mosthecat

When we last visited Sydney, we took a mini bus from the airport, which stopped at many places, before finally ending at our hotel. This time, we are more familiar with the city, and plan on taking the subway. Am I right that the trains go to andd from the airport? It looks that way on the map, but I was surprised not to find more info about this in books.

Question 2: Melbourne airport to city. We have not been to Melbourne before, and are staying in South Yarra. Any ideas on the best way to get there?

Judy_in_Calgary

Hello mosthecat,

SYDNEY

Read what the Frommer's website has to say about the Sydney Airport Train Link:

http://www.frommers.com/destinations...083020009.html

Frommer's notes that the train has some limitations (no dedicated space for luggage, crowding during rush hour, the need to wait a long time for an elevator or carry luggage up numerous stairs).

The train fare from the airport to Central Station (and I think also to Circular Quay) is 11 AUD each (22 AUD). The Frommer's website claims that a cab from the airport to the city centre costs about 25 AUD. If there are 2 of you sharing, it sounds as if it would cost hardly any more to catch a cab than to catch the less convenient train.

Just for the record, I see on another website ( http://www.sydney-syd.com/transportation.html ) that the train departs from the airport's international terminal (T1) as well as the domestic terminals (T2 and T3).

MELBOURNE

Again I'm inclined to think that, if there are 2 of you, you may be better off catching a cab.

If you were going to the city centre, that would take about 30 minutes, and would cost 45 AUD to 50 AUD. Getting to South Yarra would take just a little longer, so maybe add another 5 AUD.

You're looking at 25+ AUD per person.

Compare that with the Skybus ( www.skybus.com.au ) that departs from the airport every 15 minutes during the day (every half hour at night) and takes passengers to Spencer Street Station at the west end of downtown. It costs 13 AUD per person, so 26 AUD for 2 people.

Skybus runs a courtesy Hotel Connection Service that transfers passengers from Spencer Street Station to hotels in the downtown core, Southbank and East Melbourne. The Hotel Connection Service operates 6 am - 7 pm Monday to Friday and 8 am - 6pm Saturday & Sunday.

With your accommodation being in South Yarra, I have some doubts as to whether or not it's covered by the Hotel Connection Service from Spencer Street Station. You could ask the property for clarification.

If your lodgings don't provide a shuttle from Spencer Street Station, you could in theory use public transportation to get from Spencer Street Station to South Yarra, but this would involve a train plus a tram or 2 different trams or some such combination. You'll be carrying luggage, and you'll be in a strange city, so do you really want to go through the hassle?

The alternative is to catch a cab from Spencer Street Station to South Yarra. But in that case I don't think you'd be much worse off, financially, just taking a cab from the airport in the first place.

There is another shuttle service, Super Shuttle, that departs from the airport every 20 minutes and takes passengers to downtown hotels. Reservations are not necessary from the airport to downtown, but they are necessary on the way back. Tel. 03/9338 4401. It costs 16 AUD per person (32 AUD for 2). I think this is something like the mini bus you described in Sydney. That is, it has several passengers and goes from one hotel to another to drop folks off. Again, I don't know if your South Yarra accommodation would be included in the circuit that the Super Shuttle does.

I seem to recall Aussie Fodorites referring to renovations that were being done to Spencer Street Station and the mess that currently existed for a couple of blocks around the station.

Bottom line. If I were you I would contact the place at which you're going to be staying and ask them to recommend the options for reaching them from the airport. This kind of information sometimes is published on hotels' websites.

Hope that helps.

mosthecat

Thanks so much for all of this info! It's more than I ever hoped for.

sharon815

Hi mosthecat. We just returned from Sydney and took the KST shuttle to where we were staying. It costs 9 AUD per person, 14 if you buy the round trip. We contacted the hotel where we were staying (Y on the Park) and asked them the best way go get there and that's what they recommended. We only made a couple of other hotel stops along the way (in the immediate area) and got to our hotel within less than a half hour. There are a number of shuttles running from the airport; there's an information booth inside the terminal and they told us which number to pick up. BTW, they also have a great sydney guide book with great discount coupons for lots of museums, attractions, etc. Hope this helps.

marg

Hi mosthecat
I've just been reading Judy's advice to you. As a Melbournite I should warn you that at the moment Spencer Street station is a big mess being rebuilt at the present moment and bus services may have been moved away from that area.
I'd strongly suggest that (as there seems to be more than one of you) take a taxi from the airport to your destination in South Yarra. By the time you get one shuttle bus to the city and another to South Yarra, and pay two or more fares, you would probably spend as much as you would on a taxi and take twice as long. When you get off a long flight, you usually want to get to your hotel as soon as possible so you can shower/change/eat/rest etc.
Hope you enjoy your visit to our city.

porcelina

As a Sydneysider, I would suggest taking the shuttle that sharon815 mentioned rather than the train or a taxi. The website for the trains is http://www.cityrail.info/index.jsp It will cost you $11.70 each one-way. The taxi may be more than $25 depending on what day and time you arrive (traffic is especially bad in the city during peak hours).

mosthecat

Thanks to all of you. Looks like we'll try that shuttle in Sydney, and take a taxi in Melbourne. We leave a week from Thursday, and I can't wait!