The T8 is the line most visitors to Sydney will use at least once, as it’s the Airport Link, connecting the Domestic and International terminals directly to Central and the City Circle. Beyond the airport it continues south-west through Wolli Creek, Revesby and Glenfield to Campbelltown and Macarthur. From Sunday 15 November 2026 it’s renamed the T8 SYD Airport & South West Line, every train runs through the airport, and peak trains between Green Square and Wolli Creek come every four minutes. Know about the airport station access fee before you tap on.
Green
City Circle ↔ Macarthur (via the Airport)
Domestic (T2/T3) · International (T1)
$18.61 adult each way (Opal, checked Oct 2026)
Line Map
Sydney Train Map
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Overview
The Airport Train – and a Lot More Besides
The T8 does two very different jobs depending on where you board. For the first part of its route, it’s the airport train, running from the City Circle underground loop through Central, Green Square and Mascot to the Domestic (T2/T3) and International (T1) terminals at Sydney Airport. Beyond the airport it’s a busy south-western commuter line: Wolli Creek, then Turrella, Bardwell Park, Kingsgrove, Riverwood, Padstow, Revesby, East Hills, Holsworthy and Glenfield, out to Campbelltown and Macarthur.
The airport section, the Airport Link, opened in May 2000 as a public-private partnership, and that deal is the origin of the station access fee that still applies today. Passengers entering or leaving either airport station pay it on top of the standard Opal fare, making the train one of the pricier airport transfers in the country. Whether it’s worth it depends on your starting point, your luggage and your patience for alternatives.
The Airport Station Access Fee – Know Before You Go
As of October 2026, the fee is $18.61 per adult trip on Opal or contactless ($19.00 on a single-trip ticket), charged on top of your normal train fare at both the Domestic and International stations. It isn’t included in the Opal daily or weekly fare caps (it has its own weekly cap of $37.75), and the 60-minute Opal transfer doesn’t apply at the airport stations, so tapping off and on again means paying it twice. A return trip from the city adds about $37 per adult in fees alone. For a solo traveller it’s usually still competitive with taxis or rideshare; for a family or group, the maths often favours a taxi, rideshare or pre-booked shuttle. Check Transport for NSW’s airport page for the current rate, as it rises regularly.
New Timetable
What Changes on the T8 from Sunday 15 November 2026
Transport for NSW announced the changes on 15 October 2026 as part of a new timetable for the T8, T4, South Coast and T2 lines. You can plan trips on the new timetable in Trip Planner and the Opal Travel app from early November (Transport says from 1 November).
- New name: the T8 Airport & South Line becomes the T8 SYD Airport & South West Line.
- Every train goes through the airport. Until now, some peak T8 trains ran via Sydenham instead of the Airport Tunnel. From 15 November, all T8 services run via Wolli Creek, International Airport, Domestic Airport, Mascot and Green Square.
- Turn-up-and-go airport trains: a train every four minutes on average in the morning and afternoon peaks between Green Square and Wolli Creek, up from every 6.5 minutes. Transport’s example: Glenfield to the airport goes from a direct train every 15 minutes (about 32 minutes) to one every five minutes (about 28 minutes) in the morning peak.
- No more T8 trains to Sydenham, St Peters, Erskineville or Redfern. St Peters and Erskineville move to the T4 permanently, and the off-peak and weekend T8 loop services via Sydenham (introduced in October 2024 when the T3 Bankstown Line closed) end. South-west passengers heading to those stations change to the T4 at Wolli Creek.
- Getting to the Metro: change at Central, or take the T4 from Wolli Creek to Sydenham.
- Journey times: Wolli Creek to the CBD is unchanged. From stations south-west of Revesby, expect up to 2 extra minutes in the morning peak. The number of CBD services for stations south-west of Wolli Creek stays the same. Trips that used to rely on a Sydenham change take longer: Transport’s own example of Campbelltown to Victoria Cross goes from about 62 to about 73 minutes, with trains every 5 instead of every 7.5 minutes.
South Coast Line Travellers: New Airport Route
From 15 November, South Coast Line trains no longer stop at Wolli Creek, which removes the easy change to the airport. Your options: stay on to Central and change to the T8 (one change, simplest with luggage), or change to a T4 at Sutherland, ride to Wolli Creek and change again for the T8 (fastest, but two changes).
Key Stations
From the City to the Airport and Beyond
Central
City Circle · Major interchange
The main hub for T8 services in the CBD and the place to connect to every other train line, the Metro, regional services and the light rail. T8 trains use Central’s above-ground suburban platforms, so follow the signs for the T8 from the main concourse and check the platform on the departure boards. Because the T8 runs around the City Circle, you can also board it at Town Hall, Wynyard, Circular Quay, St James or Museum. From Central to the International terminal takes roughly 13–15 minutes, one of the fastest airport connections in the world relative to a CBD of this size.
Mascot
Airport surrounds · Residential
The station immediately before the airport precinct and fee-free, like Green Square: only the Domestic and International stations attract the access fee. If you’re staying in a Mascot hotel (several budget and mid-range options cluster here), Mascot station is your normal-fare connection to the CBD. Buses including routes 420 and 350 connect Mascot to the terminals on a standard Opal fare. Walking to the Domestic terminal is possible but long and not much fun with luggage.
Domestic Airport (T2/T3)
Airport · Access fee applies
The station for the domestic terminals: T3 for Qantas, T2 for Virgin Australia, Jetstar, Rex and others. The station sits underground between the two terminals, with escalators and lifts up to terminal level. Trains run frequently all day, and from 15 November peak trains come every four minutes on average. The platform is often crowded with luggage at peak times, so board toward the front or rear of the train for easier boarding.
International Airport (T1)
Airport · Access fee applies · All international flights
The station for all international arrivals and departures, one stop beyond Domestic heading away from the city, and also within the access-fee zone. From the platform, lifts and escalators take you to the Arrivals and Departures levels. If you’re only meeting someone off a flight, you don’t need the train station at all; the Arrivals hall is on the terminal’s ground level. To move between the International and Domestic terminals, take the T8 one stop (access fee applies) or the route 420 bus.
Wolli Creek
South of airport · T4 interchange
The key interchange just south of the airport where the T8 meets the T4 Eastern Suburbs & Illawarra Line. If you’re coming from Hurstville, Sutherland, Cronulla or anywhere on the T4, change here for the short hop to the airport stations. Wolli Creek itself carries no access fee. From 15 November it’s also where T8 passengers from the south-west change to the T4 for Sydenham, St Peters, Erskineville and Redfern. The suburb is a fast-growing apartment area with foreshore walking tracks along the Cooks River.
Glenfield
South-West · Major interchange
Where the T8 meets the T2 and T5 lines, making it the main south-western changing point for Liverpool, Leppington and Parramatta. For airport travellers from the south-west, it’s also where the new timetable makes the biggest difference, with a train toward the airport every five minutes in the morning peak from 15 November.
Campbelltown
South-West · Arts & heritage
One of the Macquarie-era towns, founded in 1820 and named after Governor Macquarie’s wife, Elizabeth Campbell. Campbelltown has a heritage main street with sandstone buildings and the excellent Campbelltown Arts Centre, which runs ambitious contemporary exhibitions rivalling Sydney’s inner-city institutions. Western Sydney University also has a campus here. For a glimpse of colonial-era New South Wales without the crowds of Parramatta, time a visit with the Festival of Fisher’s Ghost, held each November. The line continues one more stop to its terminus at Macarthur.
How to Use It
Making the Airport Train Work for You
Check your balance before boarding – the access fee is automatic
The station access fee is deducted automatically when you tap on or off at an airport station. Make sure your Opal card has enough balance to cover the fee plus your train fare (roughly $22–23 to the CBD for an adult). If you buy or top up an Opal card at an airport station, a minimum top-up of $35 applies. Alternatively, use a contactless credit or debit card, phone or watch; it works on the same readers and the fee is applied the same way. Don’t get caught short at the exit gate after a long international flight.
CBD to airport: about 13 minutes from Central, no traffic risk
The T8 to the airport is fast, taking around 13–15 minutes from Central to the International terminal, and entirely immune to Sydney’s notoriously unpredictable traffic. For an early morning flight or an important connection, the train is the reliable choice. From Town Hall, Wynyard or Circular Quay, allow a few extra minutes around the City Circle to Central. Total from Town Hall: under 30 minutes.
Travelling with a group? Consider alternatives
For a family or group, the access fee adds up quickly: two adults on a return trip pay about $75 in fees alone, before any children’s fees. Taxis, rideshare and pre-booked shuttles become competitive at that point. Compare your options before deciding: the train wins for solo travellers and couples; shared transfers or taxis may be better value for groups with lots of luggage.
Heading south from the airport? Change at Wolli Creek
The T8 doesn’t go to Hurstville, Sutherland or Cronulla, but the T4 does, and Wolli Creek is one stop from the International terminal. Change there for Hurstville’s yum cha scene, Sutherland, or Cronulla Beach and the Bundeena ferry to Royal National Park. A Hurstville lunch and a Cronulla beach afternoon makes a great day out, and no access fee applies unless your trip starts or ends at an airport station.
Insider Tips
Airport Train Tips from Frequent Flyers
Stay at Mascot, Save on Fees
Several budget and mid-range hotels in Mascot offer good value for travellers with early flights or late arrivals. Mascot station is the stop before the airport and fee-free, and a short bus ride (routes 420 and 350) gets you to the terminals on a normal Opal fare, saving the access fee on every trip. For a one-night transit stay before an early international departure, Mascot hotels are often cheaper than comparable CBD options.
T8 trains serve the airport stations every day from around 5am until about midnight; Sydney trains don’t run all night. If you have a very early flight or land after midnight, plan for a taxi, rideshare or NightRide bus, and check the first and last services in Trip Planner before you travel.