Blue Mountains by rental car or tour

[CozumelCat]

We are wanting to visit the Blue Mountains before our cruise and we would usually just rent a car and go, but from what I've read on other post this might not be the best plan due to traffic? But my thought is....if we go on a tour they have to go in the same traffic too, no? Or am I missing something?

Has anyone rented a car and drove? And how easy was it to do? We just like the liberty of doing things on our own time. We thought about the train, but as we also want to go to the Featherdale Wildlife Park we would have to get off and take a bus and I'm not sure how "complicated" that would all be and if the bus/train schedules would work out? At least with a car we can come and go as we please and aren't limited to someone else's schedule.

Any suggestions....opinions.....

Thanks!

[Globaliser]

At least with a car we can come and go as we please and aren't limited to someone else's schedule.

In my view, if you're happy to rent a car and drive, this is the reason why you should do it.

[room010]

If you are comfortable with the idea of driving on the left then by all means rent a car. I prefer the flexibility too.

[bobhsv]

Same opinion here, if you are comfortable driving on the left then rent a car. Another idea is to catch the train up to Katoomba, and rent a car from there, organising for it to be dropped off somewhere in the city ie the wharf area, or vice versa. The traffic is busy, especially at peak times, and there is an added cost of tolls on the freeway. Allow plenty of time to get back, no less than two hours would be my guess, just in case. I personally would allow a bit more. The tour buses do know all the detour routes, when traffic is bad.

Jen

[moyaroo]

Be sure to go by way of Bell's Line of Road from Richmond. The Great Western Highway is the great western construction zone right now and even without the construction the views from Bell's are better.

[burchan]

Travel to Blue Mountains with rental car is the way to go and it is easy drive. There is no toll with M4 motorway. Check the weather before going. Many times I made trip only to find mountains in fog. If possible see the Jenolan caves. Need at least 2 days for mountains.

[Kiwi Kruzer]

If we are visiting a port call , or City , we know,

we always rent a car,

if not we take a Highlights tour,

and are constantly amazed by what the guide tells us

about what we are passing.

 

[CozumelCat]

:o I'm pretty sure that we will rent a car, thanks to all of your for your suggestions as far as highways and ways to avoid the tolls....but just in case we chicken out and do take the train....is there anything we need to know to make that trip easier? A certain train that is more direct or cheaper or more comfortable? Thanks again for all of your help and advise.

[stanc61]

:o I'm pretty sure that we will rent a car, thanks to all of your for your suggestions as far as highways and ways to avoid the tolls....but just in case we chicken out and do take the train....is there anything we need to know to make that trip easier? A certain train that is more direct or cheaper or more comfortable? Thanks again for all of your help and advise.

 

Its just over 2 hours from Central to Katoomba and its a nice journey on the train as you first pass through the inner and then western suburbs of Sydney before you arrive at Penrith (base of Blue Mountains) in just on 1 hour and then its very picturesque as you climb up to Katoomba. http://www.cityrail.info/timetables/timetables_by_line.htm#landingPoint

 

There is a train approx evey half hour week days and then hourly on weekends. It would stiill take you roughly 2 hours with a good run to drive up there.

 

There is a trolley (old modified tram) bus that takes you around the tourist lookouts (3 sisters etc) and Leura and I'm sure it picks up from Katoomba railway station. http://www.trolleytours.com.au/

 

 

[url=http://www.cityrail.info/timetables/timetables_by_line.htm#landingPoint][/url]

[Cornishpastyman1]

[Acrusa]

I read somewhere about a safari or 4 wheel excursion to the blue mountains. is there such a thing?

[moyaroo]

Australian Eco Adventures offers a 4wd vehicle tour, but doesn't IIRC do any real off roading.

[Orlando Vic]

:o I'm pretty sure that we will rent a car, thanks to all of your for your suggestions as far as highways and ways to avoid the tolls....but just in case we chicken out and do take the train....is there anything we need to know to make that trip easier? A certain train that is more direct or cheaper or more comfortable? Thanks again for all of your help and advise.

 

When we went to the Blue Mountains, we took the train and still had the flexibility we desired. If we had taken an organized tour we might have paid double and lost our independence. Trust me, taking the train from Sydney is very easy to do. Here is more on this same subject: http://www.fodors.com/community/australia-the-pacific/day-trip-to-blue-mountains-guided-tour-or-diy-on-city-rail.cfm

[teach4thgr23]

When we went to the Blue Mountains, we took the train and still had the flexibility we desired. If we had taken an organized tour we might have paid double and lost our independence. Trust me, taking the train from Sydney is very easy to do. Here is more on this same subject: http://www.fodors.com/community/australia-the-pacific/day-trip-to-blue-mountains-guided-tour-or-diy-on-city-rail.cfm

 

If we do choose to drive, where would be the best place near the airport to rent a car? We would drive to the Featherdale National Park and then to Blue Mountains. We have two nights reservations at the Carrington for January 2012.

[moyaroo]

there are many agencies right at the airport. A word of caution, the roads out of the airport are a bit tricky if you aren't anticipating the turns. Signs tend to show up just after you have committed to another lane.

[sparky-elpaso]

Its just over 2 hours from Central to Katoomba and its a nice journey on the train as you first pass through the inner and then western suburbs of Sydney before you arrive at Penrith (base of Blue Mountains) in just on 1 hour and then its very picturesque as you climb up to Katoomba. http://www.cityrail.info/timetables/timetables_by_line.htm#landingPoint

 

There is a train approx evey half hour week days and then hourly on weekends. It would stiill take you roughly 2 hours with a good run to drive up there.

 

There is a trolley (old modified tram) bus that takes you around the tourist lookouts (3 sisters etc) and Leura and I'm sure it picks up from Katoomba railway station. http://www.trolleytours.com.au/

 

 

 

This is what we plan to do on our last day before going home. We've used the hop-on - hop-off trolleys in other cities in the states and it usually works out great. And there's a combination train / trolley ticket.

 

I've followed the railroad tracks using Google Earth and it looked like a nice train ride.

[newgirl2201]

Featherdale is not a National park it is a little zoo in the outer suburbs of Sydney. They have a lovely collection of Australian wildlife including crocodiles, koalas, kangaroos, wombats, emus tasmanian devils and dingos. The Blue Mountains are a world Heritage National Park. As you drive along the highway to Katoomba you pass through villages but either side of you beyond the villages is National Park. There is webcab at Katoomba. I generally check before i take visitors because some days it is completely shrouded in fog/cloud/mist.

[newgirl2201]

All the major car rental agencies are at Sydney Airport - Hertz, Budget, Thrifty etc.

[teach4thgr23]

Does anyone know about the off airport company acer?

[Globaliser]

If we do choose to drive, where would be the best place near the airport to rent a car?

If you don't have to rent at the airport, you might be able to save some money by renting from a location in the city. This is because of the airport location fee, which can be a significant extra amount even if the basic rental cost is the same.

[SuiteTraveler]

Hello, my husband is an Aussie and we travel to Australia often. Yes, we've driven to the Blue Mountains - no worries. They are a great deal like the Grand Canyon except with trees and different colored rock. Really an awe inspiring sight!

http://www.bluemts.com.au/

- definitely drive yourselves - get a GPS from the rental car place to make it easy to find your way around and spend at least one night in the area. I recommend going to the scenic lookout for the Three Sisters, then go to Scenic World - ride the silly steep railway

http://www.scenicworld.com.au/

and other rides and

then another day to go to Jenolan Caves which is close by would be fabulous.

http://www.jenolancaves.org.au/

These caves are very much worth seeing.

 

If you like to do abseiling, that is also available in the Blue Mountains and it's an incredible experience. Enjoy!

[Grey Nomad]

If you are travelling to the Blue Mountains for the day from the City there is no toll on the M4 and you should not get in too much traffic as you will be going in the morning when all the traffic is going the other way into the City and vice versa in the afternoon. It is quite an easy and pleasant drive and plenty of nice cafes to stop and have a coffee as you wind up the mountains. Make sure you stop at the Information Centre at Glenbrook in the foothills and get a heap of brochures.

[Orlando Vic]

Its just over 2 hours from Central to Katoomba and its a nice journey on the train as you first pass through the inner and then western suburbs of Sydney before you arrive at Penrith (base of Blue Mountains) in just on 1 hour and then its very picturesque as you climb up to Katoomba. http://www.cityrail.info/timetables/timetables_by_line.htm#landingPoint

 

There is a train approx evey half hour week days and then hourly on weekends. It would stiill take you roughly 2 hours with a good run to drive up there.

 

There is a trolley (old modified tram) bus that takes you around the tourist lookouts (3 sisters etc) and Leura and I'm sure it picks up from Katoomba railway station. http://www.trolleytours.com.au/

 

 

This is the approach we used several years ago, but in Katoomba, took the Blue Mountains Explorer Bus http://www.explorerbus.com.au/ which is located just across the street from the railway station. It is so nice to have someone else do the driving at the end of the day when you are tired or just want to watch the scenery go by.

[cattylady]

Like the OP we would like to do the Blue Mountains AND Featherdale but not necessarily with a tour as we find those too restricting. I could drive as being from the UK driving on the left is the only way to go LOL but am not sure would probably prefer the train - less hassle

Is Featherdale another standard recognisable stop on the train? Before or after the Blue Mountains?

 

Thanks for any help

[Acrusa]

We are really looking for a top notch excorted tour for one day into the Bluemountains.Are the 4X4 open trucks or vans? We are arriving into Sydney 0n Friday the 17th of Feb staying at the Grand Hyatt, Would I be better off getting the info from the hotel when I arrive, and booking it through them? We are planing to do it on that Sunday if the weather is good, is Sunday a mistake to go then? Or wait till Monday?