Taxi to Pier Advice

[barbetal]

Three of us arrive Sydney Airport 8:05 AM on Mon, Jan 3. We are sailing on Diamond Princess that evening. We have decided not to take cruise transfers for over A$190, thinking a taxi will be better. I understand with cruise transfers you are taken to a “holding area” to wait and/or take tour (for additional $) until boarding time at 1 PM. Our plan is to take taxi to pier, where we hope we can check our luggage early. If that doesn’t work, I have seen on the internet a luggage storage facility near the Sydney Tower . If we have to go to port, then Sydney Tower, our taxi fare should not be much over A$50 and we will be free to roam. Even figuring a cab back to pier, we are still ahead financially and comfort-wise. I don’t believe we will need oversized taxi. We are light packers even for a cruise. My question: Does anyone see any flaws in this plan? Will taxis be readily available at airport? Will taxi have any problem with going to pier, waiting while we check out luggage check-in, then going to the Tower? I have read that Sydney taxi drivers can be a little temperamental. While saving money is great, starting a trip, after a long flight, on the wrong foot, is not great. Any comments would be appreciated.

[SheilaNC]

We had no problem getting a taxi at the sydney airport and we were able to check our luggage early (were on Celebrity so can't speak for Princess). Only flaw that I can see is if your flight is late and you have a tight connection to th ship. There was someone at the taxi line who assisted with putting us in a taxi and you could easily ask for one of the larger ones. Also, there are ATMs at the airport if you wish to get AU $$ there. Good luck!

[Aussie Gal]

Taxis are readily available at Sydney airport. Your plan is very doable and I cannot see why the taxi driver will not wait while you try and check your luggage in. As long as his meter is running he will be happy.

 

Even if your flight is running late, there will still be plenty of taxis at the airport. There is a huge holding area where they all wait and once out at the airport, it is more prudent for them to wait in the holding area than try and find a fare on the way back to the city.

 

You will need to either arrive with some Aussie dollars or go to the ATM at the airport. If you wish to charge the taxi fare on a credit card another 10% is added on to the fare. At least that is what happens here in Melbourne.

 

Jennie

[ann66]

Hi Barbara,

 

There is a Sydney airport tranfer bus. $23 each and they meet you at the airport. Once you organise your luggage you will be able to get a cab up to tower. If you catch a cab from airport and Princess mess around checking in your luggage you may have a huge cab bill. You wont want to feel rushed after a long flight. You may want to stretch your legs wandering around the Rocks first before going to tower.

 

Ask Joe and Kathy on our roll call about storing luggage as they have been on this cruise before or maybe visit 12/12 roll call. You wont be the only person flying in on sail day.

 

70 days to go

Colleen

[moyaroo]

I would get the taxi, easy at the airport and take the bags to the pier. From there, pay the driver and walk around the rocks, up under the harbor bridge take some photos of the Opera house, walk down to Circular Quay (all of this is in a 200-300 meter radius) take the ferry around the bay to Darling Harbour or walk the Botanical gardens (near the Opera House) by that time, head for the ship check in and then if you are up for it, walk around some more in the Rocks.

[moojar]

Flying international or domestic? There will be heavy traffic between the airport and city at 8.05am on a Monday. If you are flying domestic, you will be off the plane and into a cab pretty quickly, and may find yourselves in the midst of that traffic. And you will be competing with the arriving business people for a taxi (but there are plenty to go around - taxis AND suits. :p)

 

Traffic will begin to lighten by a bit after 9, so if you are arriving on an international flight you will miss the worst of it.

 

The city is only 6 or 7km from the airport as the crow flies, so the cab should not cost $50. The fare is under $100 to my place, and that is 25 to 30km away in a straight line.

 

Cheers.

[barbetal]

Thanks for all your assurances. We do arrive internationally and if plane is roughly on time, we should miss major portion of traffic. We are glad to hear that we will probably be able to drop our luggage at pier before check in. Although we will have had a long haul flight, it is our intention to hit the ground running. Ferry to Taronga Zoo, back to pier for check in, hop on hop off bus in Sydney. Probably a bit ambitious for first day after flight, but plan big and cut back if necessary is our thinking.

[moyaroo]

It is a good plan, the Zoo is lovely and the ferry over will give you a good look at the opera house, botanical gardens (at least see where they are) and the Sydney Harbor Bridge. The funicular to the top of the zoo also offers a great vantage point - start at the top of the zoo and you will finish downhill, no need to walk back up just follow the path to the ferry slip.

[Aussie Gal]

Also the trip from the U.S. is much easier on jetlag than the trip flying back to the U.S.

 

We are always fine when flying east to west but our body clocks are not so good when going the other way.

 

Make sure you stay awake, get plenty of sunshine and have an early dinner. Then go to bed and next morning you will be back to normal.

 

Jennie

[Flipper133]

I don’t believe we will need oversized taxi. We are light packers even for a cruise.

 

One thing you will find is that just about every taxi will have a large LPG bottle in the boot, which makes it very tight to accommodate even 2 bags. Quite often they will have to put extra bags inside which then cramps up the passengers.

 

My suggestion is to ask the Cab Controller to assign you to either a Maxi Taxi or at least a Station Wagon. Might extend your wait in the line slightly, but well worth it. From my experience the Cab Controller will ask how many passengers in your group and enquire on how much baggage, so you will probably not have to do no more than be organised

 

cheers

[campingman]

Three of us arrive Sydney Airport 8:05 AM on Mon, Jan 3. We are sailing on Diamond Princess that evening. We have decided not to take cruise transfers for over A$190, thinking a taxi will be better. I understand with cruise transfers you are taken to a “holding area” to wait and/or take tour (for additional $) until boarding time at 1 PM. Our plan is to take taxi to pier, where we hope we can check our luggage early. If that doesn’t work, I have seen on the internet a luggage storage facility near the Sydney Tower . If we have to go to port, then Sydney Tower, our taxi fare should not be much over A$50 and we will be free to roam. Even figuring a cab back to pier, we are still ahead financially and comfort-wise. I don’t believe we will need oversized taxi. We are light packers even for a cruise. My question: Does anyone see any flaws in this plan? Will taxis be readily available at airport? Will taxi have any problem with going to pier, waiting while we check out luggage check-in, then going to the Tower? I have read that Sydney taxi drivers can be a little temperamental. While saving money is great, starting a trip, after a long flight, on the wrong foot, is not great. Any comments would be appreciated.

 

 

Your Flight arrives at 8.05 AM on the 3rd Jan.By the time you go and shop at the duty free for your spirits (you walk through the middle of the shop/cant avoid it) you then line up for immigration and then baggage collection/customs.You will be cleared at around 9am or before.

 

The trains by the time you board will have lots of seats + its a Saturday however the CBD downtown will be starting to get busy with shoppers for the New Year Sales.

 

Airport to Circular Quay ticket costs $14.80.

 

If your travelling with managable luggage the distance from the arrival hall to the Taxi rank/frenzy to the Train Station station would be the same.Except the train station is within the Airport Building.Very user friendly no stairs.There are escalators and lifts at both Airport and Circular Quay.There is a train at that time every 15 minutes approx straight to Circular Quay.Its the 3rd of January so the country is still in holiday mode so there will be lots of space on the trains.The trains are used everyday by office workers commuting and shoppers.

 

On arrival at Circular Quay you have only a ships length of walk to get to the Cruise Terminal Check in.

 

http://www.cityrail.com.au/timetable/ttable.jsp?line=eh&day=we&dir=up&page=02

 

 

 

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/25846046@N03/2888994906/

 

Luggage Storage is very inconvienient in Sydney so i suggest a early check in at the cruise terminal.

[Aussie Gal]

With three people sharing a cab, why would anyone want to take the train to Circular Quay. It would still be hard going with all the luggage. You may save $10 at most but when you take into consideration the cost of the airfares, cruise, spending money etc. why would anyone use the train for such a small saving.

 

It also could be pouring with rain, remember it does rain in Sydney unlike here in Melbourne. It is summer so it probably will be hot and humid and even though the walk is not that far to the ship from Circular Quay station, you could end up very sweaty and tired, not a good start to a wonderful cruise.

 

Jennie

[campingman]

With three people sharing a cab, why would anyone want to take the train to Circular Quay. It would still be hard going with all the luggage. You may save $10 at most but when you take into consideration the cost of the airfares, cruise, spending money etc. why would anyone use the train for such a small saving.

 

It also could be pouring with rain, remember it does rain in Sydney unlike here in Melbourne. It is summer so it probably will be hot and humid and even though the walk is not that far to the ship from Circular Quay station, you could end up very sweaty and tired, not a good start to a wonderful cruise.

 

Jennie

 

Jennie it wasnt the saving of the $ IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT CONVIENIENCE for us and being quick with out delay.Circular Quay Station is no more than a Ships length from the Cruise Check In Counter.

 

What works well for some may not work well for others.A previous poster made a definate point about the taxis having small luggage capacity and waiting for Wagon Taxis.

 

The OP say they travel light.

 

Sydney Cruise Ship passengers can be seen every departure day rolling their bags from The Rocks Holiday Inn,The Hyatt Hotel The Marriott Hotel and the Intercontinental. and the Four Seasons which are further than Circular Quay Station from the Passenger Terminal.

 

I have spent many many lunch hours pondering/watching over the Quay and its ships and passengers as i worked in the AMP Building on Alfred St and always suffered from passenger envy on sailing days when i returned to the office.

[MMDown Under]

When my daughter and I go to Sydney for a long weekend, she always takes the train to the airport in the morning to get to work on time.

 

It helps that she travels light.

 

Whilst I relax until check-out, then catch the airport shuttle from the hotel door.

[Aussie Gal]

campingman,

 

Sydney is my second home and I know it well. As you say what works for one may not work for another.

 

There is no way that we would be using public transport to get to Circular Quay after arriving on a long overnight flight especially if we have hours to spare as the OP has, seeing she is arriving into Sydney early and will have all day to have a look around.

 

It would be a different matter if she was pressed for time, though in all the years I have visited Sydney and I went every month for 7 years until a couple of years ago, a taxi has only ever taken less than 15 minutes to get me into central Sydney. When I used to go to the North Shore, it only took 20minutes to get to Mosman.

 

Jennie

[moojar]

There is no way that we would be using public transport to get to Circular Quay after arriving on a long overnight flight especially if we have hours to spare as the OP has, seeing she is arriving into Sydney early and will have all day to have a look around.

 

I concur, Jennie. The airport is quite close to downtown Sydney, so the cab fare will not be that much. I'd expect the fares to be a close run thing, actually - two people sharing a cab versus two train fares. (The train fare is expensive because you pay a surcharge to use the airport train stations.)

 

Also the trains are just regular commuter trains, so nowhere to store luggage or easily sit with it. And you are in tunnels most of the way, and I imagine that would be quite frustrating - being in a new city and not being able to see it!

[Bethian]

Hi,

 

When you are lining up for a cab, just ask the Taxi director for a station wagon or van (if you are lucky). There are always plenty of station wagons at the airport and this will be sufficient for 3 passengers and easily 4 average suitcases.

[Traveling Sue]

Do the cabs/taxi accept credit cards?

[campingman]

campingman,

 

Sydney is my second home and I know it well. As you say what works for one may not work for another.

 

There is no way that we would be using public transport to get to Circular Quay after arriving on a long overnight flight especially if we have hours to spare as the OP has, seeing she is arriving into Sydney early and will have all day to have a look around.

 

It would be a different matter if she was pressed for time, though in all the years I have visited Sydney and I went every month for 7 years until a couple of years ago, a taxi has only ever taken less than 15 minutes to get me into central Sydney. When I used to go to the North Shore, it only took 20minutes to get to Mosman.

 

Jennie

 

Not anymore.Oh for the good old days?

 

Not any more can you do it in those times?Gridlock is a real frustrating feature of Sydney now including buses in the inner city.Average time to the Rocks now is 35 minutes from the airport let alone the gridlocked Military Road on the North Shore .The OP is travelling on a Saturday which will provide relief and also in January which also has the whole country in holiday mode.

 

Experience from 20 years in Wollstonecraft

[Topaz_M]

The OP is actually travelling on Monday 5th January. (I'm on the same cruise).

 

I'm grateful for the advice of using the train to Circular Quay as I'll be staying near Wynyard station (one stop from memory??)

 

I've posted on another thread about the Airport shuttle bus. They can drop you at a nearby hotel to the cruise terminal (Four Seasons) if not the terminal itself. Get them to give you a quote (online form).

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=54889&page=2

 

Cheers,

Moira

[mochuck]

Do the cabs/taxi accept credit cards?

 

 

Yes they do. I was talking to a taxi driver yesterday and he say he prefers not to take cash because it is safer for him (less risk of robbery).

[Aussie Gal]

I do think they charge a service charge if C.C. are used. I know they do in Melbourne and the rate is quite high. We used a taxi from the airport to home because our limo didn't arrive and 10% was added because I paid by C.C. instead of cash. The taxi ended up costing more than a limo!

 

Jennie