Driving into Sydney BUT no tunnels!! HELP PLEASE

[robbiegal]

Can anyone here who is a Sydney sider or ex SS - help me with driving directions to drive into Sydney to St Vincents Hospital (Darlinghurst?) WITHOUT HAVING TO GO THROUGH THOSE HUGE TUNNELS??
We have been going to Liverpool and did go through Liverpool the other week on the M4 (I think) to Five Dock where my sister lives. NO tunnels YIPPIE.

My hubby has to have surgery at St Vincents and I am scared of the tunnels and never catch trains or buses these days.
I was wondering if I could drive in but the navman doesn't seem to have a program to avoid tunnels as earlier this year it took us straight into those 8 kilometre ones near the airport.

A local would surely know but anyways - we thought to stay at Liverpool and then my hubby will train it into the hospital and taxi back to where i'd be staying at Liverpool the day after his surgery. He wants to stay in Sydney for a few days as it surgery on his foot and he'll be on crutches and the specialist is only in Sydney (I suppose in case something goes wrong and needs attention quickly).

Of course I feel really embarrassed that my anxiety in the tunnels and trains is proving to be such a problem with us having to go over to Sydney for medical matters in recent months. Yes the doctor did give me Valium and I took it last time we were there to go into and then back through the tunnels to head home from the city in April this year.
Doesn't mean it suddenly becomes easy I assure you - I am a country bumpkin to the bone I am afraid. Never having to use lifts or drive through underground road tunnels living out west!!

We need to be there for the surgery on the Monday 30th January and I know the hubby is already stressed about me being totally stressed out and freaking out while he is driving and frankly, he doesn't need that. Alternatively one of the sons could take him but after all that we have been through this year and how fantastic he has been with me, I feel that I owe him the support. Yes I am seeing a psychologist as well!!!

Directions would be MOST appreciated ..... if it's possible.

[Fulvio]

Been a while, but according to Google maps:

M31
M5
Get off before the toll road
A34
Back onto the M5 at the A3
M1 under the airport (or go round the north side if you want to avoid the tunnel)

Whups, missed the bit to get off the tollway...
Left onto S Dowling St before the toll starts

Left into Oxford St
Right into Darlinghurst Rd
Two Rights around the park
Left into the hospital
BTW, assuming you have a smartphone or other mobile device, grab the Maps.me app and install the Australia map with directions. It should do a pretty good job of guiding you in built-up areas even just using Wi-Fi, and if not, it will still let you look at streets around you, like avoiding the airport for example.

[nealeffendi]

Sydneysider here.
From Liverpool take the A34 (Newbridge Rd, becomes Milperra Rd then becomes Canterbury Rd) all the way until you hit ParramattaRd (A22) where you turn right and follow it as it becomes Broadway. At Central Station you take the slightly right fork into Pitt St and as you drive past Central Station you turn right into Eddy Ave (so the station is still on your right). Once past the station (you pass under a sandstone rail viaduct) you turn left into Elizabeth Ave and a block later turn right into Albion St. Travel about 6 blocks until you hit Crown St and turn left. Follow Crown St for about 6 blocks and just after crossing Oxford St you turn right into Burton St. After 5 blocks you turn right into Victoria St and you will find St Vincents Hospital on your left, followed by St Vincents private hospital. There is a premium on parking in the Eastern suburbs and if you want to use a car park there is one at 404 Victoria St (in the hospital via the main driveway) but it isn't cheap (1-2 hours is $17 or $50 per day).
Fulvio is correct about the motorway as an option route but the risk is that if you miss your turnoff you will end up in a long tunnel either on the M5 at Bexley or the M1 at the Eastern Distributor (and as a local I have missed a turnoff so an out of towner is much more likely to miss the turnoff). Whatever route you choose may be a car park with all the traffic and peak hour buildup starts before 6am.

[interest]

just going to say that

[robbiegal]

thank-you

yes last week I used google maps and the navman - it was good to compare directions especially where there were new road works

i jutst can't seem to request a route that avoids the new tunnels - I have found that wikkipeadia has helped me to find the tunnels and where they are located

and yep - i reckon go northside and then loop backover to darlinghurst

i haven't lived in Sydney for over 30 years and those tunnels didn't exist back then!!

and i rarely went into the city as well - just lived and worked in the burbs  

I have been caught in the major summertime traffic jams in the big tunnels and i found it a total freak out and i think it just spooked me ... like ... forever!! as it was years ago that happened! Never wanted to drive into them since .... and then of course there is the Princess Dianna story ... which doesn't help!!

Sydneysider here.
From Liverpool take the A34 (Newbridge Rd, becomes Milperra Rd then becomes Canterbury Rd) all the way until you hit ParramattaRd (A22) where you turn right and follow it as it becomes Broadway. At Central Station you take the slightly right fork into Pitt St and as you drive past Central Station you turn right into Eddy Ave (so the station is still on your right). Once past the station (you pass under a sandstone rail viaduct) you turn left into Elizabeth Ave and a block later turn right into Albion St. Travel about 6 blocks until you hit Crown St and turn left. Follow Crown St for about 6 blocks and just after crossing Oxford St you turn right into Burton St. After 5 blocks you turn right into Victoria St and you will find St Vincents Hospital on your left, followed by St Vincents private hospital. There is a premium on parking in the Eastern suburbs and if you want to use a car park there is one at 404 Victoria St (in the hospital via the main driveway) but it isn't cheap (1-2 hours is $17 or $50 per day).

OMG
I could give you a big hug mate - will print off  
we drove that A34 and A22 the other day going into and out of Five Dock

i sort of know the roads around the hospital and yes, I remember that sandstone rail viaduct
If I can make it into town with my husband I will be so proud of myself as he has been a tower of strength for me the last few months and I so very much want to support him as well.
my sister doesn't quite get the directions thing - she just says drive in via liverpool ... oh thanks hon!!
thanks again
doing a google of the roads etc

very very much appreciated  
i kept telling the hubby that it could be done without the tunnels might take hours longer but hey - a means to end ends!!

[Fulvio]

Personally, I would take the train and avoid all the grief and cost. What's your objection to that?

[ausproofs]

Hey RG, I am a SS.. You can take a train from Liverpool and get to the hospital in an hour and 15 mins max..I know you said you don't want to take public transport, when I go to town for work, I avoid it at all costs due to traffic and parking troubles.. Just my 2c worth..  use this site to check out the details,

http://www.transportnsw.info

[Goldseeker]

If you are a member of the N RMA, then you could also ask for a PILOT to drive you there.

[nealeffendi]

If you do decide to take the train just remember to get off at Central otherwise you will go into the (underground) city circle stations; ausproofs is right about the convenience of the train over driving into the city and a taxi from Central station (2.1 km drive) is cheaper than paying for parking. Kings Cross station is under 900m (walk) or 1.2km (drive) from St Vincents so is even better than Central but it involves changing trains at Town Hall station and being underground in a very hot and crowded station.

[r9453]

the navman doesn't seem to have a program to avoid tunnels

Does it have an option to avoid toll roads? I think the spooky tunnels might be on toll roads.

[robbiegal]

yeah - the spooky tunnels are on toll roads
we had it set to avoid them but it still took us there
I think we bought a new navman after that April trip

gee thanks for all of the advice

I am making a word document up to take

[Fulvio]

we had it set to avoid them but it still took us there

Careful.. you'll end up in the middle of Moreton Bay!

Don't laugh.. this happened: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h89RT_dc-v0

And.. that's my car! Not literally, but its identical.

[robbiegal]

yes I had heard about that one and others

I don't entirely trust the navman
a nurse I work with was almost killed in the snowy mountains during the snow season  trusting the navman
and she also  knew the area as she grew up there but it was night time the navman sent her on a very thin trail and before she knew it she was stuck up in the mountains in the freezing cold - she used the international emergency rescue mobile call - 112 and got recused - a few hours later mind you
another vid
https://youtu.be/N1ISZq0R1-I

[Basil]

RG,i would get a Train in from Liverpool or somewhere similar and stay overnite(or longer),it will save a lot of grief.Thats what my Father did in the 1980's and i don't think much has changed regarding assisted Accomodation,in the long run it works out the same as parking Fees.

https://svhs.org.au/home/patients-and-visitors/visiting/accommodation-for-visitors

[Unicorn]

Back in Sept 15 when I went to Sydney Eye Hospital (right eye retina detach & cataract) I took the train from Taree to Central. I walked the (several) blocks to there. I think St Vincents would be about the same walk but in the other direction, but there's a million cabs waiting at Central if you need one. The next morning after surgery I took a cab back to Central (didn't want to stress the eye too much). From memory it cost around $15 (which the driver got in aUNC 2005 Dancing Man $1 coins).

A few years prior when the retina in the left eye detached Mrs Uni drove us there and it was much more of a hassle than catching the train was.

As I suffer from extreme anxiety and panic disorder, to me, taking the train was the lesser of the two evils.