Sydney Airport (SYD), also referred to as Kingsford-Smith Airport, is situated in the suburb of Mascot, near Botany Bay, approximately 6 miles (9km) from Sydney, Australia’s largest city and main commercial and tourist hub. It is one of the oldest continuously running airports in the world and, having handled just over 35.9 million passengers in 2010, it is Australia’s busiest aerial hub.
Comprising three passenger terminals, namely International Terminal T1 and Domestic Terminals T2 and T3, Sydney Airport is home to a vast array of world-class shopping and dining venues, as well as a host of facilities and amenities for both tourists and business travelers. Check-in, baggage claims, immigrations, customs and security are generally smooth and painless; however, like most international airports, standard airport processes can slow down during peak times.
In essence, Sydney Airport is clean, efficient and well maintained. Better yet, transport to and from the airport is abundant and therefore makes this airport an ideal gateway for those traveling to Sydney and surrounds.
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<div class="rxbodyfield">A shuttle service runs between the terminals at a cost of 5.50 AUD, while a free shuttle service runs between the long-term parking lots and the terminals.</div>
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Train: Airport Link stations are located at each terminal. Trains depart every 10 minutes and run to Sydney Town Hall in 13 minutes. A single one-way ticket costs 15 AUD.
Taxi: Taxi ranks are located outside each terminal. Journey time to the city center is about 30 minutes and fare is approximately 50 AUD, excluding an airport toll of 3.50 AUD.
Bus: Sydney Buses stop on the Arrivals level of each terminal and travel to various locations in Sydney, including the city center. Fare is 3-5 AUD.
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The Domestic Terminals are served by the T2 Valet, the Domestic Multi-Storey Car Park and the Long Term Car Park, while the International Multi-Storey Car Park serves the International Terminal. Rates are 7 AUD for the first 30 minutes, 15 AUD for an hour, 21 AUD for 2 hours, 26 AUD for 3 hours and 52 AUD for 3-24 hours. Day two costs 104 AUD and day three 156 AUD, after which each additional day is charged at 20 AUD. Valet parking, by contrast, is 70 AUD for the first day, 121 AUD for two days and 172 AUD for three days, up to a maximum of 376 AUD for seven days, with each additional day costing 23 AUD thereafter. Online bookings incur discounted rates.
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Money and communications: ATMs, currency exchange and post office.
Luggage: There are left luggage and lost and found facilities.
Conference and business: T3 features a number of meeting rooms available for rent through Qantas, each of which can accommodate up to 22 people, while T1 and T2 have bigger conference rooms with a capacity of up to 1000 people. Overhead projectors, flipcharts and whiteboards are standard venue facilities, whereas audio equipment is available on request.
Other facilities: Facilities include shower rooms, prayer rooms, a medical center, pharmacy and childcare amenities.
Wi-Fi: Paid-for Wi-Fi is available throughout each terminal.
Shopping: With over 150 retail and duty-free outlets, including fashion stores, beauty salons, electronics specialists, newsagents and bookshops, Sydney Airport is as much a high-end shopping destination as it is a world-class airport. Reputable outlets include Pandora, Australian Product Store, Purely Australian, Emporio Armani, Godiva, Newslink, Lonely Planet, Purely Merino, Guess, Swarovski, Ralph Lauren and Sunglass hut, to name a few.
Food and drink: Numerous eating and drinking venues offer a wide selection of international and Australian dishes, snacks and beverages. Popular spots include Aromas, Asakaze, China Grand Restaurant, Eagle Boys Pizza, Hungry Jack’s, Pie Face, Santos, Sea Food Bar, Taste of Thai, Boost, Tap House, McDonald’s and Subway.
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