Post by Marie-Cris on Jul 6, 2008 13:25:14 GMT 9.5
What?
...
As a lot of us have spent a hell of a lot this year' travelling to and from the different cities to see Phantom, we really shoult discuss tactics on saving money. Flights, hotels, what you will. This thread is for everyone to come together and share tips and secrets on how they have saved money, letting others know how to do so too.
I know, poorly phrased. Not thinking clearly.
Flights
With the price of petrol soaring by the minute, it's no surprise that most flights these days are tipping well over the $100 mark. Though we may not be able to bring the price of petrol down, here are some tips on how to save your money for better uses:
I'll let you into my travel secrets. What I usually do is search out all possible flights available from all carriers using Flight Centre or Webjet websites, and make a note of the best, cheapest flights that will get me where I want to go when I want to go. I then go to the actual Airline site and book the exact flight I want using the flight number I've noted. This way you don't pay the commission of Webjet or Flight Centre, but these sites give you a comparison of ALL flights without having to have different screens up. I quite often go one way using one Airline and another using the other. That way I always get the cheapest return available. It also helps if it doesn't matter what time of day you fly, then you can also get the cheapest. PM me if you want more info.
For those who haven't heard of it before, Webjet is a wonderful little site that compares the prices of Qantas, Jetstar, Virgin Blue and Rex. One good thing about this site is that it not only shows options for Returns and One Ways, but also multi-city stop-overs and flights for all around Aus, whereas most flight company sites focus on Returns and One Ways. As an example I'll show you my result page for a Return Flight, Adelaide to Sydney on the 13th of September and Sydney to Adelaide on the 15th of September.
((No, my screen isn't THAT long [it is that wide, though]; I just attacked it with PSP. Sorry for the loading wait, Dial-Up users.))
As you can see, Jetstar and VirginBlue have the better fares compared to Qantas and Res in that situation. So, once you've picked which flight you prefer, go to the website of the company you've chosen - either Qantas, Jetstar, VirginBlue or Rex ((the middle two would be better)) - and book away! In my case, I'm choosing Virgin Blue with a 6:10 am flight to Sydney at $139, and a return flight to Adelaide on a 1:50 pm flight at $89. That comes to a total ((with fees et cetera)) of $456.
I do realise it's cheaper with Jetstar but to tell you the truth I'm a little wary of flying with them, and we had really good service with Virgin when we went to Melbourne and back. And you don't have to stick to the one company; you can go to one place on one and come back with another.
EDIT: Jetstar Adelaide closed anyway >)_<
Transportation
Transport to and from Sydney Airport
Guide written by sanderella59
If you are arriving at Sydney airport, the easiest way to the city is via train. Trains come every 10 minutes and it's about a 13-15 minute trip to the city. Just follow the signs from the Baggage Collection Hall down the escalators until you get to the train ticketing area. There is a separate Gate Fee that applies to the Airport Station as it is privately run, even though it's on the normal line. You can get a return fare, but the fare has to be used up by 5am the next morning. If you go to the ticket booth, at the same time you can purchase an all day rail ticket for the normal rail network, or if you are more adventurous, a Day Tripper which allows you to travel on any train, bus or ferry. Useful and good value if you are planning a day of sight seeing like I did. Airport Link Info
What you are aiming for when you buy your rail ticket at the airport is a ticket to Central Station (or Heaven, if that's what springs to mind, it does to mine, every time). From Central you can change to trains to take you anywhere. City centre stops are Town Hall and Wynyard, or if you're aiming for a ferry, get off at Circular Quay. It's worth that just for walking around the Opera House. I reckon that's a must!
Luggage is really no problem on Sydney trains. And it's not as if many of us will be taking enough luggage for a month! They are all double level and have a special area just inside each door for people with luggage, and there are always many people with cases and bags catching trains from the airport. There are lifts and escalators at the airport and a lift at the platform at Central and then escalators to get you to the main concourse area of Central, where you can change to the Light Rail or get taxis to hotels. Much cheaper and quicker than a taxi from the airport.
To get to Star City from Central, you follow the signs for Country and Interstate Trains which will also be signposted Eddy Avenue on some signs. You take the escalator up to the main concourse area, and the exit to the Light Rail (or Tram as it's also known) is opposite Platform 7 (not 91/2) just past a Hungry Jack's or Burger King, can't remember which. To get to the main Taxi Rank, instead of turning right opposite Platform 7, keep going straight ahead and out the Eddy Avenue exit to the Taxis.
As far as the Light Rail goes, there are a few payment options. You can get a return ticket to Star City, which is fine if you are doing just the one visit, or you can get a Day pass for Tram & Monorail (they are both run by the same company). The Monorail Line intersects with the Tram Line at Darling Harbour at Exhibition and Convention stops, so it's easy to hop off one and onto the other. If you are staying more than a couple of days, I would recommend the Weekly Ticket for Tram for $20 or Tram/Monorail for $28. This is what I did for my four days and I got 5 times the value out of it than I paid. Monorail takes you right into the heart of the city and just continues in one big loop back through Darling Harbour, leaving every 3 - 5 minutes. Tram line goes along the foreshore as far as Lilyfield and then back to Central, loops around the park and then back to Lilyfield. They come every 10 - 15 minutes. They run 24 hours a day from Star City to Central. The trip from Central to Star City is about 10-15 minutes or so. You pass by Capitol Square, China Town (Haymarket), Paddy's Market, Exhibition, Convention, Pyrmont Bay and then Star City. Light Rail & Monorail Info
When you alight at Star City, take the escalator up and follow the signs to the Lyric Theatre. Lyric Theatre is to the right hand end of the building towards the city, Star Theatre is to the left.
As far as hotel transfers go, the really big hotels have courtesy bus services airport/hotel and hotel/airport which you can organise in advance, and I discovered when staying at Oaks Goldsbrough that they utilise a bus service from the hotel to the airport for $12 single which I used on my way back to the airport. I'm not sure if this service works from airport to hotel, but I suggest the best thing to do after booking your accommodation is to contact the hotel and ask them about it. The bus service is good, but not as quick as the train as it makes pick ups at several hotels so you need to allow a good hour to get to the airport, which means leaving your hotel at least 2 hours before your departure time.
Also, most hotels have a check-in time of 2pm (Oaks Goldsbrough definitely has) but they will store your luggage for you until check-in time and likewise will store luggage between check-out time and when you must leave for the airport.
As I've mentioned before, I've stayed at the Oaks Goldsbrough in Pyrmont Street a couple of times now. It is reasonable, comfortable and very convenient. Oaks Goldsbrough It is an easy 15-20 minutes walk to Star City (which is at the other end of Pyrmont St) which takes you straight to the main hotel/casino entrance. But, if the weather is ghastly like it was on my last visit, there is a covered walkway (from Level 1 of the hotel) across the street to the Harbourside Carpark and Convention Interchange where you can get the Monorail to the City or the Light Rail to Star City (marked to Lilyfield) or China Town or Paddy's Markets or Central (from the other platform - marked to Central). You can also walk across another walkway which will take you to the Darling Harbour restaurants, shops and Food Court and if you keep walking you get to the Sydney Aquarium and Maritime Museum or if you go the other way you get to the Chinese Gardens or the CBD. All are well signposted. But, if you are new to Sydney, an initial round trip on the Monorail can help you get your bearings and you can work out where you want to get off and explore the next time round.
Hotels
[Wotif GUIDE TO COME]
Venue Tickets
[GUIDE TO COME]
...
As a lot of us have spent a hell of a lot this year' travelling to and from the different cities to see Phantom, we really shoult discuss tactics on saving money. Flights, hotels, what you will. This thread is for everyone to come together and share tips and secrets on how they have saved money, letting others know how to do so too.
I know, poorly phrased. Not thinking clearly.
Flights
With the price of petrol soaring by the minute, it's no surprise that most flights these days are tipping well over the $100 mark. Though we may not be able to bring the price of petrol down, here are some tips on how to save your money for better uses:
For those who haven't heard of it before, Webjet is a wonderful little site that compares the prices of Qantas, Jetstar, Virgin Blue and Rex. One good thing about this site is that it not only shows options for Returns and One Ways, but also multi-city stop-overs and flights for all around Aus, whereas most flight company sites focus on Returns and One Ways. As an example I'll show you my result page for a Return Flight, Adelaide to Sydney on the 13th of September and Sydney to Adelaide on the 15th of September.
((No, my screen isn't THAT long [it is that wide, though]; I just attacked it with PSP. Sorry for the loading wait, Dial-Up users.))
As you can see, Jetstar and VirginBlue have the better fares compared to Qantas and Res in that situation. So, once you've picked which flight you prefer, go to the website of the company you've chosen - either Qantas, Jetstar, VirginBlue or Rex ((the middle two would be better)) - and book away! In my case, I'm choosing Virgin Blue with a 6:10 am flight to Sydney at $139, and a return flight to Adelaide on a 1:50 pm flight at $89. That comes to a total ((with fees et cetera)) of $456.
I do realise it's cheaper with Jetstar but to tell you the truth I'm a little wary of flying with them, and we had really good service with Virgin when we went to Melbourne and back. And you don't have to stick to the one company; you can go to one place on one and come back with another.
EDIT: Jetstar Adelaide closed anyway >)_<
Transportation
Transport to and from Sydney Airport
Guide written by sanderella59
If you are arriving at Sydney airport, the easiest way to the city is via train. Trains come every 10 minutes and it's about a 13-15 minute trip to the city. Just follow the signs from the Baggage Collection Hall down the escalators until you get to the train ticketing area. There is a separate Gate Fee that applies to the Airport Station as it is privately run, even though it's on the normal line. You can get a return fare, but the fare has to be used up by 5am the next morning. If you go to the ticket booth, at the same time you can purchase an all day rail ticket for the normal rail network, or if you are more adventurous, a Day Tripper which allows you to travel on any train, bus or ferry. Useful and good value if you are planning a day of sight seeing like I did. Airport Link Info
What you are aiming for when you buy your rail ticket at the airport is a ticket to Central Station (or Heaven, if that's what springs to mind, it does to mine, every time). From Central you can change to trains to take you anywhere. City centre stops are Town Hall and Wynyard, or if you're aiming for a ferry, get off at Circular Quay. It's worth that just for walking around the Opera House. I reckon that's a must!
Luggage is really no problem on Sydney trains. And it's not as if many of us will be taking enough luggage for a month! They are all double level and have a special area just inside each door for people with luggage, and there are always many people with cases and bags catching trains from the airport. There are lifts and escalators at the airport and a lift at the platform at Central and then escalators to get you to the main concourse area of Central, where you can change to the Light Rail or get taxis to hotels. Much cheaper and quicker than a taxi from the airport.
To get to Star City from Central, you follow the signs for Country and Interstate Trains which will also be signposted Eddy Avenue on some signs. You take the escalator up to the main concourse area, and the exit to the Light Rail (or Tram as it's also known) is opposite Platform 7 (not 91/2) just past a Hungry Jack's or Burger King, can't remember which. To get to the main Taxi Rank, instead of turning right opposite Platform 7, keep going straight ahead and out the Eddy Avenue exit to the Taxis.
As far as the Light Rail goes, there are a few payment options. You can get a return ticket to Star City, which is fine if you are doing just the one visit, or you can get a Day pass for Tram & Monorail (they are both run by the same company). The Monorail Line intersects with the Tram Line at Darling Harbour at Exhibition and Convention stops, so it's easy to hop off one and onto the other. If you are staying more than a couple of days, I would recommend the Weekly Ticket for Tram for $20 or Tram/Monorail for $28. This is what I did for my four days and I got 5 times the value out of it than I paid. Monorail takes you right into the heart of the city and just continues in one big loop back through Darling Harbour, leaving every 3 - 5 minutes. Tram line goes along the foreshore as far as Lilyfield and then back to Central, loops around the park and then back to Lilyfield. They come every 10 - 15 minutes. They run 24 hours a day from Star City to Central. The trip from Central to Star City is about 10-15 minutes or so. You pass by Capitol Square, China Town (Haymarket), Paddy's Market, Exhibition, Convention, Pyrmont Bay and then Star City. Light Rail & Monorail Info
When you alight at Star City, take the escalator up and follow the signs to the Lyric Theatre. Lyric Theatre is to the right hand end of the building towards the city, Star Theatre is to the left.
As far as hotel transfers go, the really big hotels have courtesy bus services airport/hotel and hotel/airport which you can organise in advance, and I discovered when staying at Oaks Goldsbrough that they utilise a bus service from the hotel to the airport for $12 single which I used on my way back to the airport. I'm not sure if this service works from airport to hotel, but I suggest the best thing to do after booking your accommodation is to contact the hotel and ask them about it. The bus service is good, but not as quick as the train as it makes pick ups at several hotels so you need to allow a good hour to get to the airport, which means leaving your hotel at least 2 hours before your departure time.
Also, most hotels have a check-in time of 2pm (Oaks Goldsbrough definitely has) but they will store your luggage for you until check-in time and likewise will store luggage between check-out time and when you must leave for the airport.
As I've mentioned before, I've stayed at the Oaks Goldsbrough in Pyrmont Street a couple of times now. It is reasonable, comfortable and very convenient. Oaks Goldsbrough It is an easy 15-20 minutes walk to Star City (which is at the other end of Pyrmont St) which takes you straight to the main hotel/casino entrance. But, if the weather is ghastly like it was on my last visit, there is a covered walkway (from Level 1 of the hotel) across the street to the Harbourside Carpark and Convention Interchange where you can get the Monorail to the City or the Light Rail to Star City (marked to Lilyfield) or China Town or Paddy's Markets or Central (from the other platform - marked to Central). You can also walk across another walkway which will take you to the Darling Harbour restaurants, shops and Food Court and if you keep walking you get to the Sydney Aquarium and Maritime Museum or if you go the other way you get to the Chinese Gardens or the CBD. All are well signposted. But, if you are new to Sydney, an initial round trip on the Monorail can help you get your bearings and you can work out where you want to get off and explore the next time round.
Hotels
[Wotif GUIDE TO COME]
Venue Tickets
[GUIDE TO COME]
Will add wotif later or tomorrow.
Please feel free to introduce yourself in the Introducing thread in the General board, also to contact myself or anyone here if you have any questions. We hope you enjoy your time with US!