Recently did Brisbane Sydney Queenstown (NZ) with QANTAS. No air side transfer bus, so you have to get a taxi at $45 to the International terminal, outbound luggage is ticked out, on the return we had to collect our bags get another taxi and check in again. What a hassle. On the up side Business class was very good, food and service was fine, free Wifi worked most of the time.
Depending on the size of entourage it may be more worthwhile to take the taxi considering its additional $15 levy pp for using airport train stations on top of the minimum train fare.
Mind you, even with $5 airport taxi rank charge, I am surprised it cost $45 between Terminal 1 and 3. $45 is more likely going to CBD Sydney. Are you paying extras for after hours or something else?
The $45 fee from Domestic to Intl or vice-versa is due to a deal struck between cabs and the local council/airport. I was warned about it recently by Qantas staff in Brisbane when my connection in Sydney to Wellington was getting super tight.
I ended up getting the train.
I did use a Qantas supplied bus from T1 to T3 in May - you board it just before you go into the airside check-in area
Depending on the size of entourage it may be more worthwhile to take the taxi considering its additional $15 levy pp for using airport train stations on top of the minimum train fare.
Mind you, even with $5 airport taxi rank charge, I am surprised it cost $45 between Terminal 1 and 3. $45 is more likely going to CBD Sydney. Are you paying extras for after hours or something else?
Last editedby XWu at Jun 26, 2021, 06:02 PM.
The 'station access fee' is only $2.20 plus local train fare for those going between the domestic and international stations, so the total price per passenger is $5.81 peak or $4.82 off-peak for that journey.
(Similarly, journeys between the airport stations and either Mascot or Green Square also attract a reduced station access fee - not as cheap as above, but not the full $14.87 per adult as for stations beyond that.)
The train is faster and cheaper than using a taxi for the transfer (unless you have a substantial amount of luggage). As Chris notes, the train is only about $5 per person between the two terminals. At times, the train can be faster than the QF transfer bus as well!
I know this is a rhetorical question, but surely if Qantas sells you a ticket (as a single purchase) then they are responsible end-to-end for getting you from checkin in Brisbane to stepping out of the terminal in Queenstown?
I know this is a rhetorical question, but surely if Qantas sells you a ticket (as a single purchase) then they are responsible end-to-end for getting you from checkin in Brisbane to stepping out of the terminal in Queenstown?
Thats a very good point
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No air side TF bus service
Juddy
Juddy
Member since 25 Jun 2021
Total posts 20
Recently did Brisbane Sydney Queenstown (NZ) with QANTAS. No air side transfer bus, so you have to get a taxi at $45 to the International terminal, outbound luggage is ticked out, on the return we had to collect our bags get another taxi and check in again. What a hassle. On the up side Business class was very good, food and service was fine, free Wifi worked most of the time.
sid
sid
Member since 07 Jan 2011
Total posts 205
Thanks for sharing your experience Juddy. There's also the option to take the train between terminals.
XWu
XWu
Member since 09 May 2020
Total posts 197
Depending on the size of entourage it may be more worthwhile to take the taxi considering its additional $15 levy pp for using airport train stations on top of the minimum train fare.
Mind you, even with $5 airport taxi rank charge, I am surprised it cost $45 between Terminal 1 and 3. $45 is more likely going to CBD Sydney. Are you paying extras for after hours or something else?
markpk
markpk
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 29 Nov 2013
Total posts 456
The $45 fee from Domestic to Intl or vice-versa is due to a deal struck between cabs and the local council/airport. I was warned about it recently by Qantas staff in Brisbane when my connection in Sydney to Wellington was getting super tight.
I ended up getting the train.
I did use a Qantas supplied bus from T1 to T3 in May - you board it just before you go into the airside check-in area
Chris C.
Chris C.
Member since 24 Apr 2012
Total posts 1,116
Originally Posted by XWu
Depending on the size of entourage it may be more worthwhile to take the taxi considering its additional $15 levy pp for using airport train stations on top of the minimum train fare.
Mind you, even with $5 airport taxi rank charge, I am surprised it cost $45 between Terminal 1 and 3. $45 is more likely going to CBD Sydney. Are you paying extras for after hours or something else?
(Similarly, journeys between the airport stations and either Mascot or Green Square also attract a reduced station access fee - not as cheap as above, but not the full $14.87 per adult as for stations beyond that.)
John Phelan
John Phelan
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 28 Oct 2011
Total posts 261
The train is faster and cheaper than using a taxi for the transfer (unless you have a substantial amount of luggage). As Chris notes, the train is only about $5 per person between the two terminals. At times, the train can be faster than the QF transfer bus as well!
russh7
russh7
Member since 22 Sep 2017
Total posts 8
I know this is a rhetorical question, but surely if Qantas sells you a ticket (as a single purchase) then they are responsible end-to-end for getting you from checkin in Brisbane to stepping out of the terminal in Queenstown?
Juddy
Juddy
Member since 25 Jun 2021
Total posts 20
Originally Posted by russh7
I know this is a rhetorical question, but surely if Qantas sells you a ticket (as a single purchase) then they are responsible end-to-end for getting you from checkin in Brisbane to stepping out of the terminal in Queenstown?
Thats a very good point