Sydney International Airport T1 transfers
Landing at T1? Your driver waits at Sydney Airport’s meeting point on the arrivals level, between exits A and B, with your name — and waits free for 2 hours from actual landing. Fixed fares, set when you book: Sydney CBD $120, Wollongong $341, Kiama $408, Nowra $510.
OSPIPO meets international arrivals inside T1 International at Sydney (Kingsford Smith) Airport, Mascot (SYD) — at the airport’s meeting point on the arrivals level, between exits A and B — with a sign showing your name. Your flight is tracked and waiting is free for 2 hours from actual landing, so passport control, bags and biosecurity never cost extra. The fixed fare from T1 is the same as from the domestic terminals: $120 to the Sydney CBD, $341 to Wollongong, $408 to Kiama, $510 to Nowra and $572 to Jervis Bay, per car for up to 3 passengers, with tolls, GST and the NSW levy included. You pay on arrival.
Book now — pay on arrival →Terminal facts · Sydney International Airport (T1) · checked 19 October 2026
Sydney International Airport (T1): the facts
- Private transfer from T1
- Fixed per car, set when you book: $120 to the Sydney CBD, $341 Wollongong, $408 Kiama, $510 Nowra, $572 Jervis Bay. Tolls, GST and the NSW levy included; pay on arrival. Every fare
- Meeting point
- Sydney Airport’s meeting point on the T1 arrivals level, between exits A and B. Your driver waits there with a sign showing your name; the exact spot is confirmed by SMS when you land.
- Free waiting
- 2 hours from actual landing. Your flight is tracked, so a delay, a long passport queue or a slow bag never costs extra.
- Same fare as T2/T3
- The fare from T1 is the same as from the domestic terminals; only the free waiting differs (1 hour at T2 and T3). T2 & T3 Domestic
- Flights at T1
- Every international flight at Sydney Airport — Qantas international (QF1–QF399) and its oneworld partners, Jetstar and Virgin Australia international flights, and the overseas airlines.
- To T2 or T3
- The T-Bus is free, every 15 minutes from 5:30am to 10:30pm, about 10 minutes, from the arrivals level outside Arrival Hall B. The train takes 2 minutes between the International and Domestic stations, $8.50 one way at peak times or $7.30 off-peak with Opal. You can’t walk between T1 and the domestic terminals. All the options
- Train to the city
- From the International station, about 13 minutes to the city on the T8 Airport & South Line, about every 10 minutes from 5am to midnight — about $22–24 for an adult with Opal or a contactless card, including the $18.61 airport station access fee ($16.64 for children and concession holders; the adult access fee is capped at $37.75 a week).
- Taxi
- From the rank outside the terminal to the Sydney CBD, taxis charge a fixed fare set by the NSW Government — an 18-month trial that began on 3 November 2025 — with tolls included. To anywhere else the meter runs, and Sydney Airport says the total must include the airport toll.
- Flying out of T1
- Be at T1 3 hours before an international flight. For a 9pm flight on a weekday that means a pickup at about 4:20pm in Wollongong, 3:55pm in Kiama, 3:25pm in Nowra or 5:10pm in the CBD. Full table
- Booking
- At least 3 hours’ notice online; for pickups before 5am, at least 24 hours, and 48 hours is recommended for early flights. No deposit, no card details; free cancellation any time before pickup.
- Terminal hours
- Sydney Airport lists T1 as open from 3am to 11pm. A legislated curfew limits flights between 11pm and 6am.
- Western Sydney Airport
- A different airport, at Badgerys Creek — passenger flights from 25 October 2026. Check whether your ticket says SYD or WSI. A transfer between the two airports is $245. WSI fares
Sydney Airport: T1 facilities (meeting point), FAQ (meeting international arrivals, terminal hours), getting to your next flight (T-Bus, the train between terminals, walking), passenger pick-up and public pick-up (rideshare signs, the P9 zone), taxi and rideshare (the airport toll) and its travel guide (3 hours before an international flight); Qantas: Sydney terminal transfers and airport guides (flights at T1, the Qantas transfer); Transport for NSW: rank and hail taxi fares (the CBD fixed-fare trial) and getting to and from Sydney Airport (station access fee, train hours), and the bus route timetables (350, 420, N20). Fares: the OSPIPO fare engine, the same one the booking form uses. Checked 19 October 2026.
Where your driver meets you at T1
International arrivals can only be met in the public arrivals hall, after passport control, bags and biosecurity — so that is where your OSPIPO driver waits: at Sydney Airport’s meeting point on the arrivals level, between exits A and B, holding a sign with your name.
- Land and switch your phone on. Your flight is tracked from departure, so an early or late landing moves the pickup with it — the 2 hours of free waiting start from the actual landing time.
- Passport control. Eligible ePassport holders can use the SmartGates; everyone else sees an officer.
- Collect your bags from the carousels on the arrivals level.
- Biosecurity and customs. Declare any food, plant material or animal products — bags may be X-rayed or inspected.
- Walk out through exit A or exit B. Your driver is at the meeting point between the two exits, with your name.
- A short walk to the car. Your driver helps with the bags, and you pay the fixed fare at the end of the trip, by card or cash.
Fixed fares from T1 International
The same fixed fare from T1 as from T2 and T3, set when you book and the same at any hour — no surge, no night loading, no airport surcharge at the end.
| To or from | One way, per car | Return, same driver | Drive (approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney | |||
| Sydney CBD zone | $120 from T1 · $100 to T1 | $200 | ~13–14 km · ~20 min |
| Bondi Beach | $120 | $215 | ~14 km |
| North Sydney | $120 | $215 | ~14 km |
| Manly | $140 | $250 | ~24 km |
| Parramatta | $145 | $260 | ~27 km |
| Illawarra | |||
| Helensburgh | $242 | $435 | ~45 km · ~50 min |
| Stanwell Park | $265 | $475 | ~50 km · ~50 min |
| Austinmer | $298 | $535 | ~65 km · ~1h |
| Thirroul | $304 | $545 | ~60 km · ~1h |
| Wollongong | $341 | $615 | ~75 km · ~1h 10m |
| Figtree | $350 | $630 | ~75 km · ~1h 10m |
| Dapto | $367 | $660 | ~85 km · ~1h 15m |
| Albion Park | $387 | $695 | ~95 km · ~1h 25m |
| Shellharbour | $374 | $675 | ~100 km · ~1h 25m |
| Shell Cove | $374 | $675 | ~95 km · ~1h 25m |
| Kiama | |||
| Minnamurra | $393 | $705 | ~105 km · ~1h 30m |
| Kiama Downs | $397 | $715 | ~105 km · ~1h 30m |
| Kiama | $408 | $735 | ~110 km · ~1h 35m |
| Jamberoo | $410 | $740 | ~105 km · ~1h 35m |
| Gerringong | $450 | $810 | ~120 km · ~1h 40m |
| Gerroa | $443 | $795 | ~125 km · ~1h 45m |
| Shoalhaven | |||
| Berry | $480 | $865 | ~135 km · ~1h 50m |
| Shoalhaven Heads | $469 | $845 | ~135 km · ~1h 55m |
| Kangaroo Valley | $489 | $880 | ~145 km · ~1h 55m |
| Bomaderry | $499 | $900 | ~150 km · ~2h |
| Nowra | $510 | $920 | ~155 km · ~2h 5m |
| Culburra Beach | $539 | $970 | ~175 km · ~2h 25m |
| Jervis Bay | |||
| Callala Bay | $555 | $1,000 | ~175 km · ~2h 25m |
| Currarong | $588 | $1,060 | ~185 km · ~2h 35m |
| Jervis Bay | $572 | $1,030 | ~175 km · ~2h 30m |
| Huskisson | $572 | $1,030 | ~175 km · ~2h 30m |
| Vincentia | $572 | $1,030 | ~180 km · ~2h 30m |
| Hyams Beach | $578 | $1,040 | ~180 km · ~2h 35m |
| St Georges Basin | $542 | $975 | ~175 km · ~2h 25m |
| Sanctuary Point | $548 | $985 | ~180 km · ~2h 30m |
Fixed per car for up to 3 passengers, with motorway tolls, GST and the NSW levy included, and the same from T1, T2 and T3. Every fare is the same in both directions except the CBD zone — $120 from the airport, because the pickup includes meet and greet inside the terminal and the free waiting, and $100 to it. A return is both legs less 10%, rounded to the nearest $5. Further afield: Katoomba in the Blue Mountains is $424, and a transfer between Sydney Airport and Western Sydney Airport (WSI) is $245. Distances and drive times are by road from Sydney Airport (suburb centre), typical outside peak hours (OpenStreetMap routing, October 2026); the booking form quotes your exact address instantly.
Flying out of T1: when to be collected
Sydney Airport suggests being at the terminal 3 hours before an international flight. OSPIPO works back from that: the drive, 10 minutes to load the bags, and 30 minutes more if the pickup falls in the weekday morning peak (5:45 to 9:30am) or 20 minutes in the afternoon peak (2:30 to 6:30pm).
| Your flight | At T1 by | Wollongong | Kiama | Nowra | Jervis Bay | Sydney CBD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7am | 4:00am | 2:40am | 2:15am | 1:45am | 1:20am | 3:30am |
| 10am | 7:00am | 5:40am | 5:15am | 4:45am | 4:20am | 6:00am |
| 1pm | 10:00am | 8:10am | 7:45am | 7:15am | 6:50am | 9:00am |
| 4pm | 1:00pm | 11:40am | 11:15am | 10:45am | 10:20am | 12:30pm |
| 7pm | 4:00pm | 2:20pm | 2:15pm | 1:45pm | 1:20pm | 3:10pm |
| 9pm | 6:00pm | 4:20pm | 3:55pm | 3:25pm | 3:00pm | 5:10pm |
| 10:30pm | 7:30pm | 5:50pm | 5:25pm | 4:55pm | 4:30pm | 7:00pm |
Weekday pickup times, rounded down to the nearest 5 minutes; at weekends they can be up to 30 minutes later. Always check your airline’s check-in and bag-drop cut-off — it is set by the airline. Add your flight number when you book and Parag will suggest a pickup time. Drop-off is at the T1 departures kerb.
Connecting to a domestic flight
T1 is on the other side of the airport from T2 and T3, and you can’t walk between them. On an international-to-domestic connection you collect your bags and clear customs first, even on the same ticket. Then:
- T-Bus — free. Every 15 minutes from 5:30am to 10:30pm, about 10 minutes. At T1 it leaves from the arrivals level outside Arrival Hall B — follow the T2 Domestic Transfer signs.
- Train — 2 minutes. $8.50 one way at peak times or $7.30 off-peak with Opal or contactless, from the International station off the arrivals hall. Trains run from 5am to midnight.
- Qantas transfer — for eligible connections. About every 10 minutes from 6am to 9:30pm, about 15 minutes, from the transfer area outside T1, about 4 minutes’ walk from the customs exit — for Qantas and partner international flights connecting to Qantas domestic.
- Taxi or rideshare. From the rank or the rideshare area outside T1 — metered, or the app’s price.
Other connecting passengers use the free T-Bus — check with your airline. Allow enough time for bags, customs and check-in for the onward flight.
Every way out of T1, side by side
| Option | To the city | Cost | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airport train (T8) | About 13 minutes | About $22–24 adult with Opal or contactless, including the $18.61 station access fee | About every 10 minutes, 5am to midnight. Station to station, with your bags on the platforms. |
| Bus | No daytime bus to the city | Opal fare | Route 420 runs between Burwood and Mascot station via both terminals. Overnight, from about midnight to 4am, NightRide N20 runs to Town Hall. |
| Rank taxi | About 20 minutes with clear roads | To the CBD: a fixed fare under a NSW Government trial (since 3 November 2025), tolls included. Elsewhere: metered, plus the airport toll. | Join the queue at the rank; the car is whichever is next. |
| Rideshare | About 20 minutes with clear roads | Shown before you accept; can surge at busy times | Follow the green rideshare signs after you leave the arrivals hall. |
| Family or friends | — | Free for up to 15 minutes, one entry per calendar day | The international public pick-up zone is in the P9 car park; longer stays are charged. |
| OSPIPO private transfer | About 20 minutes; Wollongong about 1h 10m | $120 per car to the CBD, $341 to Wollongong — fixed, tolls, GST and levy included | Met inside at the meeting point, 2 hours of free waiting, booked before you fly, pay on arrival. |
On price, the train beats any car into the city, and a rank taxi to the CBD now costs less than a booked transfer. A booked transfer is for the rest: a driver already waiting inside when you come out, no rank queue, the free waiting if immigration is slow, and the run down the coast — Wollongong $341, Shellharbour $374, Kiama $408, Berry $480, Nowra $510, Jervis Bay $572 — without changing trains with your bags. Only taxis can be hailed or picked up from a rank; every private transfer, OSPIPO included, is booked in advance. More on private transfer vs taxi vs rideshare and the South Coast train change at Wolli Creek.
Sources: Sydney Airport: T1 facilities (meeting point), FAQ (meeting international arrivals, terminal hours), getting to your next flight (T-Bus, the train between terminals, walking), passenger pick-up and public pick-up (rideshare signs, the P9 zone), taxi and rideshare (the airport toll) and its travel guide (3 hours before an international flight); Qantas: Sydney terminal transfers and airport guides (flights at T1, the Qantas transfer); Transport for NSW: rank and hail taxi fares (the CBD fixed-fare trial) and getting to and from Sydney Airport (station access fee, train hours), and the bus route timetables (350, 420, N20). Fares: the OSPIPO fare engine, the same one the booking form uses. Checked 19 October 2026.
Common questions
At Sydney Airport’s meeting point on the T1 arrivals level, between exits A and B. Once you have cleared passport control, collected your bags and passed biosecurity, walk out through either exit — your OSPIPO driver is waiting at the meeting point with a sign showing your name. The exact spot is confirmed by SMS when your flight lands.
Up to 2 hours from your actual landing time, free. Your flight is tracked, so if it lands early or late the pickup moves with it, and a long passport queue or a slow bag never costs extra. Held up for longer — a lost bag, say? Call or message: OSPIPO doesn’t cancel and drive off when the free waiting ends; the driver waits within reason and stays in touch.
$120 per car, fixed — $40 each for three passengers — with meet and greet inside T1 and 2 hours of free waiting. The drive is about 13–14 km from T1 to Town Hall, about 20 minutes with clear roads. Tolls, GST and the NSW levy are included, and you pay on arrival. The other way, from the CBD to T1, is $100. More on Sydney Airport to the Sydney CBD.
Fixed per car: Wollongong $341, Shellharbour $374, Kiama $408, Gerringong $450, Berry $480, Nowra $510 and Jervis Bay $572 — the same from T1 as from the domestic terminals. A return booked together is both legs less 10%: Wollongong $615, Kiama $735, Nowra $920.
No. OSPIPO charges the same fixed fare from every Sydney Airport terminal. The only difference is the free waiting: 2 hours at T1 International and 1 hour at T2 and T3 Domestic, because passport control, bags and biosecurity take longer after an international flight. T2 and T3 Domestic transfers
Take the free T-Bus — every 15 minutes from 5:30am to 10:30pm, about 10 minutes — from the arrivals level outside Arrival Hall B (follow the T2 Domestic Transfer signs). The train between the International and Domestic stations takes 2 minutes and costs $8.50 one way at peak times or $7.30 off-peak with Opal. Eligible Qantas connections have the Qantas transfer. You can’t walk between T1 and T2 or T3.
No. T1 is on the other side of the airport from T2 and T3, and Sydney Airport says walking between the international and domestic terminals isn’t possible. Use the free T-Bus, the 2-minute train or a taxi. T2 and T3 are about a 5-minute walk from each other.
That is what the 2 hours of free waiting is for. Your driver tracks the flight and waits from the actual landing time, so a long queue at passport control, a slow carousel or a biosecurity check doesn’t cost extra. If you are held up, call or message +61 435 162 311.
Sydney Airport suggests being at the terminal 3 hours before an international flight. Working back from that — with the drive, 10 minutes to load and a weekday-peak allowance — a 9pm flight means a pickup at about 4:20pm in Wollongong, 3:55pm in Kiama, 3:25pm in Nowra or 5:10pm in the Sydney CBD on a weekday. Always check your airline’s check-in cut-off.
Every international flight at Sydney Airport uses T1 — Qantas international flights (QF1–QF399) and its oneworld partners, Jetstar and Virgin Australia international flights, and the overseas airlines. Qantas domestic flights use T3; Virgin Australia and Jetstar domestic flights use T2.
Yes. Trains leave from the International station, reached from the T1 arrivals hall — about 13 minutes to the city on the T8 Airport & South Line, about every 10 minutes from 5am to midnight — about $22–24 for an adult with Opal or a contactless card, including the $18.61 airport station access fee ($16.64 for children and concession holders; the adult access fee is capped at $37.75 a week).
Yes, with changes and your bags. Until 14 November 2026 you take the airport line to Wolli Creek and change for a South Coast train; from 15 November South Coast trains no longer stop at Wolli Creek, so you change at Sutherland or Hurstville as well, or ride to Central. It is about 1 hour 30 minutes to Wollongong on today’s timetable. A fixed-fare transfer from T1 is $341 to Wollongong, door to door. The Wolli Creek change
Taxis from the airport rank to the Sydney CBD charge a fixed fare set by the NSW Government, under an 18-month trial that began on 3 November 2025, with tolls included — Transport for NSW publishes the amount. It costs less than a booked transfer. To anywhere outside the CBD, taxis run on the meter, plus the airport toll.
Yes. A late-night arrival pays the same fare as a midday one — $120 to the CBD, $341 to Wollongong — and your driver waits from your actual landing, however late the flight runs. Airport trains stop around midnight.
Up to 3 passengers with 2 large suitcases plus carry-on, in a premium all-electric executive sedan. Four adults travel only on request, with light bags; five or more won’t fit. Child seats and baby capsules are free — mention them when you book.
No. Nothing is charged at booking and no card details are taken. You pay the driver on arrival, by card or cash, and cancellation is free any time before pickup.
No. Western Sydney International (WSI) at Badgerys Creek is a separate airport, about 55 km from Sydney Airport by road, with passenger flights from 25 October 2026. Check whether your ticket says SYD or WSI. OSPIPO covers both — WSI fares — and a transfer between the two airports is $245.