Public Transport to our airports - what's cheapest?

[henrus]

Interested by a recent post in the SkyBus discussion, I've just spent too long looking at transport to/from airports. Arguably Adelaide has the easiest/cheapest service at $3.70 and a direct bus to the CBD. Brisbane also takes the cake for cheapest parking with Sydney parking being more than some return flights for a Jetstar/Tiger weekend away. Below are the results:

Comparison of Fastest and Cheapest Public Transport services to/from major Australian airports. The services must be regularly scheduled (ie. be a timetabled service to count). Prices and times were sourced from each cities transit website.

For comparison the cheapest weekend parking (Friday 6pm until Sunday 9pm searching using a random weekend in May) attached to the terminal (ie. within walking distance) has been included below each airport.

Adelaide Airport (to Rundle Mall)
Fastest - Direct Bus - 21 minutes - $3.70
Cheapest Weekend Terminal Parking - $85

Brisbane Airport (to Queen St Mall)
Fastest - Direct Train - 36 minutes (includes 12 mins walking) - $19
Cheapest - 3x Busses via DFO (free shuttle bus) and Toombul - 1hr 16 minutes - $4.03
Cheapest Weekend Terminal Parking - $39

Cairns Airport (to CBD)
Cheapest - Paid Shuttle ($6) to Bus ($2.20) into CBD - 29 minutes - $8.20
(No other scheduled public transport services operate)
Cheapest Weekend Terminal Parking - $55

Canberra Airport (to Canberra Centre)
Fastest - Direct Bus - 16 minutes - $4.80
Cheapest Weekend Terminal Parking - $73

Darwin Airport (to CBD)
Cheapest - 2x Busses - 1hr 10minutes - $3
Note : Only 5-6 services per day - stop is located at Long Stay Car park 700m from terminal with free shuttle bus to terminal
(No other scheduled public transport services operate)
Cheapest Weekend Terminal Parking - $72

Gold Coast Airport (to Surfers Paradise)
Fastest - SkyBus - ~35 minutes - $21
Cheapest - Bus and Tram - 45 minutes - $4.03
Cheapest Weekend Terminal Parking - $59

Hobart Airport (to CBD)
Fastest - SkyBus - ~30 minutes - $19.75
(No other scheduled public transport services operate)
Cheapest Weekend Terminal Parking - $54

Melbourne Airport (to Melbourne CBD)
Fastest - SkyBus - ~40 minutes - $19.75
Cheapest - Bus and Train via Broadmeadows - 1hr 20 minutes - $4.40
Cheapest Weekend Terminal Parking - $85

Perth Airport (to Elizabeth Quay)
Fastest- Direct Bus - 40 minutes - $4.80
Cheapest Weekend Terminal Parking - $71.15

Sydney Airport (to Circular Quay)
Fastest - Direct Train - 27 minutes - $16.77
Cheapest - 2x Busses via Westfield Eastgardens - 1hr 11minutes - $4.71
Cheapest Weekend Terminal Parking - $114

Sunshine Coast Airport (to Mooloolaba)
Fastest- 2x Busses via Maroochydore - 49 minutes - $3.31
(No other scheduled public transport services operate)
Cheapest Weekend Terminal Parking - $52

If I've missed something, made an error or you've found a better/cheaper way - please feel free to share

 

[tdimdad]

In Sydney you could also take a bus to Mascot and change to trains there. Should take about 40-50 mins to Central and cost $3.74 on Opal card ($7.40 on single tickets).

 

[Forg]

I know that the listing doesn't attempt to cover it … but for Sydney Domestic, there's not a massive amount of difference in convenience between the at-terminal parking and the "officially provided" Blue Emu parking with shuttle-buses. I've not used Blue Emu that often, but whenever I have the bus has picked us up as soon as I set foot outside the terminal, and I've been at the car nearly as quickly as if I'd parked at the terminal & walked to the car.
Inclement weather is a problem though.
And possibly hail storms.
The cheapest public transport option is really only for the well-versed, if you were a visitor I reckon you'd usually spend a lot longer than the 1hr 11min trying to navigate that route.

 

[AIRwin]

Brisbane Airport (to Queen St Mall)
Fastest - Direct Train - 36 minutes (includes 12 mins walking) - $19
Cheapest - 3x Busses via DFO (free shuttle bus) and Toombul - 1hr 16 minutes - $4.03
Cheapest Weekend Terminal Parking - $39

In Brisbane you could also change to trains at Toombul for the same fare ($3.22 at off peak) and then walk from Central station. Skygate shuttle bus between airport and DFO operates until around 6 pm only:
https://www.bne.com.au/sites/defaul...irport Skygate Loop Timetable - July 2017.pdf

 

[dajop]

In Sydney you could also take a bus to Mascot and change to trains there. Should take about 40-50 mins to Central and cost $3.74 on Opal card ($7.40 on single tickets).

Recently did this. It only took 40 mins (well 38 to be exact) from St James to International. Should be 5-10mins quicker between Domestic and Central. Also is $2.67 off peak.

 

[Himeno]

CBR is a regular ACT government public transport bus. Normal fares. Currently route 11/11A from Civic interchange which also services government departments along Constitution Avenue and the business park next to the airport.

The route is changing from the end of the month (start of school term after Easter holidays) to R3 from Spence, down Copland Drive, past Florey Shops and through Belconnen to Civic before following the current route 11 to the airport.
Depending on age, time of day and payment method, fares are between $0 and $5 with a 90 min transfer period.

 

[Mattg]

In Sydney you could also take a bus to Mascot and change to trains there. Should take about 40-50 mins to Central and cost $3.74 on Opal card ($7.40 on single tickets).

I usually walk from T1 to Wolli Creek or T2/3 to Mascot, and catch a train from there. Takes around the same amount of time overall and it's often nice to get some exercise after a long flight.

 

[Forg]

^ What’s the path to Wolli Creek?
Is there a footpath along the creek itself, leading from the new elevated footpath from the terminal?

 

[Mattg]

^ What’s the path to Wolli Creek?
Is there a footpath along the creek itself, leading from the new elevated footpath from the terminal?

You basically walk through the airport carpark and under Airport Drive, cross over Cooks River alongside the road on the Airport Drive bridge and then through Cahill Park. There are footpaths most/all of the way. Usually takes me ~20 minutes, depending on how long it takes to get a green light to cross Princes Hwy.

 

[Spongbob]

How does having baggage effect these options (e.g. walking)?

 

[Forg]

How does having baggage effect these options (e.g. walking)?

Result May Vary … eg. Mattg said his map is all footpath, most frequent travellers would be organised so that MOST of the time they're not struggling with towing too much heavy luggage around the terminal so a 20 minute walk wouldn't be too awful with your baggage if you want a 20 minute walk anyway.
I've only ever seen the suburban trains on the Sydney line that runs under the airport, which would suck at peak times due to there being nowhere to put your bags.
The 400 bus (which it seems zig-zags over about a quarter of Sydney via the airport and I'll bet this is the bus-route people have mentioned) is theoretically just an everyday suburban bus, but I've seen it more than once with the luggage racks. I also know it used to be pretty busy during peak around Uni of NSW & towards Bondi Junction.

 

[Spongbob]

Yes, 2 or 3 people with several large bags on the 400 bus makes every stop an obstacle for on/off pax.

 

[moa999]

Now the 400 and the 420
400 is Bondi - International and vv
420 is Burwood - Eastgardens and vv.

Majority of the airport pax on the buses get out at Mascot (1 stop after domestic) or Banksia/Rockdale (2/3 stops after international)

 

[Mattg]

How does having baggage effect these options (e.g. walking)?

I've done both walks many times with a suitcase and never really had an issue. If I had lots of luggage, the bus would be easier. You're only generally travelling one or two stops on the bus, anyway.

 

[serfty]

According to my personal experiences, I prefer Airport Limo service because its comfortable and much better than the other services.

I can tell you that after the first 500 or so Airport limo/taxi trips the gloss tends to wear off ...

 

[Forg]

I’m intrigued ... AFF gives me pop-ups every now & again that I can’t block with Safari on this iPad; and that very short poast above is referring us Australian Frequent Flyers forum members to an airport transfer service in a Toronto which appears to be the one in Canada.

Has AFF been finally taken over by Skynet / Central?

Oh - and I always send my better-half to the airport in a limo. It’s the same price as a taxi, it’s more reliable than taxi or Uber (she often leaves home before 6am), and I’ve never been scared in the limo whereas about 75% of taxi and 50% of Uber trips have me screaming in abject terror by the time we (somehow) make it to the other end.
Because we’re not super close to the CBD; and by the time you walk to the bus, catch it, change to the train at Wynyard, waiting time, and then pay the Mac Bank Tax at the airport station you’ve admittedly paid 1/4 the price of the limo but at that time of the morning the extra 90 minutes’ sleep is worth that ~$75 ... and when you step off 30hrs worth of travel, that extra ~$75 is worth it to be home 90 minutes earlier!
Maybe if you were doing it weekly those extra costs would make it worth going the bus+train; but then losing that 3hrs in travel-time would hurt more if you’re doing it regular-like.

 

[Virgin Bart]

Cheapest is.....

I've walked from town to airport in:

• Hobart
• Launceston
• Toowoomba Wellcamp
• Sydney
• Mildura
• Darwin

And I'm sure a few others I've forgotten!

 

[Forg]

^ That’s an interesting thought ... shower & change in lounge before boarding, you’ve had a few hour’s worth of fairly casual exercise to make you a bit sleepy, would have to help you crash on a long-haul trip.

 

[henrus]

• Toowoomba Wellcamp

Umm... are you sure you weren't thinking of the old airport?

Wellcamp to Margaret St is at least 19km (4 hours at an average pace)

I've only walked to one airport- Fukuoka, Japan. The terminal building is 2.7km from the centre of the city and was only 2km from where I was staying.

In Brisbane you could also change to trains at Toombul for the same fare ($3.22 at off peak) and then walk from Central station. Skygate shuttle bus between airport and DFO operates until around 6 pm only:

I've actually done this before as the time difference was an additional 30 minutes door to door compared to the airtrain. Obviously it'd be difficult with baggage (I just had a backpack) and I could certainly see someone who's not local getting lost.

 

[openseat]

I recently travelled from OOL to Brisbane suburbs south of the river by bus route 760 to Varsity Lakes station and then train to Boggo Road and onto a 10 min bus ride. It took about 1hr45min and about $8 from memory. A few other hardy souls also did the trip.