Community
20 January, 2026
Western Sydney Airport buses announced — but locals left off the map
The NSW Government has announced free public transport services to connect Western Sydney International Airport when it opens later this year — but residents of the Southern Highlands, Wollondilly and the Southern Tablelands remain without any direct public transport link.
The NSW Government has announced free public transport services to connect Western Sydney International Airport when it opens later this year — but residents of the Southern Highlands, Wollondilly and the Southern Tablelands remain without any direct public transport link.
Under the plan unveiled this week, free buses will operate between the new Western Sydney airport and St Marys interchange. The service will run every 30 minutes from early morning until late at night, with an expected journey time of about 30 minutes.
The buses will connect passengers and airport workers into Sydney’s existing public transport network via St Marys.
Notably absent from the plan are any routes connecting the airport south to the Highlands, Wollondilly or the Tablelands — regions that already provide a substantial workforce to Western Sydney and are expected to generate significant passenger demand for the new airport.
While the announcement has been welcomed across Western Sydney, the focus of the new services is squarely inward facing, designed primarily to move people between the airport and Sydney’s suburban rail network, with no equivalent consideration for regional communities.
For residents of the Highlands, Wollondilly and the Southern Tablelands, the reality remains unchanged. Accessing Sydney’s new international airport will continue to rely on private vehicles, taxis or slow, multi-leg journeys through Sydney’s congested transport network.
The free airport buses will operate every 30 minutes between 4.30am and midnight Sunday to Thursday, and until 1am on Fridays and Saturdays. Transport for NSW says frequency can be adjusted as airport demand increases.
Transport Minister John Graham said it was vital to have public transport in place from the first day of operations.
“Australia’s newest international airport is going to be transformational for Western Sydney, and it is important to have connectivity to our public transport network from the moment the first bit of airline rubber hits the tarmac,” he said.
Mr Graham said the free buses would provide certainty for passengers and airline operators.
Western Sydney International Airport chief executive Simon Hickey said the buses would complement road access, ride-share services, taxis and more than 6,000 car spaces at the airport precinct.
“These services will offer an essential transport connection for workers and passengers using Sydney’s new 24-hour international gateway,” he said.
For many of our readers, Western Sydney International Airport will be significantly closer than Kingsford Smith Airport, yet far harder to reach without a car.
A drive from Moss Vale to the new airport is expected to take around one hour and 20 minutes in normal conditions. By contrast, a train journey from Moss Vale to St Marys would take around three hours and 15 minutes, requiring at least two train changes. Passengers would then need to wait for a bus before a further 30-minute trip to the airport. In total, the journey approaches four hours without accounting for delays or wait times.
An alternative public transport option involves travelling by train to Campbelltown, followed by a bus trip on route 845, which takes around 70 minutes on top of a one hour and 10-minute train journey. As a standard city bus service, it offers limited luggage space and is not designed for airport passengers.
With the airport set to operate 24 hours a day and expected to generate tens of thousands of jobs, questions are being raised about how workers from regional NSW are meant to access those opportunities without reliable, direct public transport.
As billions of dollars are spent building the airport, metro line and motorways, the absence of any plans linking the Highlands, Wollondilly and the Tablelands stands out.
For now, the message appears clear: free public transport will get Sydney residents part of the way to Western Sydney International Airport — but regional commuters, tourists and those conducting business will need to find their own way, and that means a car and paid parking.
Read More: Southern Highlands, Southern Tablelands, Wollondilly