Hi Ozbargain,
With my upcoming holiday next week, I would like to find out what's the cheapest method to get to Sydney International. I have heard of the Opal trick but am reluctant to try as I can't confirm if it still works. Are there any other methods I should know of?
I currently live in Parramatta.
Thanks.
Oops, I'll edit it accordingly.
walking
Opal hack should work..if not depending on which part of the city you live..you can look to get a train till mascot..get down>>walk 5 mins>>board bus#400…
Or get off at Nurwood and get the 400bus
The 400 bus goes through the airport and has no additional airport charge. It goes between eastern suburbs and inner west if I recall.
Also stops near many stations including Burwood, and Mascot.
400 bus takes forever if you are going much beyond the airport. It meanders quite a fair bit. Also lately its becoming quite well known. Its sometimes too full to carry more passengers (and their luggage !)
If you just start at Sydney International Airport… lol
Not quite the cheapest but most convenient is to get someone you know to drive you there and drop you off at the departure terminal.
Walking is the cheapest but may take a while.
Taxi is most expensive but very convenient and an option I would seriously consider. I would probably get an Uber instead of overpriced taxi.
In some situations exclusively walking may not be the cheapest solution. For example, if you lived in Adelaide I think flying would be more economical than walking to Sydney Airport, especially if you happen to score a deal. You'd have to find legal camping areas en route and you'll spend a lot of money on food.
But if you're in western Sydney then probably any combination with the 400 is the cheapest, legal way.
I suppose some people can save even more with carhood.com.au, or even make money.
I'll have to remember that next time I fly out of Sydney. I usually go through a couple of pairs of shoes walking from Adelaide to Sydney airport.
Adelaide jokes in 5,4,3,2,1.
mascot then bus.
Train to Rockdale station and transfer to 400 bus, or even cheaper if 400 bus passes your place.
How much luggage and at what time
Trains during peak hour would be nuts, and if you have a lot of luggage bus might not let u on
You could always drive and park at the airport. The parking fees are high but if you have a high yielding investment such as an $80k car you’ll actually make money on the returns of the investment whilst parked.
Plenty of option
Wollie creek station then walk through the park. 10 minutes walk
Mascot then take the qantas crew international bus, pretend you're staff
Wollie creek then uber to int
I have heard of the Opal trick but am reluctant to try as I can't confirm if it still works.
How can it not work? As long as opal cards are free to purchase, getting to the airport opal trick works :)
Do you regularly use an Opal card? Then, if possible get your opal balance between $3.36 - $10 but no less than $3.36. Disable auto-top up.
Else, go to Woolworths or similar and buy a new $10 Opal (no card fee, you get the whole $10 in credit)
On the day of your trip, Pack your bags and get to your local station. Touch on the low balance Opal (or the new one you got at Woolies)
Travel to international airport (via change at Central if travelling from Parra).
Touch off opal at International Airport. Your opal balance is now something in the negative e.g. -$11.40.
find your nearest recycling bin and gently place the negative balance opal inside.
Congrats, your trip to the airport cost you between $10 at worst, or $3.36 at best. Have an awesome holiday!
I've noticed there are now top up machines trainside at the airport stations. The gates may have been programmed to reject negative balance and the workers just tell you to top up before you exit. So OP let us know how it went. At worst you pay for it as normal. Good luck.
Those top up machines been there for years.. The gates haven't rejected cards yet (as of 2 weeks ago, at least)
I agree with Thrawn I have seen those for at least all of 2016 and never had an issue with this trick.
I have mates who recently did it on Melbourne cup weekend too!
If you'd rather re-use than recycle (as many recycling companies find it cheaper to 'burn-off' the recyclable material (burying it costs more these days and has to be done in relative secrecy). Once the profits from the community paying them to collect rather than recycle it are banked, for some reason this most trustworthy industry is expected to manage the problem ethically. Instead, they conduct 'catastrophic stocktakes' after which they can net further profits by claiming enormous losses of these valuable resources from their insurance, you can reuse your negatively depleted card as a:
Phone stand
Battery card cover
Ear-rings
Grappling hook
Jacob's ladder
Cable organiser
Magic wallet
Door opener
Scraper/cleaner
Guitar pick
Damn! You have a good point. I have a couple to use as screen protector 'irons', to get a couple of bubbles out!
Ah yes, I forgot to include 'squeegee'!
Walking.
Definitely the cheapest way to travel is to either walk or ride a bicycle. Obvious!
Come on now, at put in the thread where you're journey is starting from.