SYD transport with a toddler

[StevePER]

To get from SYD airport to our hotel we need a taxi with a child seat. Is it best to pre-book one or are there enough around that we can just get one in the normal taxi queue? If we pre-book and the flight is early or late, what happens?

Or if it's too much hassle we could just get the train.

 

[jsd]

I'd say it would be best to pre-book, or at least ring and ask.

Would save a lot of time searching around for a cab with a child seat in it.:-|



Josh

 

[GCC]

Suggest you book a limo - they'll provide a car with child seat.
It really isn't a lot more than a taxi, and when you're traveling with kid's the extra convenience of being met at the arrivals hall, an extra pair of hands and no taxi line up is well worth it IMHO. & if the flight is early or late, they are still there to meet you

We have a 5 month old and have used both penguin and crown limousine companies in Sydney, both fine.

Train could be OK - depends where your hotel is, how many bags you have and how cranky the child is.

 

[Homer]

I’m not advocating this, but I have been told many times by taxi drivers that they are exempted from the requirement for child safety seats for children over 12 months old. Here’s a link to the information on the [URL="http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/roadsafety/seatbelts/taxis.html”]RTA web site[/URL]. Having said that, obviously this is not ideal nor even desirable but I am including it in case you are ever in a situation where you just can’t get a cab with a child seat and you are prepared to take the risk.

In my experience at SYD you can tell them you want a car with a child seat when you get to the front of the queue at the taxi rank and they will ask you to wait (normally on the bench seat near position 1) until a car arrives. It has never taken more than about 10 minutes for this to happen in my experience. However I’ve switched to “limo” services too and I’d recommend [URL="http://www.towncars.com”]Town Cars[/URL]. CrazyDave first posted about them here and I’ve found they are very good. They are priced somewhere between a taxi and a limo (a trip into the city is around $50, whereas a cab is around $40) but they do charge an extra $10 for a child seat. (I am not affiliated with them in any way except as a happy customer).

 

[StevePER]

Thanks for your thoughts, I'll look into the options. I'm there for work so work will be for a taxi, unlikely they will pay for a limo though (but if it saves a lot of hassle I'll just pay myself). The hotel is right next to a train station, but we're flying in the evening so the boy might be grumpy.

 

[JetLagged]

Thanks for your thoughts, I'll look into the options. I'm there for work so work will be for a taxi, unlikely they will pay for a limo though (but if it saves a lot of hassle I'll just pay myself). The hotel is right next to a train station, but we're flying in the evening so the boy might be grumpy.

Steve - note the comments that Limos are only a tad - a small tad at that - more expensive than a taxi - doesn't make economical sense - so book a limo, let the firm pay equivalent taxi costs (if they are that stingy) and you pay the small difference.

We live out in western Sydney - taxi to the airport was $110 (to domestic) while a limo to international was $125 - clean, efficient, extra hands, etc. Makes life worthwhile!

 

[GCC]

+1 here.

The limo company will give you a fixed quote if you book ahead. Ring a few, & they will price match if they want the business.

Like JetLagged, the difference in fare is $10 -20 on the $100+ fare out to our place on the northern beaches. Sometimes the limo is actually cheaper on a fixed quote, as they don't hit me with tolls, 10% surcharge etc etc.