Transport Options from Sydney Airport

Sometimes it can be quite overwhelming to consider your transport options from Sydney Airport to your accomodation, especially when you do not have friends or relatives who would pick you up at the airport.

Based on our past experiences, here are your options (as well as some tips and tricks) on getting out of the airport quicker and into the start of your travel in this beautiful city:

Rideshare

It might not have been your cheapest option, but if you are travelling in a group of four or less (or if you want a fast, convenient, and more private way to get to your destination) then rideshare is your option.

The best pickup location for your rideshare would be the Express Pick Up area. The location depends on whether you arrive at International or Domestic airport.

For more information on the Express Pickup Zone, see:
International Airport (T1)
https://www.sydneyairport.com.au/parking-and-transport/arriving/international/where-to-pick-up-international

Domestic Airport (T2 or T3):
https://www.sydneyairport.com.au/parking-and-transport/arriving/domestic/where-to-pick-up-domestic#airport-pick-up-domestic-express-pick-up

There are a few major rideshare companies currently operating in Sydney, and it is worth checking all of them, especially when every company is giving free credits for your first ride with them (and sometimes the also come with added discounts).

Check out our rideshare article to find out more about these operators and how to get free credits for your rides.

Public Transport

Another way to get out of Sydney Airport is by public transport, and the cheapest way to pay for public transport is with an Opal Card. We suggest getting an Opal Card before leaving the airport building as it is currently not available on the train stations or buses (train stations only sell single-fare tickets that cost approximately 30% more and some buses only accept Opal cards).

If you are not familiar with Opal Cards, please check our Opal Card post.

Depending on your destination, you will need to take a train, a bus, or a combination of the two.

We recommend you to download "Opal Travel" app on your smartphone (available on AppStore or Android) in order to find out what you need to pay (and therefore add your Opal Card balance accordingly).

BUS

There are currently only two bus routes that travel through Sydney Airports: 400 and N20.

N20 buses go to and from Sydney CBD but they only run between 12:25am and 4:45am each day, so this is pretty much not a viable option for many of you.

400 buses don't go to Sydney CBD either but their regular services allow you to connect to other services. Most 400 buses go all the way to Bondi Junction where you can take other routes to Bondi Beach and beyond.

TRAIN

It is important to know that taking a train from and/or to Sydney Airports (both Domestic and International) requires you to pay an additional station Access Fee (as these stations are privately owned) in addition to the relevant Opal train fare (see https://www.opal.com.au/en/opal-fares/airport_station_access_fee/).

For example, you might be paying up to $17.76 to travel from International Airport to Central Station which is only 4 stations away. This fee is indeed quite steep. But rejoice, because there is a workaround to it by taking a bus to the adjacent station that doesn't charge you access fee.

The next section tells you how.

BUS + TRAIN COMBINATION

Taking a bus from (and to) the Sydney Airports doesn't incur any additional charges on top of your normal fare. Therefore, you can take a bus which goes to the nearest station(s) that don't charge Access Fee, and take your train from that station.

Mascot Station is the best station for this, and you can take bus route 400 (with direction going to Eastgardens or Bondi Junction — make sure your ask the bus driver or you might be going to the opposite direction) and stop at Coward St, Mascot. Then walk around 50 metres to Mascot Station and resume your journey by train.

The distance between the airports and Mascot Station is less than 3kms, which means that you will be paying the lowest possible bus fare (https://www.opal.com.au/en/opal-fares/). In addition, changing between different modes of transport (in this case, from bus to train) entitles you to a transfer discount (https://www.opal.com.au/en/opal-fares/Opal_transfer_discount/) which means that your “journey” has become even cheaper.

Airport Shuttle

Another alternative to get to your destination is with Airport Shuttle services. This option might be for you if you happen to be staying at or nearby pick-up/drop-off hotels/spots. They charge around $16 dollars one way, with a slight discount if you buy return. Here are some of them.
https://www.redy2go.com.au/
https://airbussydney.com.au/
https://airportconnect.com.au/

Questions or suggestions?
If you have any questions or suggestions regarding this article, please leave a comment below.