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What is it like getting to and from airports around Australia (I live in Sydney.)


MARYROSE02

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I've just come back from International after taking my friend Alex down there for her flight to Belgrade. I used to park in the airport, and pay the exorbitant fees, but today, I dropped her off at Departures, then drove a kilometre or two along Marsh Street where there are some streets with free parking, two hours where I parked. Then I walked back to the airport to meet Alex, which took 15 minutes. There is another similar place off the Princes Highway in Tempe that I park which also has a 15 min walk to International.

 

Basically, everything to do with Sydney airport is a rip off, though the facilities themselves are good (in my opinion.) The train to the two terminals is a rip off, $15 or $16 each way, $10 more than a normal trip of that distance. The parking is a rip off, $26 for an hour? There is little parking for employees, unless they use those streets and can find unrestricted parking. They cannot get discounts on the train. There are few bus services so that the train company does not miss out on making any money. There is one bus service - 400? - to Mascot, OK for Domestic, but not for International?

 

At peak times it can be horrible trying to drop people off. I have figured out that the way to pick people up is to park near the airport, wait for them to ring you, then pick them up from Departures rather than Arrivals, where you are allowed to stop for a couple of minutes.

 

The upgrades to the car parking around International seem to be finished now. I like the terminal itself, with plenty of shops and cafes and toilets. Talking of toilets, guy next to me was looking at his phone, which is sad enough, but then I noticed that he was holding his phone with both hands, maybe even taking a shot of his 'old feller!?'

 

Driving to and from the airport is not too bad for me, unless there are traffic jams.

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Brisbane is so easy. I live 5 mins drive from International and about 10 to Domestic. I just wait until plane has landed and drive to the drop off point. Also there's a service centre you can park while you wait if you want. Never paid for any parking. Not much traffic either.

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I travel a lot through Sydney Airport and my relationship with it is love/hate, the fact that you can get the train to both terminals so easily is ideal. But yes, the train airport access fee is ridiculous. I can get home pretty quick though on the train.

When my wife fetches me its fairly easy at the domestic, but the international is a lot more hassle (the pick up zone is a decent trek from the terminal). When we went on holiday last month we parked at the Blu Emu car park and it took 45 mins to get to the international terminal via two buses...

 

However, the bus from Melbourne Airport to the city is expensive, as is the one in Darwin. Not sure if Perth has a bus service, but it costs me $25 in a taxi to get to the Crown...

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I've just come back from International after taking my friend Alex down there for her flight to Belgrade. I used to park in the airport, and pay the exorbitant fees, but today, I dropped her off at Departures, then drove a kilometre or two along Marsh Street where there are some streets with free parking, two hours where I parked. Then I walked back to the airport to meet Alex, which took 15 minutes. There is another similar place off the Princes Highway in Tempe that I park which also has a 15 min walk to International.

 

Basically, everything to do with Sydney airport is a rip off, though the facilities themselves are good (in my opinion.) The train to the two terminals is a rip off, $15 or $16 each way, $10 more than a normal trip of that distance. The parking is a rip off, $26 for an hour? There is little parking for employees, unless they use those streets and can find unrestricted parking. They cannot get discounts on the train. There are few bus services so that the train company does not miss out on making any money. There is one bus service - 400? - to Mascot, OK for Domestic, but not for International?

 

At peak times it can be horrible trying to drop people off. I have figured out that the way to pick people up is to park near the airport, wait for them to ring you, then pick them up from Departures rather than Arrivals, where you are allowed to stop for a couple of minutes.

 

The upgrades to the car parking around International seem to be finished now. I like the terminal itself, with plenty of shops and cafes and toilets. Talking of toilets, guy next to me was looking at his phone, which is sad enough, but then I noticed that he was holding his phone with both hands, maybe even taking a shot of his 'old feller!?'

 

Driving to and from the airport is not too bad for me, unless there are traffic jams.

 

The train fare out to Sydney airport is indeed a rip off. Also, the whole place could do with a facelift - it's starting to look a bit shabby.

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Guest littlesarah

There are some great parking deals at Sydney airport, that's one thing I like! Last year we paid $199 to park opposite the terminal for 29 days. At that price it wasn't worth the hassle of doing the awful airport shuttle trip from where we live, even with an additional bunch of toll fees.

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The train fare out to Sydney airport is indeed a rip off. Also, the whole place could do with a facelift - it's starting to look a bit shabby.

 

Do you mean Domestic? I don't go there very much, but I thought that International looked good today. I have not flown since December, 2008, when I arrived from Heathrow. I did not like Domestic when I drove there a couple of months back.

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I have figured out that the way to pick people up is to park near the airport, wait for them to ring you, then pick them up from Departures rather than Arrivals, where you are allowed to stop for a couple of minutes.

 

 

At Melbourne there is now the Pink Zone - a free carpark area where you wait to receive a call that an arrival has landed. They were concerned about the number of cars parked on the hard shoulder of the nearby Tullamarine Freeway waiting for calls.

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Do you mean Domestic? I don't go there very much, but I thought that International looked good today. I have not flown since December, 2008, when I arrived from Heathrow. I did not like Domestic when I drove there a couple of months back.

 

Both really, though Domestic is by far the shabbier of the two. Probably me being super fussy. I hate airports :dull:

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I'm currently renting in Rockdale so it's only a $12 taxi ride to/from Sydney international, but clearly the easiest 'major' airport to get in and out of is Canberra :-)

 

Huge new car-parking facilities (generally more than half empty), huge new international terminal (definitely empty until Canberra actually get's some international flights) and generally only about 15-20 minutes to the centre of town - can't beat it!

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Perth is shockingly bad. I go through it a lot for work and there is no rail line and VERY limited buses. Most people have to either get a cab or drive and use the extortionate car parks. I am at work at the moment and will be charged about $280 for two weeks parking.

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No trains to Perth Airport and access roads are under construction so my Sat Nav is out of date which means I constantly get lost and drive many K's in the wrong direction! Hate the airport run! Fortunately OH has a limo drive him to and from the airport now so I'm very thankful for that.

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Perth is shockingly bad. I go through it a lot for work and there is no rail line and VERY limited buses. Most people have to either get a cab or drive and use the extortionate car parks. I am at work at the moment and will be charged about $280 for two weeks parking.

Mandurah Mines on Time charge $50 for airport run. OH has his paid so we are lucky but we'd use these if not or I drove him.

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As for trains the service at Brisbane is stupidly overpriced. In my suburb it is cheaper to get a taxi if more than 1 person is travelling. The service is pretty good though if coming from city

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Guest Bartletts

Canberra has the newest most modern airport and the best access. Not a surprise when you consider how much $$$$ they spent on it!

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There is no train facilities at Melbourne Airport which is the biggest issue for Tullamarine.

 

But I'm used to it I suppose. The car park is expensive too but I expect that is true of all airports.

There is the normal bus if you don't mind a very slow boring trip as well as the more expensive sky bus or taxis of course.

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Canberra has the newest most modern airport and the best access. Not a surprise when you consider how much $$$$ they spent on it!

 

Well, Canberra has to cater for diplomats, politicians and senior bureaucrats :wink: I notice the roads into Canberra are always pothole free too.

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Used to be able to get to Perth international airport really easy, but like QSS says what with the roadworks its now a nightmare.

 

youngest dd lands back from the UK in a few hours....I'm letting oldest dd pick her up:laugh:

 

As far as I know Perth is putting in a rail link, which would be great, but living in the burbs, I doubt there will be a connecting train for me to get back, especially if I landed late at night or early morning. Wasnt that long ago transperth tried to stop the weekend night trains.

 

brisbane I found to be ok. I landed on my own and easily found a train to take me into the CBD, from there it was only a short walk to my hotel.

 

will be going to Sydney in just over a week, again on my own......what will be the easiest way to get to Campbeltown??

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