FOR those prepared to hoof it and who don't mind getting up early to beat the rush, it's a closely guarded secret - there is cheap parking in the city.
Drivers can pay as little as $9 a day to park - they'll just have to walk the final leg of their journey from locations such as The Domain, Haymarket or Opera House into the centre of town.
If you leave your car at the Darling Quarter, nine hours at Wilson Parking's Commonwealth Bank Place carpark costs $9 if you arrive between 6am and 9.30am and leave between 3.30pm and 7.30pm on weekdays.
Adding up to $45 per week, that makes parking $5 cheaper than buying a $50 weekly train from Berowra, Penrith or Campbelltown.
While carparks in premium locations can charge close to $15 an hour - about the equivalent of the minimum hourly wage - Gerard McLennan, co-creator of parking price comparison website carparking.info, said motorists can take advantage of cheap parking by shopping around.
The $9 Darling Quarter deal is $178 cheaper than parking at Sydney's most expensive carpark, Secure Parking's World Square, nearby.
Some of the cheapest daily offerings for early birds include $12 at Wilson Parking's Sydney Entertainment Centre and $15 at the Interpark Domain carpark or Wilson Parking's Liverpool St and Market City, Haymarket, premises. Not far behind is Wilson Parking's Sydney Opera House space for $16 and Secure Parking's Number One Dixon St carpark for $17.
Cheap deals are also available across the state. It's $7 at Parramatta Stadium and $4 at James Fletcher Hospital in Newcastle. Parking is also free at Casula Mall Shopping Centre in Liverpool.
One woman who uses the Darling Quarter carpark said she hoped the location would remain a secret otherwise more people would come.
Bank worker Craig Jones, 32, from Carlingford, also takes advantage of the $9 deal, getting into the carpark about 7am and leaving between 3pm and 7.30pm.
"I think this carpark's good value and obviously it's great that it's a lot cheaper than other places," Mr Jones said. "I wouldn't expect the price to stay down forever."
"Carpark rate cards vary to favour different stays. For example, you can park for half an hour for free at HSBC Centre Town Hall, however it is quite expensive if you stay longer.
Founder of Citizens Against Road Ripoffs Ziggy Zapata said motorists should drive and take public transport to make city commutes cost-effective.
"I drive to an inner city suburb for free parking and jump on the train for the city," he said. "If you drive in from Castle Hill it's $50 including petrol, tolls and parking."
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