Getting to BNE in AM peak
Jun 7, 2006, 8:00 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: mostly MEL
Programs: QF WP LTG, HHonors Diamond, NZ Gold
Posts: 1,750
Getting to BNE in AM peak
Hi All,
Will soon be spending a weekend in far north NSW. Need to be at BNE to drop off the hire car and catch a 9:00am flight.
Can anyone tell me what the traffic is like up the Pacific Hwy early doors what times does it generally slow in the morning peak - also whether I can expect delays on the airport turnoff (as I've experienced on a Sunday arvo before now)??
Thanks,
BD
Will soon be spending a weekend in far north NSW. Need to be at BNE to drop off the hire car and catch a 9:00am flight.
Can anyone tell me what the traffic is like up the Pacific Hwy early doors what times does it generally slow in the morning peak - also whether I can expect delays on the airport turnoff (as I've experienced on a Sunday arvo before now)??
Thanks,
BD
Jun 7, 2006, 8:38 pm
#2
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: BNE, Australia...not too far from the nearest Qantas Pub err Club
Posts: 3,636
Your problems will start well before the airport turnoff - the Gateway Arterial goes pear-shaped at the slightest incident. I would suggest you try to get to BNE by 7:30am at the latest - which is a 6:00am departure from FN NSW (eg Cabarita).
Why not get a flight out of OOL?
Why not get a flight out of OOL?
Jun 7, 2006, 10:31 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2004
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Originally Posted by willyroo
Your problems will start well before the airport turnoff - the Gateway Arterial goes pear-shaped at the slightest incident. I would suggest you try to get to BNE by 7:30am at the latest - which is a 6:00am departure from FN NSW (eg Cabarita).
Originally Posted by willyroo
Why not get a flight out of OOL?
BD
Jun 7, 2006, 11:49 pm
#4
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: DXB
Programs: QF Gold MB Gold Elite
Posts: 612
I'll back what Willyroo has said.
As someone who, until recently, did the GC to BNE drive for 7 years, the road can be a shocker sometimes.
Someone sneases and the trip time goes up by an 1 hour.
I would actually plan on getting to BNE by 7:00am as that means you have missed the peak hour on the GC and will only get the early part of BNE peak hour.
If everything goes to plan, it will be plain sailing and you will have 2 hours to kill in the QP ^ .
As someone who, until recently, did the GC to BNE drive for 7 years, the road can be a shocker sometimes.
Someone sneases and the trip time goes up by an 1 hour.
I would actually plan on getting to BNE by 7:00am as that means you have missed the peak hour on the GC and will only get the early part of BNE peak hour.
If everything goes to plan, it will be plain sailing and you will have 2 hours to kill in the QP ^ .
Jun 8, 2006, 2:27 am
#5
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: London
Posts: 6,266
If it's this weekend, then you shouldn't have massive dramas due to Mon being a public holiday.
Otherwise, heed the advice given here.
There are three busy spots. Gold Coast, Highway and Gateway.
Leave as early as possible. The highway goes from not busy to quite busy suddenly in the morning.
Otherwise, heed the advice given here.
There are three busy spots. Gold Coast, Highway and Gateway.
Leave as early as possible. The highway goes from not busy to quite busy suddenly in the morning.
Jun 8, 2006, 4:28 am
#6
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: BNE | OOL | MEL
Programs: VA Plat, QF LTG, SPG Titanium
Posts: 73
Ditto to all of the above.
I drive to the City (Brisbane) from Ballina on a Monday morning once or twice a month. I ensure that I leave at 5am (6am daylight saving) and most of the time get to work by 7am.
But heed the warning as if theree's an accident on the Pacific Highway north of Beenleigh or on the Gateway it can turn into a carpark very quickly...
Good luck!
I drive to the City (Brisbane) from Ballina on a Monday morning once or twice a month. I ensure that I leave at 5am (6am daylight saving) and most of the time get to work by 7am.
But heed the warning as if theree's an accident on the Pacific Highway north of Beenleigh or on the Gateway it can turn into a carpark very quickly...
Good luck!
Jun 8, 2006, 5:52 pm
#7
Original Poster
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Thanks all for the feedback. Sounds pretty much like the Eastern Fwy going into Melbourne - can be OK as long as you get on before 6:30am, any later than that (or some sort of accident) and you're a gonner.
Not this weekend - I'll be driving up on the 26th.
Will heed all advise, leave Stokers at 5:30ish and (hopefully) avail m'self of the QP facilities for a short while - anyone around for brekkie that morning?
BD
Not this weekend - I'll be driving up on the 26th.
Will heed all advise, leave Stokers at 5:30ish and (hopefully) avail m'self of the QP facilities for a short while - anyone around for brekkie that morning?
BD
Jun 10, 2006, 5:32 pm
#8
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Brisbane, Australia
Programs: QC, QF, Avis Preferred, BW Crown Club, Priority Club
Posts: 1,451
For a bit of a guide, you might want to keep an eye on the Bridge Cam a few days before your trip to see just what the Gateway Bridge Tolls can be like.
Jun 26, 2006, 7:49 pm
#9
Original Poster
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Location: mostly MEL
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Posts: 1,750
Thanks All!!
Just a quick note of thanks for everyone's feedback.
Left Stokers Siding at 5:30am and managed to arrive at BNE at 7:40am. The crawl up the Gateway to the tolls was painful.
Thankfully (after all the advise on here) that was the only congestion I hit, leaving so much earlier. (Apart from the QP itself - but that's another story!!)
BD
Left Stokers Siding at 5:30am and managed to arrive at BNE at 7:40am. The crawl up the Gateway to the tolls was painful.
Thankfully (after all the advise on here) that was the only congestion I hit, leaving so much earlier. (Apart from the QP itself - but that's another story!!)
BD