Blue Mountains & Jenolan Caves advice
 

Are there several ways (train, shuttle, bus) and times of day to get to Blue Mountains from Sydney? We'd like to stay overnight as well and won't have a car - just relying on getting there from Sydney and would like to have access to both Blue Mountains, Jenolan Caves, and also the Katoomba skyrail. It would also be nice to know how to access a mid-upper range hotel or B&B for a night. We just don't know if it's the kind of place where taxicabs or shuttles abound or if we're completely "on our own" - we'd probably bring 1 bag/suitcase with us and obviously would like to be able to get this bag to the area, drop it off at the accomodation, sightsee, return to the accomodation at night, see more in the morning, get back to the accomodation to access our luggage and get back to Sydney. Does this sound reasonable and/or doable without a car? Thank you.

Train is the main form of public transport to the mountains. Once you are there, there's a hop on hop off bus to get around. I'm not sure if that bus goes to Jenolan Caves. Unless you really love caves, I wouldn't make a special trip there if you have so little time. There are so many fabulous walks.

There's lots of B & B to choose from:
http://www.visitbluemountains.com.au/accommodation.php

It's not that far from Katoomba train station to the Katoomba skyrail - you can walk (it's downhill, about 20 minutes.)I didn't see much in the way of cabs or even local buses, although there is a rather overpriced hop-on hop off bus for tourists.

We will plan to take the train from Sydney to Katoomba and then just get as far as we can get either by foot, or by the hop on/hop off bus if we feel like we need it or want to splurge.

Are there a lot of hotels/B&Bs within easy access to the Katoomba train station? The one we keep seeing is Carrington, but not sure how far it is in reality or what it would be like to get from train station to hotel with a suitcase.

We will likely arrive on a morning and leave the following afternoon. I hope we get to see and experience a fair amount of the Blue Mountains - at least the highlights.

From The Carrington's website:

"By Train
The Carrington Hotel is a 2 hour train trip departing from Central Station Country Trains platform. Click here for timetable information

Alight at Katoomba Station. Walk up the stairs to the shop side of the station. Take the pedestrian crossing into Katoomba Street. 50 metres on your right behind the town square is The Carrington Hotel."

Here are some other options. http://www.bluemts.com.au/availability/?pID=156

Can't comment on any of them - we have friends in the area & stay with them.