Sydney Tolls

What should be the maximum road toll to be added to the metered taxi fare for a trip between Sydney airport and the CBD? My cab driver asked me for $22.

That's plausible, probably correct, but questionable.

Basically, Sydney taxis are allowed to charge RETURN tolls - even though it's obviously in their interest to not use the return toll and/or if they do wind going back where they came from they'll charge the next passenger the same set of RETURN tolls, hence double dipping. However, it's another rort permitted by the local regulations.

If the driver went via both the Eastern distributor, and the Cross-city tunnel, to the CBD the one way cost is around the $11 mark. Hence, I can see how that amount could have arisen, but do consider it a rip-off. And I'd say there's no way they'd pay those tolls themselves to return. The only way they'd actually pay them on return is if they picked up another passenger - and then charged them again!

Actually I never really understood that RETURN loading on some tolled roads. OK, on the Cross City Tunnel, M4, M2 you get tolls both ways, but the Harbour Bridge/Tunnel and the Eastern Distributor are one way only tolls ie there is no return toll, yet they still charge it.

Yet another example of the NSW governments pandering to their business mates.

Actually I never really understood that RETURN loading on some tolled roads. OK, on the Cross City Tunnel, M4, M2 you get tolls both ways, but the Harbour Bridge/Tunnel and the Eastern Distributor are one way only tolls ie there is no return toll, yet they still charge it.

 

Yet another example of the NSW governments pandering to their business mates.

Both sides

Actually I never really understood that RETURN loading on some tolled roads. OK, on the Cross City Tunnel, M4, M2 you get tolls both ways, but the Harbour Bridge/Tunnel and the Eastern Distributor are one way only tolls ie there is no return toll, yet they still charge it.

On the ED, I think you only pay the toll if you're travelling in the direction that incurs the toll.

The rule is:-

Tolls: All road, bridge, ferry, tunnel and airport tolls that apply to the journey, and the return toll for a northbound journey over the Sydney Harbour Bridge or through the Sydney Harbour Tunnel (at the time of crossing)

I think you only pay one toll on the Harbour Bridge and Harbour Tunnel, whichever direction you travel in.

 

 

 

On the ED, I think you only pay the toll if you're travelling in the direction that incurs the toll.

 

 

 

The rule is:-

I just about always get charged both ways on the Harbour bridge from SYD airport to Mosman. Drives me batty. Airport surcharge and 2 x bridge toll.

Not only do they not pay a toll on the way over they will more than likely pick up another fare to go back and get double again.

Doubling the ED and cross City tunnel is a hefty price to pay!

I wouldn't round up or tip at all if they charged that!

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I think you only pay one toll on the Harbour Bridge and Harbour Tunnel, whichever direction you travel in.

 

On the ED, I think you only pay the toll if you're travelling in the direction that incurs the toll.

 

The rule is:- All road, bridge, ferry, tunnel and airport tolls that apply to the journey, and the return toll for a northbound journey over the Sydney Harbour Bridge or through the Sydney Harbour Tunnel (at the time of crossing)

So if the OP was charged double the tolls for the ED and the cross city tunnel that taxi driver was actually ripping the OP off, by confusing the "return bridge/tunnel" wording to mean all tolls should be doubled to allow for "returns". In fact the northbound bridge/tunnel journey does not incur a toll, only the southbound journeys, which is why they allow the "return" toll, I guess.

Problem is, half the taxi drivers, or more, in Sydney have English as a second language and don't appear to be properly trained in their jobs. In fact, given the poor quality of some of the ID photos displayed, which often bear no resemblance to the driver, it is entirely possible that the driver isn't in fact a licensed taxi driver. The Sydney taxi system is totally corrupt.

I just about always get charged both ways on the Harbour bridge from SYD airport to Mosman. Drives me batty. Airport surcharge and 2 x bridge toll.

 

Make sure you get a receipt with the taxi number on it then lodge a complaint with the company and/or =Fair Trading.

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There is the $13.00 charge for each person who leaves the airport. That would be added onto the taxi fare.

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There is the $13.00 charge for each person who leaves the airport. That would be added onto the taxi fare.

 

 

 

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:eek: It's $3.50 per passenger, not $13.00.

I've never been charged a toll when catching a cab from the airport to the CBD. Depending on the driver they usually ask if I want to go via the cross town tunnel and I say no.

as an absolute hater of road tolls,why the hell do we pay them.

count how many vehicles are in your state multiply that be the average amount of rego and see what figure you come up with per annum.and we still have to pay tolls, a bl--dy tax rip off.

where does all this money go that supposedly is to be spent on our roads.

This is why I avoid taxis....as a local however, I have never had anyone try this on me when I have used cabs. I would not pay a toll for a ride on a toll road I was not getting :)

Depending on day and time of day, using toll roads could easily be cheaper than avoiding them, when driving myself I avoid them always.

To give the OP an idea...

To drive from where I live to the rocks area after peak hour & avoiding toll roads after airport to CBD takes approx 55 mins. On the way back using the toll road from CBD to airport takes 35 mins. So you probably saved about 20 mins travel time possibly on the meter, not sure what that ads up to today, but your probably not out of pocket.

as an absolute hater of road tolls,why the hell do we pay them.

 

count how many vehicles are in your state multiply that be the average amount of rego and see what figure you come up with per annum.and we still have to pay tolls, a bl--dy tax rip off.

 

where does all this money go that supposedly is to be spent on our roads.

The money doesn't go towards roadworks it goes to the company that built the roads. Transurban etc

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