day trip from Sydney to Blue Mountains

[jjduck]

We are an active couple in our 70/80's and will be staying in the CBD area for a week in Nov. 2024.  We are thinking of taking the train to Blue Mountains for the day.

 

What do you suggest for our itinerary for short hikes and sight seeing?  Our research is overwhelming with so many things to see.  What would be the top three, for example.

 

We went to Taronga Zoo last year, Your opinions of Featherdale zoo? (not on the same day)

 

Any tips greatly appreciated,

 

Thanks!

 

 

 

 

[Chiliburn]

You can get the hoho bus from the station which will fill the day in .

 

https://www.getyourguide.com/katoomba-l1485/katoomba-blue-mountains-hop-on-hop-off-bus-scenic-world-t69801/

[MicCanberra]

TripAdvisor is a great resource for things to do and attractions, etc.

[jjduck]

thanks chiliburn and MicCanberra!  off to do more research.

[MicCanberra]

I haven't been to Featherdale for around 40 years (we had delivered some emu chick's to the zoo). It is about halfway (Doonside) when on the train to the blue mountains from Sydney.

There are day trips that take you to the mountains and the zoo in one long day trip. 

[Chiliburn]

24 minutes ago, jjduck said:

thanks chiliburn and MicCanberra!  off to do more research.

You might want to have a look at the opal app, it’s all about Sydney public transport.

 

https://transportnsw.info/news/2023/plan-your-trip-on-go-with-opal-travel-app

[Bubbeh]

27 minutes ago, Chiliburn said:

You might want to have a look at the opal app, it’s all about Sydney public transport.

 

https://transportnsw.info/news/2023/plan-your-trip-on-go-with-opal-travel-app

We have a Seniors Gold Opal which we load up when in Sydney.  It's not as good as our Seniors Smartrider but is certainly worth having.  The Opal costs travel at (from memory) $2.50 a trip while the Smartrider gives us free travel between 9am-3:30pm & 7pm till last train on weekdays, free travel all weekends and public holidays as well.  All public transport travel is free for everyone who has a Smartrider on Sundays.

[ilikeanswers]

If you are looking for bush walks the NSW national parks website is a great resource:

Blue Mountains National Parks

 

Since it is your first time in the area I would recommend sections of the Grand Clifftop Walk particularly one part starting from the Three Sisters and if you have time another section starting from Leura Cascades. It is a good time to do the the walk has it has recently been renovated with new vantage points added. 

 

I haven't been to Featherdale in years so can't speak to their facilities but the big difference with Taronga is they are focused on native animals and it is a more outdoor experience than Wildlife World. If you are looking for something more similar to Taronga than Sydney Zoo would be a better alternative. 

[jjduck]

thanks everyone, for the additional answers and information.

 

very much appreciated.

[Chiliburn]

1 hour ago, Bubbeh said:

We have a Seniors Gold Opal which we load up when in Sydney.  It's not as good as our Seniors Smartrider but is certainly worth having.  The Opal costs travel at (from memory) $2.50 a trip while the Smartrider gives us free travel between 9am-3:30pm & 7pm till last train on weekdays, free travel all weekends and public holidays as well.  All public transport travel is free for everyone who has a Smartrider on Sundays.

Smart rider ,I’m not familiar with it . I suppose I’m a dumb rider.

$2.50 is close enough to nothing but I don’t think overseas visitors are entitled to our senior discounts . There is a cap $17 cap and that’s pretty good value in its self.

[mr walker]

1 hour ago, Bubbeh said:

We have a Seniors Gold Opal which we load up when in Sydney.  It's not as good as our Seniors Smartrider but is certainly worth having.  The Opal costs travel at (from memory) $2.50 a trip while the Smartrider gives us free travel between 9am-3:30pm & 7pm till last train on weekdays, free travel all weekends and public holidays as well.  All public transport travel is free for everyone who has a Smartrider on Sundays.

Like Chilli, I'm not familiar with Smartrider.

We have Gold Opal cards & they give us unlimited travel within the Greater Sydney transport network (trains, buses, ferries, light rail) for a maximum of $2.50 per day, every day of the week. Great value. Of course, the special 'airport line' fee is not included. Still, less than $20 each way from Penrith to/from airport is still good value.

Edited May 27 by mr walker
added info

[mr walker]

1 hour ago, ilikeanswers said:

I haven't been to Featherdale in years so can't speak to their facilities but the big difference with Taronga is they are focused on native animals.... 

 

We have always taken OS visitors to Featherdale for that very reason. Most want to see our unique fauna, up close and personal, not so much elephants, lions & tigers etc that can be just like any zoo in the world.

Taronga is great, and the location makes visiting from Sydney CBD easy, but it is the location and the views that presents that makes it great more than the 'locals' that everyone wants to see. 

[arxcards]

54 minutes ago, Chiliburn said:

Smart rider ,I’m not familiar with it . I suppose I’m a dumb rider.

$2.50 is close enough to nothing but I don’t think overseas visitors are entitled to our senior discounts . There is a cap $17 cap and that’s pretty good value in its self.

Correct. OS seniors don't get a concession fare, so they may as well just tap on/off with their credit card.

[Chiliburn]

26 minutes ago, mr walker said:

Of course, the special 'airport line' fee is not included. Still, less than $20 each way from Penrith to/from airport is still good value.

I think the airport has a $18 surcharge mr walker but a tight ass mate showed me the best way to get around that .
And that’s to get off at Mascot and there’s a bus stop about 30 metres away that goes to both airports.

Some say Wolli creek station but it’s a good 30-40 minutes walk,no bus and people do it with luggage.

[fairywren]

Smartrider is what the system in Perth and surrounds is called.

[mr walker]

3 hours ago, Chiliburn said:

I think the airport has a $18 surcharge mr walker but a tight ass mate showed me the best way to get around that .
And that’s to get off at Mascot and there’s a bus stop about 30 metres away that goes to both airports.

Some say Wolli creek station but it’s a good 30-40 minutes walk,no bus and people do it with luggage.

Yes I have heard of some dodging the surcharge that way  - seems like hard work to me. I’ve also read of people driving to near the airport, like Tempe, parking their car in residential street & taking a taxi the short ride to airport. Works for some I guess😳

[buchhalm]

The Blue Mountains are always lovely. Not difficult by train from Central to Katoomba (the main village up there) or Leura (just before).

As others say, there IS a HoHo bus, but it DOES NOT run very frequently.

Take a careful look at the timetable. 

(I'd call it a HoHum bus).

Some stops are really only good for a 5 to 10 minute look around, and then you waiiiiiit for the next bus to trundle along.

If money isn't the main concern, there are some very good day-tours from Sydney on small buses. Much better than the tour on large coaches. These tours are quite a long day, but they do show you a lot.

 

 

[Aussieflyer]

58 minutes ago, mr walker said:

Yes I have heard of some dodging the surcharge that way  - seems like hard work to me. I’ve also read of people driving to near the airport, like Tempe, parking their car in residential street & taking a taxi the short ride to airport. Works for some I guess😳

And on a different topic - Happy Birthday mr walker 😃

[Uniqueguy4]

if your going to do it by train in one day take note it is 2 hours each way, we do it every now and then and we go to Scenic world and there are a few hikes close to there that will, if you do it properly, take you easily 5 hours or more there alone. If you do catch a train sit on the left hand side both ways there are some great scenery after Bowen Falls to Katoomba

[mr walker]

2 hours ago, Aussieflyer said:

And on a different topic - Happy Birthday mr walker 😃

Cheers 🍻 

[MicCanberra]

22 minutes ago, mr walker said:

Cheers 🍻 

Hope you had a good one.

[jjduck]

thanks for the additional information, especially about the ho-ho(hum) bus!!!

 

still researching...

[Chiliburn]

2 hours ago, jjduck said:

thanks for the additional information, especially about the ho-ho(hum) bus!!!

 

still researching...

If you don’t want to spend the whole day on the hoho bus ,there is a local  bus that does the main two attractions ,eco point and scenic world . The town ship is worth a look around,it’s got a bit of a hippy vibe .

The 686 does a regular circle every half hour for only a few dollars ,the opal app has the information.

 

Edited May 27 by Chiliburn

[aussielozzie18]

Unless you are doing a tour that includes it, your plan to visit Featherdale independently on a day separate to your Blue Mountains trip is a good one.  Easy to get to via public transport. Train, then bus that drops you at the entrance (check the bus timetables) or you can catch a taxi there from the train station.

 

Featherdale is a nice small zoo with native animals and lots of Australian birds. 

[jjduck]

chiliburn, thanks so much for the local bus info.  

 

aussielozzi, we do want to see native animals and are bird lovers!!!