Sydney Airport Bus Guide — the 420 and 350 (Skip the Train Tax)

Last updated: May 2026 — caught both buses this week to check the details.

Most people know you can walk to Sydney Airport from Mascot station to avoid the train access fee. Fewer people know you can also just catch the bus.

The 420 and 350 Sydney buses both serve the airport from Mascot station, both accept Opal card tap-on/tap-off, and neither charges the airport access fee. We caught both this week as part of our regular airport route check. Here’s everything you need to know — including the things that caught other passengers out while we were watching.

In this post:

The two buses

420 bus — Mascot to both terminals

The 420 is the one to remember. It serves both the domestic and international terminals from Mascot station, making it the most versatile option.

Mascot to International (T1): 17 minutes
Mascot to Domestic (T2/T3): 7 minutes
Domestic to International: 10 minutes
Cost: Standard Opal fare — no airport access surcharge

The 420 stops right outside the Qantas terminal (T3) at domestic. T2 (Virgin Australia) and T3 (Qantas) are connected via an underground walkway — it’s not the most obvious connection but it’s there and it’s signed. Allow 5 minutes to walk between them once you’re inside.

For international, the 420 bus stop is actually closer to the terminal than the train station. This surprises people. The train station at international requires a longer walk through the terminal to get to departures — the bus drops you right at the door.

350 bus — Mascot to Domestic only

The 350 goes to domestic only. If you’re flying Qantas or Virgin domestically and you’re coming from Mascot, the 350 is a direct, fast option.

Mascot to Domestic (T2/T3): 7 minutes
Cost: Standard Opal fare

Yes, the train works too — here’s the honest case for it

This is a money-saving guide, but we’d be doing you a disservice not to acknowledge the train properly.

The airport train is fast, air-conditioned, runs every 10 minutes, and removes all timing stress from your journey. It’s the right choice when you’re running late, travelling with heavy luggage in peak hour, or it’s tipping with rain. No shame in it.

The cost is the station access fee on top of your Opal fare:

	Station access fee
Adult (Opal)	$17.92 per trip
Adult (single trip ticket)	$18.30 per trip
Child/Youth	$16.03 per trip
Between domestic and international only	$5.00 per trip

Two adults travelling from the city to the airport and back is $71.68 in access fees alone. That’s the number worth knowing. If you’re coming from the city with a manageable bag, the bus saves you nearly $18 per person per trip — that’s a genuine saving worth making the effort for.

If you’re only travelling between domestic and international terminals, the train costs just $5 extra per person — convenient, but not a reason to reorganise your plans around the bus.

This guide exists so that choice is yours to make consciously — not something that happens by default because you didn’t know the bus existed.

What to know before you get on

Tap on AND tap off. This sounds obvious but we watched multiple passengers on both buses fail to tap off. On Sydney buses the tap-off matters — without it you get charged the maximum fare for the route. There are Opal readers at the door when you exit. Use them.

Luggage is the variable. If you’re travelling with a backpack or a single carry-on, the bus is easy. If you’re travelling with multiple large checked bags, be aware: Sydney buses are not designed for lots of people with large luggage. On a busy service this can get chaotic fast. If you’re travelling light — walk or bus. If you’re travelling heavy and it’s peak hour — budget for the train or an Uber and save yourself the stress.

If in doubt, ask the driver. Particularly relevant when going between terminals — the 420 serves both, but it’s easy to lose track of which stop is which if you’re not paying attention. We speak from experience: get distracted on your phone and you may find yourself at Mascot station instead of the international terminal. The drivers are helpful. Ask.

Check the timetable. Buses run regularly but not constantly. Check the Transport NSW app before you leave so you’re not waiting 20 minutes at Mascot with bags.

Bus vs walk vs train — which should you choose?

	Walk	Bus (420/350)	Train
Cost	Opal to Mascot/Wolli Creek	Opal to Mascot + bus	Opal + $17.92 access fee
International time	25 min walk	17 min + travel to Mascot	Fast but expensive
Domestic time	21 min walk	7 min + travel to Mascot	Fast but expensive
Best for	Light bags, good weather	Any bags, any weather	Running late or heavy luggage
Worst for	Heavy luggage, rain	Peak hour with big bags	Budget travellers from the city

Our honest take: Coming from the city with a carry-on and a bit of time — the bus saves you $17.92 per person, worth the effort. Just transferring between terminals — the $5 saving is modest, take whichever is more convenient.

Getting between terminals

The 420 is the practical option for getting between domestic and international. The train costs $5 per person in access fees for this specific trip — modest but real.

Domestic to International: 420 bus, 10 minutes
International to Domestic: 420 bus, 10 minutes

Pay attention to your stop. If you miss it you’ll end up at Mascot station. Ask the driver if you’re not sure — they’ll tell you when your stop is coming.

Full details in our getting between terminals guide →

The SIM card and FX ATM situation

You’ll walk past the SIM card hawkers and foreign exchange ATMs at the international terminal on the way in. Both are worth ignoring completely — tourist SIMs at inflated prices and some of the worst exchange rates in Sydney. Both exist because most travellers arrive underprepared.

Sort your travel data at home with Airalo — here’s why we use it →