Luggage from Sydney to Canberra

[IrishPete]

So we've been caught up in the Middle East fiasco, and have had to change our flights back to Australia.

This gets us back to Sydney instead of Canberra, so next step is to get from Sydney to Canberra, on Wednesday.

I can't buy the flights with points, as the points from the Dublin-Canberra via Doha haven't re-credited yet.

Tickets are around $300 currently.

AmEx free flight is of course not available (it rarely is).

One issue with us buying tickets (with money or points) is the baggage allowance - there's no Business Class on Virgin from. Is there any way we can increase our baggage allowance, within reasonable cost? We're seriously considering renting a car instead, as there's no baggage limit in a rental car, but after a lengthy trip home, it's not the preferred option.

(We already seriously out of pocket, so anything that saves us money AND stress would be great.)

 

[shuuy]

rent the car.

Virgin's Saab is meh on this flight.

3h to CBR vs the 60-90 min cnx, 1h flight (if on time), and 30 mins for bags = not much difference

 

[Beer_budget]

About $70-80 a bag if prepaid online/over the phone, $120++ at the airport.

How much luggage do you have? That may dictate your options. A one-way car hire will be exxy, possibly worse than trying to purchase additional luggage. I would contemplate the Murrays too, as I've found them pretty reasonable about excess luggage in the past. If some/all of your cancelled travel is Virgin/Velocity, asking if they can waive the fees as an act of goodwill is probably at least worth trying.

I also wonder whether, since that leg isn't a war zone, TI might come through for the inconvenience cost of landing 300km from home?

 

[IrishPete]

rent the car.

Virgin's Saab is meh on this flight.

3h to CBR vs the 60-90 min cnx, 1h flight (if on time), and 30 mins for bags = not much difference

Yeah, it's a bit more complicated, as we have a car parked at Canberra Airport, so can't drive straight home, which is about an hour outside Canberra. We'll also be very tired.

One way rental ends up as expensive as flying, and returning to Sydney means another road trip with tolls and fuel, in TWO vehicles (or I catch the train back).

 

[IrishPete]

About $70-80 a bag if prepaid online/over the phone, $120++ at the airport.

How much luggage do you have? That may dictate your options. A one-way car hire will be exxy, possibly worse than trying to purchase additional luggage. I would contemplate the Murrays too, as I've found them pretty reasonable about excess luggage in the past. If some/all of your cancelled travel is Virgin/Velocity, asking if they can waive the fees as an act of goodwill is probably at least worth trying.

I also wonder whether, since that leg isn't a war zone, TI might come through for the inconvenience cost of landing 300km from home?

I found that info after posting. But it doesn't say how much luggage that pays for. It seems cheap for a 23kg suitcase.

We're flying Premium Economy Qantas to Singapore, Scoot+ Singapore to Sydney, so at most we'd be (30kg Scoot allowance - 23kg Virgin allowance) x 2.

I've seen other airlines cost hundreds of dollars for an extra bag!

I couldn't tolerate a coach...

 

[Quickstatus]

Train - about $100 per person

T1 international airport train station
Central station
Canberra station

Then rideshare to CBR

 

[Beer_budget]

Train - about $100 per person

T1 international airport train station
Central station
Canberra station

Then rideshare to CBR

Luggage allowance on the train isn't very high either.

 

[Quickstatus]

Luggage allowance on the train isn't very high either.

The price I quoted above $100 is first class ($75 for central to canberra) and $25 T1 to central) which allows 2x20kg checked and 1x10 carry on

 

[Beer_budget]

I found that info after posting. But it doesn't say how much luggage that pays for. It seems cheap for a 23kg suitcase.

We're flying Premium Economy Qantas to Singapore, Scoot+ Singapore to Sydney, so at most we'd be (30kg Scoot allowance - 23kg Virgin allowance) x 2.

I've seen other airlines cost hundreds of dollars for an extra bag!

I couldn't tolerate a coach...

Yeah fair enough, I don't mind the bus but it isn't for everyone, and I also only live a couple of blocks from Jolimont so it's actually pretty convenient.

It does say per 23kg piece on the Virgin site, I'd be more concerned about whether there's capacity if it's one of those dinky Link Saabs.

The price I quoted above $100 is first class which allows 2x20kg checked and 1x10 carry on

A cousin had a stern disagreement about luggage on the train two Christmases back. They're surprisingly strict about the weight considering it's literally a train. WHS I assume.

 

[Quickstatus]

They're surprisingly strict about the weight

They are strict with checked luggage -no more than 20kg each

There are several bus operators
Murrays
Flix
Greyhound

 

[jase05]

It does say per 23kg piece on the Virgin site, I'd be more concerned about whether there's capacity if it's one of those dinky Link Saabs.

Flown on them a few times and no issue with luggage.
Last time was about and month ago and both of us had a large suitcase weighing around 20kg each and a smaller carry on weighing 5kg each. No issue at all and for the carry on they give you a bag tag and you hand your bag to the crew and they load it for you and you grab it as you are exiting

 

[IrishPete]

Train - about $100 per person

T1 international airport train station
Central station
Canberra station

Then rideshare to CBR

That's a lot of faffing around and the train is very slow, only runs three times a day, and is often sold out.

 

[markis10]

Flixbus takes three hours and is $35 or so, pickup is at the airport

 

[Mattg]

Luggage allowance on the train isn't very high either.

I would look at the train. There is a limit to checked luggage but if you board with 3 bags each I doubt anyone would stop you.

 

[L2.]

Train - about $100 per person

T1 international airport train station
Central station
Canberra station

Then rideshare to CBR

For that journey there's no way that you'd go via Central, when there's a much easier and faster connection available.

You can get a T8 train directly from the International Airport to Campbelltown, which will drop you off on platform 3, which is also the same platform that the train to Canberra will depart from, hence zero walking needed for the connection.

If you were to backtrack via Central, you'd be dropped off on platform 21 from the airport, then have to make your way across the entire station to around platform 2 or 3 on the country concourse where the Canberra train will leave from.

Although with those trains constantly being booked out and the frequency of service (nobody wants to wait hours after a long flight!), not sure how practical it would be as an option in this case.

 

[hydrabyss]

Yeah, it's a bit more complicated, as we have a car parked at Canberra Airport, so can't drive straight home, which is about an hour outside Canberra. We'll also be very tired.

One way rental ends up as expensive as flying, and returning to Sydney means another road trip with tolls and fuel, in TWO vehicles (or I catch the train back).

IF you are tired its best not to drive but cost wise unless your on your own a lot cheaper and faster than flying and you can drive the car up to yours to unload. Hertz charges around $300 for one way hire.

 

[Quickstatus]

If you were to backtrack via Central,

It is a lot easier these days with elevators at central. I think ticket availability is also better via Central

 

[Beer_budget]

I would look at the train. There is a limit to checked luggage but if you board with 3 bags each I doubt anyone would stop you.

Every time I've caught those trains I've had to hand my luggage to a porter to be stowed in the luggage compartment, it's not like getting on a suburban service. You definitely won't be able to get past them with excess/overweight luggage.

Also be careful if you are booking train tickets to Canberra that they actually are to Kingston, because there's also a "train" to Civic that's a coach transfer from Yass.

 

[Warragul]

That's a lot of faffing around and the train is very slow, only runs three times a day, and is often sold out.

Sounds like it's either stumping up for extra bags on VA or the one way rental car (noting your post in the middle east thread about being too old for coaches).
Given the length of drive to CBR on top of long flights, it's not one I'd do with a risk of micro naps kicking in especially once the traffic thins out just after Campbell town.

 

[Quickstatus]

That's a lot of faffing around and the train is very slow, only runs three times a day, and is often sold out.

If not the train, there are numerous buses that ply the route between Central and Jolimont
I prefer the train but if I can't get the train I would be happy to catch a bus/coach

For example Flix has over 20 departures on a weekday.