Airport Guide to Kingsford Smith (SYD)

Airport Overview

Terminal Transfer | Getting into Town | Car Parking | Information Desks | Airport Facilities

Sydney Airport, also referred to as Kingsford-Smith Airport, is situated in the suburb of Mascot, near Botany Bay, approximately 9km (6 miles) from Sydney, Australia’s largest city and main commercial and tourist hub. It is one of the oldest continuously running airports in the world and, having handled just over 35.9 million passengers in 2010, it is Australia’s busiest aerial hub.

Comprising three passenger terminals, namely International Terminal T1 and Domestic Terminals T2 and T3, Sydney Airport is home to a vast array of world-class shopping and dining venues, as well as a host of facilities and amenities for both tourists and business travellers. Check-in, baggage claims, immigrations, customs and security are generally smooth and painless; however, like most international airports, standard airport processes can slow down during peak times.

In essence, Sydney Airport is clean, efficient and well maintained. Better yet, transport to and from the airport is abundant and therefore makes this airport an ideal gateway for those travelling to Sydney and surrounds.

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Terminal Transfer

A shuttle service runs between the terminals at a cost of 5.50 AUD, while a free shuttle service runs between the long-term parking lots and the terminals.

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Getting into Town

Train: Airport Link stations are located at each terminal. Trains depart every ten minutes and run to Sydney Town Hall in 13 minutes. A single one-way ticket costs 15 AUD.

Bus: Sydney Buses stop on the Arrivals level of each terminal and travel to various locations in Sydney, including the city centre. Fare is 3-5 AUD.

Taxi: Taxi ranks are located outside each terminal. Journey time to the city centre is about 30 minutes and fare is approximately 50 AUD, excluding an airport toll of 3.50 AUD.

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Car Parking

The Domestic Terminals are served by the T2 Valet, the Domestic Multi-Storey Car Park and the Long Term Car Park, while the International Multi-Storey Car Park serves the International Terminal. Rates are 7 AUD for the first 30 minutes, 15 AUD for an hour, 21 AUD for 2 hours, 26 AUD for 3 hours and 52 AUD for 3-24 hours. Day two costs 104 AUD and day three 156 AUD, after which each additional day is charged at 20 AUD. Valet parking, by contrast, is 70 AUD for the first day, 121 AUD for two days and 172 AUD for three days, up to a maximum of 376 AUD for seven days, with each additional day costing 23 AUD thereafter. Online bookings incur discounted rates.

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Information Desks

Gold Ambassadors provide roaming assistance throughout the airport and have a desk in the Arrivals and Departures areas in the T1 International Terminal. A tourism information desk situated in the centre of Arrivals area of T1.

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Airport Facilities

Money and communications: ATMs, currency exchange and post office.

Luggage: There are left luggage and lost and found facilities.

Conference and business: T3 features a number of meeting rooms available for hire through Qantas, each of which can accommodate up to 22 people, while T1 and T2 have bigger conference rooms with a capacity of up to 1000 people. Overhead projectors, flipcharts and whiteboards are standard venue facilities, whereas audio equipment is available on request.

Other facilities: Facilities include shower rooms, prayer rooms, a medical centre, pharmacy and childcare amenities.

Wi-Fi: Paid-for Wi-Fi is available throughout each terminal.

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