SYD Airport Guide

[SQflyergirl]

sorry I will get stuck into this when I am back home next week....

no worries - it's an ever changing document, any contribution at any time is welcome

[simong]

OK heres some thoughts...

Arrival Express Path-I think we really need to get some confirmation from SQ on who they really deem eligible given my recent experience. Also NZ offer it as well as SQ and QF.

IMHO the train is only worth it if you are travelling alone, once you get up to two passengers travelling to the CBD any cost savings are negligable compared to the hassle, past two and the taxi is defo cheaper.

Return train is 21.60AUD exceeingly highly (mostly because you are paying an airport access fee) for this you dont even get a dedicated airport train. You will get on a standard commuter train with no luggage storage etc and may not even get a seat at peak times.

Taxi to Bondi aprox 40AUD, I will work on some other prices, guess Manly, Coogee, North Sydney, Chatswood, Parramatta could be relavant

yes there are free internet things in SYD INT.

as far as spotting goes probably woth linking to this site http://www.16right.com/

Will keep thinking...

[kpc]

Some random comments:

1. Agree that if there's more than 1 passenger, it is often cheaper to catch a taxi. At peak hours, however, it may be quicker to catch the train to the city but as it is a commuter train, it will be difficult if you have large suitcases. See this map for more info about train stops in the city and city hotels:- http://www.cityrail.nsw.gov.au/fares...irport_map.pdf

2. Taxi fare to Chatswood is around $60-65; $45-50 to Nth Sydney (note you will pay a total of $10 in tolls on top of meter fare ($2.50 airport tax, $4.50 Eastern Distributor toll and $3 Syd harbour / tunnell toll). No tip required in Australia

3. To save time getting through immigration at Sydney A, B arrivals pier (QF, CX, BA etc arrive here), pretend or actually buy something at the arrival duty free shop, walk through the check out lane, and you will get into a much shorter Q; C, D arrivals pier is the other arrival area at Sydney (SQ, MH etc), there is no such short cut here.

4. Even if you have nothing to declare and get shunted into the green lane, your bags will still be xrayed...and they seem to be very good at picking up food material esp. if you have not declared it. If in any doubt, DECLARE and the worst thing is that they will confiscate the food item etc with a nice smile; don't declare food and get caught, you will face the full wrath of customs / quarantine!

5. You are allowed to bring in AUD$900 worth of duty free goods into Australia (excluding alcohol); if you have more than this amount, if you have used the item, even if only for 1-2 days, and have declared it, you will get a 20% discount for it being a "used" item(s); so you can bring in for eg. a new $1125 electronic item and declare it, and as you have used it, you will get a 20% discount, bringing it to $900 in value, and therefore don't have to pay any duty. You only get this discount if you declare the item!!. If you are over the $900 limit, you will pay duty on the whole amount, not just the amount over $900

6. Please have a look at the Tourist Refund Scheme to claim back the GST(10%) paid on goods bought in Australia when you leave Australia. For further info, see here: http://www.sydneyairport.com.au/SACL...me/default.htm

7. The following link lists ways to transfer between the domestic and international terminal: http://www.sydneyairport.com.au/SACL...er/Default.htm
If there is a long queue for the transfer bus, consider taking the train for AUD$5 (please note that on occasional weekends only, the train does not run due to track upgrading / maintenance - see link below (Airport & East Hills Line) for when this might occur): http://www.cityrail.nsw.gov.au/trackwork/trackwork.jsp

Airport Link offers a $5.00 (one way, per person) transfer ticket for passengers transferring between T1 International and T2/T3 Domestic Terminals. The journey takes only 2 minutes and there are frequent services. For more information visit www.airportlink.com.au

8. If possible, avoid arriving at Syd International (T1) beteen 6-9am, as this is Sydney airport at its absolute busiest. At non peak times, I have taken less than 15 minutes to get from plane to taxi (including reclaiming bags and buying duty free!!).

[SQflyergirl]

Will incorporate these soon! thanks

[v1rotate]

A couple of extra points:

For transport Sydney-wide, there's also a shuttle bus option. These typically cost $20-30 to CBD hotels, and should be booked in advance to ensure availability.

Internet kiosks - Yes that is correct for SYD. Free Internet kiosks on both the landside and airside parts of the International Terminal.

Spotting - This page has a good guide, plus sample photos for each location: link

[UMD]

This airport is going through an A$ 500 million upgrade at the moment. The parking ramp is almost ready with connecting bridge straight to the departure level of the main terminal building.

Work inside the terminal has now started. The entire section of shops just before the entrance to gate 53 - 60 have been removed.

[UMD]

Both CX and SQ give Express Path to outgoing and incoming premium pax for Sydney. This has been consistent for the last several trips.

[Kiwi]

Some comments.

Express immigration

QF, NZ, SQ and CX all offer the express immigration cards to first, business and top tier elite members arriving and departing from SYD international terminal. Exact criteria varies slightly - eg for NZ they give to NZ*E (gold elite) in economy but not NZ*G or other *G in economy.

LA definitely does not participate. I haven't flown BA or EK into/out of SYD lately to know if they do or not.

There are some rumours the trial will soon be closed and not extended, but I have also heard conflicting rumours.

To use the express x-ray line on arrival your arrival card MUST be marked correctly by the immigration officer, or stamped with the rectangular green stamp by a roving officer in the baggage claim area. I once had to wait a considerable time for my card to be checked out as it did not have the correct mark. You also must have no ticked for all the questions, and in the case of the food question they mean anything edible (ie even lozenges count).

[Kiwi]

Transport

The train is expensive because to the airport surcharge. If you have not much luggage, the weather is nice and you can spare the time, you can save most of the fare by walking to either Wolli Creek station (southwest of airport) or Mascot station (north of airport).

Note the return train fare is only for same day return


Terminals

T1 also has domestic legs of international flights (eg QF flights numbered 1-399)
T2 has Virgin Blue, Rex, jetstar and Qantas Link flights (QF flights numbered 1600 and above)
T3 is only Qantas mainline domestic (QF flights numbered 400-1599)

The airside transfer bus connects T3 and T1. To get to/from this service and T2 you have to go landside again and reclear security

[Kiwi]

Lounges

UA RCC is now closed. Pax use NZ lounge instead.
QF has domestic lounges in both T2 and T3.

International departure

You are directed through a duty free shop after security. However there are ways to bypass it - on the OW wing there are stairs to the mezzanine level on the right hand side, and on the *A/other wing there is a passage around the duty free store (signposted as gates 50-52 IIRC but it does open out into the terminal).

Internet

SYD finally added free internet kiosks in the QF wing of the international terminal, by gate 24 IIRC. However there is only 3 or 4. AFAIK all other internet outside the airline lounges is pay for. I don't think there is any free internet outside the airline lounges in the domestic terminals.

Security

The explosives test is not random but rather continuous screening, thus mostly avoidable.

[jjpb3]

Transport

The train is expensive because to the airport surcharge. If you have not much luggage, the weather is nice and you can spare the time, you can save most of the fare by walking to either Wolli Creek station (southwest of airport) or Mascot station (north of airport).

How long is that walk, Kiwi? Does the train get you into the center of the city?

[Kiwi]

Connections

Int->int, follow signs for international transit. If you arrive on OW and depart on *A/other, or vice versa, then you need to change piers. You can do this on the departure level OR the arrival level.

QF dom->int, airside transfer bus departs from T3. You can pick up departure cards at the transfer desk in domestic terminal to fill them in while you wait or en route. Bus arrives just before the OW immigration desks. If you don't have onward BP you must go right to the check in area. If flying QF internationally and eligible for express card ask for it at the transfer desk. Bus leaves approx every 20-30 minutes. Note jetstar domestic flights do not transfer checked bags thus ineligible to use this bus.

Other dom->QF/OW int, can also use the airside transfer bus as long as any checked bags are through tagged.

Landside bus is available for non-QF/OW int->QF dom early morning. Due to congestion on the airside bus these pax now must take the free landside bus.

Other int->dom, either take the bus $5 or train $12.80 - both at the far right hand end of the terminal (from where exit customs).

[Kiwi]

How long is that walk, Kiwi? Does the train get you into the center of the city?

Mascot is less than half a dozen blocks from domestic, slightly further from international. It is on the airport line thus central is just a couple of stops further along. Wolli Creek is slightly further and probably not convenient unless you are heading to/from the south coast.

[KeithMEL]

The train is expensive because to the airport surcharge. If you have not much luggage, the weather is nice and you can spare the time, you can save most of the fare by walking to either Wolli Creek station (southwest of airport) or Mascot station (north of airport).

And as I discovered a few days ago, tis faster to walk to Mascot and train into the city (I was going to St James) than to take the mini bus especially if arriving at peak hour. The bus goes via O'Riordan St instead of the freeway which can be quite a detour.

[willio773]

Spotting at airport: <Is this also applicable in SYD? <Help needed here>

Ok...found some on
http://www.gate52.com/anzas/ (click on Sydney and Viewing Areas)
http://www.spotterswiki.com/index.ph...ting_Locations