How do I get to Perisher from Sydney?
I’m planning for a 3-4 day ski trip to Perisher but I’m not sure on how to get there from Sydney Intl.
I’ve checked google, but what I’ve found is that the buses that operate from Sydney to Canberra and then Perisher are only available during the weekends. Unfortunately, my trip takes place during the weekday in August.
I find it hard to believe that there are no buses that go from Sydney to Jindabyne on the weekdays. I’ve also heard that there arent any public transportation options available from Jindabyne to Persiher during the ski season. Is this true?
If you guys could recommend a place to stay at, either in Jindabyne or Snowy Mountains, that would be most appreciated as well.
Also, I found that Mt Hotham gets a lot of love as far as snowboarding in Australia goes while I was doing some research on Perisher. Should I consider the former instead of the latter?
Welcome to Boardworld, RS. 
Are you travelling alone? How experienced are you in snowboarding? Would you consider hiring a car for a few days? It could work out easier/cheaper depending on your situation.
Also worth looking into this option: https://ozsnowadventures.com.au/australia/3-day-mid-week/
Try http://www.greyhound.com.au as I’m pretty sure they do daily trips SYD to Thredbo, with extra buses for the weekends!!!!!
Thredbo will be your destination entry, as you will get off at the Skitube, which is located on the Alpine Way to Thredbo, and this will take you up to Perisher!!!!!
If you don’t have transport, I’d look at stayin on snow as shuttle transport to/from the resorts would be a pain in the arse!!!!!
It all really depends on your budget?????
Hotham would be accessed via Melbourne!!!!!
What are you after in a resort????? Have you looked at Thredbo?????
Cheapest option is to bus or train it to Canberra and get a greyhound to jindabyne.
There is also a few community facebook pages. one is called “jindabyne to and from” i think and the jindabyne notice board - just ask people. its all about hustling lifts. so if you know what dates you will be here just write a post- hopefully not for another few months until the snow is actually here.
during the season you should have no problem getting here through out the week.
Welcome to Boardworld, RS.
Are you travelling alone? How experienced are you in snowboarding? Would you consider hiring a car for a few days? It could work out easier/cheaper depending on your situation.
Also worth looking into this option: https://ozsnowadventures.com.au/australia/3-day-mid-week/
I’ll be travelling with 4 other guys who I had the pleasure of boarding with in the US. We’re fairly experienced; I’d say the average skill level among us is intermediate. I have considered the option of driving but I’d opt for public transportation whenever possible.
Thank you so much for the link! I just skimmed through it and will thoroughly go over the site later but it definitely makes planning for this trip easier.
Try http://www.greyhound.com.au as I’m pretty sure they do daily trips SYD to Thredbo, with extra buses for the weekends!!!!!
Thredbo will be your destination entry, as you will get off at the Skitube, which is located on the Alpine Way to Thredbo, and this will take you up to Perisher!!!!!
If you don’t have transport, I’d look at stayin on snow as shuttle transport to/from the resorts would be a pain in the arse!!!!!
It all really depends on your budget?????
Hotham would be accessed via Melbourne!!!!!
What are you after in a resort????? Have you looked at Thredbo?????
I was looking at Greyhound earlier but I just cant find Jindabyne/Thredbo/Perisher/Bullock Flats in their destination list:
http://www.greyhound.com.au/service-info/pdf-timetables
http://www.greyhound.com.au/express/bookings
despite finding a couple of websites that state Greyhound does go to Perisher
http://www.thredbo.com.au/village-life/about-thredbo/getting-here/
http://www.snowymountains.com.au/getting-here/transport/
Now, I’ve found that Murrays does indeed offer a ride from Sydney Intl to Bullocks Flat/Jindabyne but I keep getting a server error notification
http://www.murrays.com.au/default.aspx
I’m kinda at a loss right now as far as transportation goes, which makes going for a package in the link that rider gave or Mt Hotham more attractive.
I havent settled on a room yet, but I know that hostels are pretty much sold out based on my earlier search. All we want in the hotel is a place to spend the night and a place to take showers.
Cheapest option is to bus or train it to Canberra and get a greyhound to jindabyne.
There is also a few community facebook pages. one is called “jindabyne to and from” i think and the jindabyne notice board - just ask people. its all about hustling lifts. so if you know what dates you will be here just write a post- hopefully not for another few months until the snow is actually here.
during the season you should have no problem getting here through out the week.
Thanks for the info. I haven’t considered asking for lifts via facebook, since there’ll be 4 of us with luggage and all but I’ll give it a shot before I’ve exhausted all my options.
Since you’re coming with 4 other guys, I honestly think it will be much cheaper, easier, and give you more options to get around (food, possibly visiting a different resort).
If you have a car and stay in Jindabyne, you can check out both Thredbo and Perisher. It’s a half an hour drive to either from Jindabyne.
Public transport is notoriously expensive down at the snow. Just say even just return bus to Jindabyne is $100 per person, that’s $500 between you, and you are still without a car when you get there. I would consider the hired car option if it were me.
I’ll be travelling with 4 other guys who I had the pleasure of boarding with in the US. We’re fairly experienced; I’d say the average skill level among us is intermediate. I have considered the option of driving but I’d opt for public transportation whenever possible.
5 people going to the snow, you should definitely hire a mini van or 4 wheel drive. It will work out soooo much cheaper.
Otherwise, go to NZ, they have buses that run to each of the mountains and the lift tickets are better and NZ can quite often have much better snow.
The bus timetables are most likely not up yet for the 2014 season, but I’m pretty sure that Greyhound and Murray’s will be doin them!!!!! Note that the bus will not drive directly to Perisher, as it will drop you off at Bullocks Flat wher you will transfer onto the Skitube in order to get up there!!!!! That same bus will then continue on to Thredbo!!!!!
Maybe check the sites around March!!!!! Or even send them an email enquiry!!!!!
As for hiring a car, I’m not 100% sold on that idea!!!!!
If the bus costs $100 each, that’s $500!!!!! If you stay on snow ( My recommendation is Thredbo, as you’ll have a village to wander through, and a few bars and a night club to keep you busy when not on the snow), a hire car with chains, roof racks will most likely far exceed that price, then you also have fuel, and the hassle of the 6 hour drive!!!!! Which can be quite unspectacular for a vast majority of the journey!!!!!
Plus if you are a group that like to have a drink, there will be lots of RBT’s around to catch you drivin up the hill in the morning!!!!!
Another plus for Thredbo, is that it has the steeps for boarding, as opposed to a fair amount of flat traverse in Perisher!!!!! Although Thredbo is a smaller resort, it will have plenty of terrain to keep you guys busy for a week!!!!!
Whoops, I’ve just retread your op, and your goin for 4 days!!!!!
I still reckon the small added cost of the bus will negate the drama of a hire car!!!!!
Plus I’d seriously look at doin 5 days, as the accommodation deals and lift ticket prices will also be very similar to 4 days if you get them as a package!!!!!
I’ve looked at the OZ Snow packs and I think that I’ll be going with that.
I’m confused about the pricing given for the ski lifts.
I see that theres a note saying I need to pay extra for all access lifts, but is this only for those that buy the lift+lessons package?
If I were to just buy the lift ticket without the lessons then I wouldnt need to pay extra to use all the lifts at the location, correct?
Nah, Lift Only will get you access to All the Lifts!!!!!
Sweet! I asked those guys twice and I still haven’t gotten an answer. They might have been irritated by my flurry of questions.
Get a car dude. It will be so much easier to do just about everything - might even work out cheaper too. The roads / traffic here is easy.
If you are making the effort to come over then try to get to both NSW resorts. Go Perisher first, then Threbo, then choose which resort you like the best to spend your other days.
The 3 days passes don’t really save you too much - but do look you into that resort - which may be bad. It’s pretty hard to avoid getting ripped off in Aus unfortunately…
Edit: Better yet - go to NZ!
That’s a good idea. I gotta look at the difference between buying those tickets separately and buying it for all three days for a single location.
Will definitely go to nz next year though I think that’s gonna be more expensive.
We drive down every second weekend.. Its a 500km drive from where I am in Sydney, and takes us on average 6.5 hours (with 2 stops) with out stops (or one quick one about half way we can make it in under 6 hours) I personally find it much easier having a car.. But in saying that I own the car and roof racks, and don’t have to hire anything.. (we catch the ski tube up to the mountain (perisher) so I drive the 20 mins to that each morning) most of the town is fairly easy to get around and pretty much all with in walking distance, so that’s no problem.. If you don’t have a car..
a few places I’ve stayed at are.. Alpine resort hotel, on nettin circuit in jindy.. Its just a basic hotel but not overly expensive, (was like 80 a night with breakfast iirc). Also the kookaburra lodge is pretty good, and our fave one seems to be the jindy inn.. The owners Sharon and Richard are the nicest people.. And have slotted us in a few times, they also have a stone grill restraint above the hotel that runs during peak season.. And breakfast is included.. It really close to the shops (on the same street as kookaburra)
the other option, which we do if there are a few of us.. Is rent a house.. It can some times work out cheaper if you are staying more that one or two nights.. When we do our long stint, we pay 5-600 for 10-12 nights.. we have done a few weekend in houses, and if we have enough people, its cheaper.. And going during the week is a smart idea.. Just make sure its not school holidays! The mountain is much quieter and accom is generally cheaper!
as mentioned before there are a few Facebook groups for lifts, but being a larger group it might be a little harder.. Usually its 1-2 people looking for a lift..
also if you were only going perisher another option is to stay at the station.. Its a little further out of main jindy (10mins from the town center by car) but perisher own it, and some times do some good deals, they also have buses to and from the resort.. But of your planing to visit thredbo.. It might make that a little difficult,
I would suggest going for a full package, coach/bus from Sydney, accom, lift tickets all included.. Usually they provide breakfast and dinner or have easily accessible options for dinner, just makes life easy, and much less planning.. Especially if you haven’t been before
hope this helps you out! Also, if you like, left us know when you are down there.. And there will more than likely be some one from here already there, who can show you around either resort..
hope this helps!
hope this helps you out!
Thanks for name dropping some places h0z, I’ll be on the look out for those when I’m in the area.
I’ll be going for the package by OZ snow unless you’ve got a different package recommendation.
The idea of renting a car gets a lot of love so I’d like to explore that when I go again although that really depends on how well this first trip would turn out.