have been trip 5 and 6 for the week.

 

[SeatBackForward]

No comments on how the opening of the Airport Link tunnel makes the trip to BNE different?

I've taken it by taxi from Airport to Fortitude Valley and its been brilliant. Should be even better once the toll kicks in.

 

[serfty]

sort of like the Melbourne option of train to broadmeadows and bus to melbourne airport. painful but cheap, just a zone 1+2 ticket. skybus is expensive too, $28 return... but it's always full so I guess there is no point making it cheaper for them.

It's quicker but less frequent and basically restricted to daytime with a train to Essendon then the 478/479 bus to MEL.

 

[Aussie_flyer]

It's quicker but less frequent and basically restricted to daytime with a train to Essendon then the 478/479 bus to MEL.

I did not say anything about taking a train to Essendon which is an option but as you say, quite restricted.

Instead, take a train to Broadmeadows and the 901 bus to Melbourne Airport.Every 15 minutes. 5am to midnight basically.

901 - Frankston - Melbourne Airport (SMARTBUS Service) - Public Transport Victoria

if you touch on and touch off on myki before 7.15am on a weekday your train trip is free and you just pay the $2.26 zone 2 fare. If you travel on a weekend you can come and go to Melbourne airport as much as you please for a flat fare of $3.30 for the day including zone 1 and 2 all day. Otherwise its $5.54 for a 2 hour zone 1 and 2. travel time using this service is approx 1 hour.

enjoy

 

[Simo]

I swipe off and the re swipe at Eagle Junction.

Saves a little bit.

 

[JohnK]

I swipe off and the re swipe at Eagle Junction.

Don't you still pay the $15.50 from Eagle Junction to Airport?

 

[Mal]

Don't you still pay the $15.50 from Eagle to Airport?

If travelling from Eagle Junction/Bowen Hills/Fortitude Valley/Central/Roma St/South Brisbane, you pay $15.50.
If travelling from any other train station, you pay a different price that is based on the old Zonal system. In most cases, this is more expensive than tapping off/on at one of the stations above to create a new journey other than the Airtrain journey.

 

[JohnK]

If travelling from Eagle Junction/Bowen Hills/Fortitude Valley/Central/Roma St/South Brisbane, you pay $15.50.

I understand. It is the $15.50 I am trying to avoid as that money could be used wisely on a status run or a return airfare to Thailand or something similar.

 

[JohnK]

I have done this a few times now and it is getting easier and not too time consuming.

Last Sunday I arrived back in BNE early and was on the 5:20pm T-Bus and arrive in Central at 6:20pm and in my apartment before 6:30pm. The airtrain would have got me back about 20-25 minutes earlier and I have taken much much longer with Coachtrans at times. The trip cost me $3.40 as I did not have the required 9 trips for the week.

And yesterday I left my apartment at 1:10pm and I was using the check-in kiosks in BNE airport at 2:20pm. The trip was free.

I will be doing this at every opportunity.

 

[Dino84]

I have done this a few times now and it is getting easier and not too time consuming.

Last Sunday I arrived back in BNE early and was on the 5:20pm T-Bus and arrive in Central at 6:20pm and in my apartment before 6:30pm. The airtrain would have got me back about 20-25 minutes earlier and I have taken much much longer with Coachtrans at times. The trip cost me $3.40 as I did not have the required 9 trips for the week.

And yesterday I left my apartment at 1:10pm and I was using the check-in kiosks in BNE airport at 2:20pm. The trip was free.

I will be doing this at every opportunity.

Have you had a bit of luggage with you for these trips or is it just HLO? I have a BNE trip lined up next month and as it will be the first time I won't be having family picking me up this option looks quite handy.

Scott.