Took advantage of a cheap flight deal from Western Sydney Airport or are just curious to see what all the construction fuss was about? Well, you’ll want to make sure it won’t take longer than your actual flight time to get there. And we hate to break it to you… but it might.
We’ll be honest, we’ve avoided buying any fares from the new airport (WSI) purely because of the distance from where we live in Sydney’s Inner West. So, we haven’t attempted the journey ourselves. But, if the right fare comes along, we’ll give it a go and let you know about our experience.
Where is Western Sydney Airport?
Sitting on a massive 1,700 hectares (almost double to Sydney Kingford Smith’s 907), Western Sydney Airport technically sprawls across two suburbs: Luddenham and Badgerys Creek. Neither of which have a train station.
It’s about 60km southwest by road from Sydney CBD, closer to Penrith (25km) or Parramatta (38km). By comparison, Sydney Airport is just 12km south of the city.
Getting to Western Sydney Airport
There’s no smooth journey to get to the airport by public transport, at the moment. Unlike Sydney Airport, you can’t get from the city to terminal with just one train or bus. That said, the bus connection from St Mary’s Station is fare-free, which will at least save you a few dollars on the journey.
We mapped out Google Maps’ directions in the middle of the day to avoid peak hour traffic, too. So this is, unfortunately, likely to be the shortest trip by public transport.
Sydney CBD to WSI
For the fastest possible journey, which is still about 1 hour, 45 minutes, you’ll need to take both a train and a bus. First, take a train to St Marys, then switch to the WSI bus, which departs from the station. It’ll take about an hour to get to St Mary’s from the city, and then 36 minutes on the bus.
If you drive or take a taxi/rideshare, the journey is slashed by more than half. It takes just 55 minutes.
Parramatta to WSI
From Parramatta, you’ll be joining the same journey you’d take from the CBD, just a bit further into it. It’s also a train and bus, taking a train to St Marys, then taking the WSI bus to the airport. All up, it’s about 1 hour, 25 minutes.
By car, the trip is about 40 minutes, which is about 10 minutes longer than the ride to Sydney Airport.
Penrith to WSI
Heading straight from Penrith by public transport, you’ll need to take the 790 bus, which takes about 50 minutes.
The drive is about 28 minutes.
Getting to WSI vs SYD (Sydney Airport)
Unless you’re heading to the airport from Southwest Sydney (such as Campbelltown, Macarthur), the Penrith area or the Blue Mountains, it will be quicker, and probably easier to get to Sydney Airport.
While there is a metro line in the works, it’s not due to be completed until late 2027. That’s at least a year after the airport’s first flights take off. There won’t be a direct connection to the CBD, either. The line will only get you to St Marys, where you’ll need to transfer to a Sydney Trains service.
For a weekend away, what’s the best airport?
If you live in Western Sydney, then WSI can be much more convenient than Sydney Airport. This is especially the case if you’re not relying on public transport. For weekends away, we’re likely going to short-haul destinations like Byron Bay, Melbourne, Brisbane or the Gold Coast, which are only about 1-1.5 hours away by plane. We don’t really want to be spending that same amount of time just travelling to the airport.
Depending on where you live, and, of course, the price of your flight, it’s well worth tossing up which airport to fly from.
If you live within 25km or so of the CBD, it’s probably still worth it to fly from Sydney Airport. There are more frequent flights available and public transport makes getting there a lot easier for the time being.
If you live in Western Sydney, Southwest Sydney or the Blue Mountains, it may be worth giving Western Sydney Airport a go. The airport also won’t have a curfew, meaning you’ll be able to take earlier flights departing Sydney or later ones returning, and can maximise your holiday time during your weekend away.
