Sydney Airport is at Mascot, eight kilometres south of the CBD — unusually close for a major airport, and the reason the flight path runs over the city.
T1 is international. T2 and T3 are domestic, on the other side of the runways, connected to T1 by a shuttle bus and a train.
The train
The T8 Airport Line runs from stations beneath both the international and domestic terminals to Central in about 13 minutes and Circular Quay in about 20. Trains every ten minutes or so.
It is by far the fastest way in.
The catch is the station access fee, a charge levied by the private operator of the airport stations on top of the normal Opal fare. It is substantial — for two or more people travelling together it can approach the cost of a rideshare — and it is not covered by the daily or weekly fare cap.
Tap on with contactless or Opal as normal; the fee is included automatically.
The way around it
Bus route 400 runs from the airport to Bondi Junction via Mascot, and other routes serve the domestic terminals. Ordinary bus fare, no access fee.
The common workaround: take the 400 bus one stop to Mascot station and pick up the train there, paying only the standard fare. It adds fifteen or twenty minutes and saves the fee.
Whether that is worth it depends on your luggage and your patience. For a family of four it very much is.
Rideshare and taxis
Uber, DiDi and Ola all operate, with designated pick-up areas — at T1 this is on the arrivals level of the car park opposite, which is signed and involves a short walk.
Taxis are metered from the rank, with an airport toll added. Journey time to the CBD is 20 to 40 minutes depending on traffic, and the Eastern Distributor tunnel toll is passed on.
Both cost several times the train for one person and become competitive for three or four.
Times
Allow three hours for an international departure and 90 minutes for domestic.
The train runs from about 4.30am to shortly after midnight. Outside those hours it is a taxi or rideshare.
Arriving
Australian biosecurity is strict and is not a formality. You must declare all food, plant material, wood products, and anything that has been in contact with soil or fresh water — including hiking boots and camping gear.
Declaring something is free and usually results in it being inspected and returned. Not declaring something carries fines that start in the hundreds of dollars and can reach much more. Detector dogs work the baggage hall.
If in doubt, tick the box.
Money and connectivity
Australia uses the Australian dollar. Cards and contactless are accepted essentially everywhere, and Australia is close to cashless in practice — you can travel for a fortnight without notes.
SIM cards are sold in arrivals; eSIMs work well. Free wifi is available at the airport.
Between the terminals
T1 (international) and T2/T3 (domestic) are on opposite sides of the runways. A free shuttle runs for passengers connecting on the same booking; otherwise there is a paid T-Bus, or one stop on the train — which incurs the station access fee both ends and is the expensive way to travel two kilometres.
Allow 20 to 30 minutes between terminals plus security.
The curfew
Sydney Airport has a legally enforced 11pm to 6am curfew on most aircraft movements, which is unusual for a major hub. It means no red-eye arrivals or departures, and it is worth knowing when comparing itineraries — a flight that looks like it lands at midnight will not.
Left luggage
There is a paid facility at T1. With a long layover and no bags, the train to Central and back is comfortably doable in three hours.
Which terminal for domestic
T2 and T3 are both domestic but they are different buildings — T3 is Qantas mainline, T2 is Jetstar, Virgin, Rex and the rest. They are a short walk apart.
Check your boarding pass rather than assuming, particularly on a Qantas codeshare that is actually operated by Jetstar.
Getting to the domestic terminals from the city
The same T8 line serves both, with the domestic station between T2 and T3 and the international station under T1. The access fee applies at both.
For a domestic departure, the 400 bus from Bondi Junction also runs to the domestic terminals directly, which avoids the fee entirely and is useful if you are staying in the eastern suburbs.
Allow for the fact that Sydney’s traffic on the Eastern Distributor can be slow in the morning peak.