Western Sydney International Airport opens to commercial flights on 25 October, and getting there will cost very different amounts depending on where you live and how you travel.
Until the Sydney Metro airport line is finished in 2027, train passengers need to take a free shuttle bus from St Marys station, about 20km away, running every 30 minutes. Extra bus routes also run from Mount Druitt, Penrith, Liverpool, Campbelltown and Leppington, with adult fares starting at $5.77 in peak time. From Central, the quickest public option is a train then a bus from Penrith: about 1 hour 40 minutes and $10.31.
Super Shuttle WSI runs express services. A one-way ticket from the Sydney CBD is $55 ($80 return), while Parramatta is $25 one-way ($45 return). Its transfer to Kingsford Smith airport is $65 one-way.
Drivers get the toll-free M12 motorway. The airport promises three hours of free visitor parking, then $15 a day for long-stay, $29 for uncovered bays and $49 for covered. With no fixed taxi fare announced, a taxi to Penrith could cost about $81 and a rideshare about $60.
A UNSW transport expert says a second airport should add competition, but cheaper fares may have to wait until jet fuel prices ease.
What it means for your money
When you compare flights out of Western Sydney, add the trip to and from the airport and the travel time to the fare. A cheap ticket can lose its edge if you live in the inner city and face a $55 shuttle each way.
Source: ABC Business