* Four stations are owned and controlled by Airport Link Company Pty Ltd: International, Domestic, Mascot and Green Square
* Sydney Airport Corporation Ltd has no ownership/interest or influence on Airport Link, nor on the Gate Access fee, nor does it receive any revenue from the Gate Access fee
* The Opal cap on the Gate Access fee is currently $27 per week, but that's still an extra $1,404 p.a. that staff have to pay to use the train to get to work, and as numerous government reports have identified, this has a huge impact on airport workers' income.
* Since July 2014, the NSW Government has been entitled to 85% of the sales revenue of Airport Link Company, so one could say it's in their own interest to continue the Access Fee for general revenue.
* (I think it was in 2011) The NSW Government negotiated with Airport Link Company to remove the Gate Access fee at Mascot and Green Square stations. The NSW Government had to make quite a substantial payment to ALC, and I'm not certain whether these payments are ongoing or whether it was a once off.
* (Not confirmed as a fact) but I believe there are contractual restrictions for the provision of direct Public Bus services between the Airport and City, which is why service 400 only goes to Bondi Junction.
Well, that didn't work, the operator and its bankers took a bath and its now back in NSW State Govt hands - the gate fees at Green Square and Mascot have been abolished but DOM and INTL remain.
All those stations are still owned by the private operator, but the NSW government receives a proportion of the station access fees under the contract they have with Airport Link, and they agreed to abolish the fee on Green Square/Mascot.
Noted. My bad not following up on what I thought was the situation...
There's a way that you can go to the airport without actually paying the gate fee (or at least as much as the gate fee):
Buy a new Opal Card and top up at $10, then use it for 2 trips until the balance reaches around $3-$4. Then go to the airport. You will discover that your card will come with a negative balance, that simply prevents you to tap on again until you top up to a positive balance. At this point, just throw the card away (Remember that the card is free), then essentially you only paid $3-$4 to the airport, and it is legal.
My issue is that the traffic to get into either airport is usually horrendous and I'd have to think partly becasue of such a high price for access via the train. Wouldnt it make sense to drop the price and encourage more travellers to opt for public transport, rather than cloggging the arteries around the airport?
Dont get me wrong I've used the train a number of times and find it extremely convenient especially if coming from the city on a Friday afternoon, but I think a review of the current $ may be worthwhile to get greater volume through the gates.
I find it rather interesting that in Sydney and Brisbane where trains run to the Airport that a higher access fee is charged. If you look at overseas airports, Heathrow is simply end of the line for the Picadilly line so it's a regular tube stop, Changi is only $2 or $3 for the train to the city, and I think we got the slow train from Narita to Tokyo for around 400Y or so.
kevrosmith
kevrosmith
Member since 20 Jul 2011
Total posts 1
Let's be clear on some facts here:
markpk
markpk
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 29 Nov 2013
Total posts 456
japanair772
japanair772
Japan Airlines - JAL Mileage Bank
Member since 09 May 2017
Total posts 2
Then should you get off at the next stop and walk to the Airport?
CityRail
CityRail
Singapore Airlines - KrisFlyer
Member since 17 Nov 2014
Total posts 78
There's a way that you can go to the airport without actually paying the gate fee (or at least as much as the gate fee):
akronflyer
akronflyer
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 29 Jul 2014
Total posts 145
Lps988
Lps988
Member since 20 Jan 2017
Total posts 33
My issue is that the traffic to get into either airport is usually horrendous and I'd have to think partly becasue of such a high price for access via the train. Wouldnt it make sense to drop the price and encourage more travellers to opt for public transport, rather than cloggging the arteries around the airport?
Dont get me wrong I've used the train a number of times and find it extremely convenient especially if coming from the city on a Friday afternoon, but I think a review of the current $ may be worthwhile to get greater volume through the gates.
ads086
ads086
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 14 Apr 2014
Total posts 46
I find it rather interesting that in Sydney and Brisbane where trains run to the Airport that a higher access fee is charged. If you look at overseas airports, Heathrow is simply end of the line for the Picadilly line so it's a regular tube stop, Changi is only $2 or $3 for the train to the city, and I think we got the slow train from Narita to Tokyo for around 400Y or so.