# Western Sydney Airport opens: what the trip will cost

> Commercial flights begin October 25 at Western Sydney International Airport. Here's what travellers will pay to get there and when savings might arrive.
- Title: Western Sydney Airport opens: what the trip will cost · Abc
- Summary: Commercial flights begin October 25 at Western Sydney International Airport. Here's what travellers will pay to get there and when savings might arrive…
- Keywords: western sydney international airport, sydney airport, air transport, public transport, sydney metro, qatar airways, qantas, jetstar, air new zealand, singapore airlines, vietjet, fiji airways
- Source: Abc — https://abc.net.au/news/2026-10-21/nsw-travel-western-sydney-international-airport-flight-savings/106785424
- Published: 2026-10-20T19:43:29+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: western sydney international airport, sydney airport, air transport, public transport, sydney metro, qatar airways, qantas, jetstar, air new zealand, singapore airlines, vietjet, fiji airways
## New airport opens this week
Western Sydney International Airport opens to commercial flights on October 25. Located 45 kilometres from Sydney's CBD and 18 kilometres from Penrith, it will operate around the clock.
## Why a second airport matters
Sydney's Kingsford Smith has a curfew between 11pm and 6am and is heavily congested. Western Sydney's 24/7 operations attract low-cost carriers wanting profitable peak flying times.
## Which airlines are flying
Qatar Airways will fly to Doha from December 2027, with daily flights from late 2028. Qantas, Jetstar, Air New Zealand, Singapore Airlines, VietJet and Fiji Airways have also announced routes.
## Train: the future option
The Sydney Metro Western Sydney Airport Line will be the fastest public transport when completed in 2027, taking around 15 minutes from St Marys Station. Until then, free shuttle buses run every 30 minutes.

> passengers will be able to travel from the broader rail network via St Marys Station to Western Sydney International Airport in around 15 minutes
## Bus fares from outer Sydney
Bus routes operate through Mount Druitt, Penrith, Liverpool, Campbelltown and Leppington. Trips take 30 minutes to over an hour, with adult fares starting from five dollars seventy-seven during peak time.
## Bus fares from inner Sydney
No direct public transport connects inner Sydney to the airport. From Central Station, the quickest route via Penrith takes about 1 hour 40 minutes and costs ten dollars thirty-one.
## Express shuttle services
Super Shuttle WSI offers express buses from Parramatta CBD and Sydney CBD. From Sydney CBD, one-way costs fifty-five dollars and return is eighty dollars, taking 45 to 60 minutes depending on traffic.
## Driving and parking
The toll-free M12 motorway is the fastest option for most of Sydney. The airport has 6,000 car spaces with three hours free parking, then fifteen dollars a day for long-stay or twenty-nine to forty-nine dollars…
## Taxi and rideshare costs
Western Sydney International Airport has not announced fixed taxi fares. A taxi from the airport to Penrith CBD could cost about eighty-one dollars, while rideshare is estimated at about sixty dollars.
## When will fares actually drop
Rico Merkert, chair in transport and supply chain management at the University of Sydney, says real savings depend on jet fuel prices. High fuel costs from Middle East conflict may prevent airlines offering low fares.

> Maybe the airlines will be unable to really offer super low airfares, until that conflict in the Middle East is resolved
## The door-to-door calculation
Merkert says travellers chasing cheaper holidays must account for both transit time and the cost to reach the airport. Airlines face pressure to lower prices as demand is currently soft.

> You have to account for two things, transit time and then also the cost to get to and from the airport as well
## Key takeaway

Western Sydney International Airport opens October 25 with three transport options: trains arrive in 2027, buses cost five dollars seventy-seven to ten dollars thirty-one, and express shuttles cost twenty-five to fifty-five dollars. Real airfare savings depend on jet fuel prices falling.