Can we leave sydney airport?

[medgirlnz]

Hi there,
My partner and I are travelling to Los Angeles from NZ via sydney. Unfortunately we arrive in sydney at 8:30am with our onward flight being at 3:25pm. I presume our bags will be checked right through to LA and we were wondering if we can leave the airport to head into the city for a couple of hours and then come back through security etc to head to the states. Does anyone know if this is possible at all?

 

[Dave Noble]

Yup

Just clear immigration n customs and head through. Just get back to airport in time to clear outbound immigration and security

Dave

 

[spunkarooney]

Hi there,
My partner and I are travelling to Los Angeles from NZ via sydney. Unfortunately we arrive in sydney at 8:30am with our onward flight being at 3:25pm. I presume our bags will be checked right through to LA and we were wondering if we can leave the airport to head into the city for a couple of hours and then come back through security etc to head to the states. Does anyone know if this is possible at all?

I do this at other airports however, in your case, won't you be pushing it for time?

 

[markis10]

I do this at other airports however, in your case, won't you be pushing it for time?

7 hours, no baggage or checkin, just immigration = heaps of time. Would leave the city no later than 1.30 though, 3.30 is a busy time in SYD for immigraiton etc.

 

[anat0l]

7 hours, no baggage or checkin, just immigration = heaps of time. Would leave the city no later than 1.30 though, 3.30 is a busy time in SYD for immigraiton etc.

1.30pm is pushing it. I'd leave probably at least an hour earlier. Still enough time to have brunch, shop, make a turn about the harbour on board a ferry......

Sure, if the traffic is good (or you use the train) and lines aren't too bad, 1.30pm is fine. I take it you have no lounge access, hence a good reason to escape to the city and not spend much time at the airport.

 

[harvyk]

You can do it easy, provided your NZ citizens. Spend the morning in the city, make your way back to the airport about lunch time. Shouldn't be any problems with that.

If it was me I'd take the train (get a return ticket $25pp, a one way ticket costs $15.80) to circular quay which is good to see the opera house and the bridge, then take the train (buy a single adult one way fare) to townhall station as you have the queen victoria building there and it's only a short walk to darling harbour. Have some lunch down there, wander back to Townhall Station (use the other half of your airport return ticket) and catch the train back out to the airport. You'd be able to do that in a morning easy. I'd suggest you start making you way back to the airport no later than about 1:00pm...

Just my 2c - Enjoy

 

[markis10]

1.30pm is pushing it. I'd leave probably at least an hour earlier. Still enough time to have brunch, shop, make a turn about the harbour on board a ferry......

Sure, if the traffic is good (or you use the train) and lines aren't too bad, 1.30pm is fine. I take it you have no lounge access, hence a good reason to escape to the city and not spend much time at the airport.

I should have mentioned train in those timings, the 1.33PM train from Circular Quay gets you to the airport at 2.09, giving 80 minutes to clear immigration outbound, stacks of time IMHO, of course you need to allow for special security procedures as well, so perhaps 1PM might be better.


BTW I think the tickets have gone up, $26.60 for a day return ($24 off peak), the airportlink still says $25 while the fare calculator gives the $26.60.

 

[Dave Noble]

You can do it easy, provided your NZ citizens. Spend the morning in the city, make your way back to the airport about lunch time. Shouldn't be any problems with that.

I would agree that returning at 13:30 would be oodles of time; I just wouldn't be wasting time taking the train but just hop in a cab back to airport

I cannot see why being a NZ citizen will make any difference to the time allowed to do it ; obviously if not an AU/NZ citizen will have to get a visa before coming


Dave

 

[harvyk]

I cannot see why being a NZ citizen will make any difference to the time allowed to do it ; obviously if not an AU/NZ citizen will have to get a visa before coming


Dave

The visa issue...

 

[medhead]

If it was me I'd take the train (get a return ticket $25pp, a one way ticket costs $15.80) to circular quay which is good to see the opera house and the bridge, then take the train (buy a single adult one way fare) to townhall station as you have the queen victoria building there and it's only a short walk to darling harbour. Have some lunch down there, wander back to Townhall Station (use the other half of your airport return ticket) and catch the train back out to the airport. You'd be able to do that in a morning easy. I'd suggest you start making you way back to the airport no later than about 1:00pm...

Just my 2c - Enjoy

If doing something like this just add a city hopper onto your return airport ticket, city hopper is only a few dollars extra and will give you unlimited access to the 11 city stations. Casual tickets - CityRail

A train ticket is going to cost about $30 each with the city hopper. I would estimate that a taxi would cost about $25 to $30 each way depending on which part of the city you travel to.

 

[Dave Noble]

If doing something like this just add a city hopper onto your return airport ticket, city hopper is only a few dollars extra and will give you unlimited access to the 11 city stations. Casual tickets - CityRail

A train ticket is going to cost about $30 each with the city hopper. I would estimate that a taxi would cost about $25 to $30 each way depending on which part of the city you travel to.

With 2 people travelling, the cost of the train fare vs the taxi cost makes the taxi a good option imo for getting back to the airport

Dave

 

[anat0l]

With 2 people travelling, the cost of the train fare vs the taxi cost makes the taxi a good option imo for getting back to the airport

Dave

That's quite true, because it will be per person on the train versus a combined cost with the taxi. Pretty much squares it up, provided that the traffic isn't ridiculous and the taxi driver does not use - or is told not to use - the rip-off route to/from the airport. (And dare I say I can't remember what this is, even though it happened to us last time in SYD, i.e. AFF #3)

 

[Dave Noble]

That's quite true, because it will be per person on the train versus a combined cost with the taxi. Pretty much squares it up, provided that the traffic isn't ridiculous and the taxi driver does not use - or is told not to use - the rip-off route to/from the airport. (And dare I say I can't remember what this is, even though it happened to us last time in SYD, i.e. AFF #3)

City via Redfern is what to ask for; don't allow them to take freeway ( aka eastern distributor )

Dave

 

[YQY]

City via Redfern is what to ask for; don't allow them to take freeway ( aka eastern distributor )

Dave

If they are heading to Circular Quay - Eastern Distributor is best via South Western Motorway from International (just get off at Macquarie). King/George/Elizabeth can get busy from Redfern.

 

[anat0l]

If they are heading to Circular Quay - Eastern Distributor is best via South Western Motorway from International (just get off at Macquarie). King/George/Elizabeth can get busy from Redfern.

The problem is that the traffic would need to be pretty thick to justify the cost of using the Distributor.

In addition, the Distributor itself, its feeders and exits could be just as bad?

My vote goes to go via Redfern. Alternatively, one doesn't have to disembark at Circular Quay - is there a less busy, convenient routing or drop off point?

 

[drewbles]

I was going to post about the cost of a cab vs the cost of train fares to and from the city for 2.

If you're on limited time, at least the trains are going to be easier to calculate travel time vs traffic. I always used to drive via Redfern or even Newtown depending on the time and it was usually fine (I avoided the distributor).

Taking the train may not save you much, but it's going to be more accurate time wise, drop you right at Circular Quay, and tack on the explorer, and you can just jump on a train and head up to town hall/QVB and wander around Darling Harbour. Then, when ready, jump back on the train and you're done.

Just my 2c

 

[YQY]

The problem is that the traffic would need to be pretty thick to justify the cost of using the Distributor.

At 8.30am (or 9am) in the morning - traffic is very bad on Princes Highway/Airport Drive/Qantas Drive/O'Riordan. All traffic will be heading to the city as well. Then again, the freeway will be busy as well - but less traffic lights.

At 8.30am-9am it may be quicker and cheaper on the train (unless it's a weekend).

 

[anat0l]

I wonder if it would be cheaper to take a taxi to a station which is just outside the airport gate charging zone, then train from there?

The gate charge is my main beef with the Airport line service. We get a similar "treatment" here for BNE's Airtrain.

 

[harvyk]

I suggested train as it removes traffic from the equation. There is nothing worse than sitting in heavy traffic looking at your watch hoping that you'll make the airport on time.

The train is somewhat reliable on timings, comes fairly frequently, to the point I don't carry a timetable on me when I'm in Sydney and you don't have to contend with traffic delays and cabbies taking the scenic route...

Whilst the price will be about the same, I think for piece of mind I'd personally be taking the train.

 

[harvyk]

I wonder if it would be cheaper to take a taxi to a station which is just outside the airport gate charging zone, then train from there?

It probably is, but it's a lot of stuffing around to save $10, especially if you have a schedule to keep.