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Transport Options
Located just 80 kilometres south of Sydney, travelling to Wollongong can be as fun and adventurous or as quick and streamlined as you like.
Take the Grand Pacific Drive and experience coastal rainforests, quaint seaside villages and the 665 metre Sea Cliff Bridge all on your way into Wollongong.
Alternatively you can jump on the M1 Motorway from Sydney and be here in 80 minutes. You decide!
If travelling from Canberra, the journey is an easy 250 kilometres via the Hume Highway.
By car – for up-to-date travel conditions including incidents, road works and closures – visit Live Traffic website.
By air – Shellharbour Airport has flights direct from Wollongong to Brisbane or Melbourne with Link Airways.
Sydney to Wollongong
The journey from Sydney to Wollongong can be as fast or as scenic as you choose.
By Car: Grand Pacific Drive
If you’re travelling from Sydney to Wollongong by car and you’re looking to experience the best that the journey has to offer, you can’t go past the Grand Pacific Drive.
Starting just 45 minutes south of Sydney’s CBD and airports at the entrance to the Royal National Park (world’s second oldest), you’ll experience what it’s like to move from the mountains to the sea as you traverse tropical rainforests and emerge on the coastline which you’ll follow all the way into Wollongong.
There’s no need for maps, just follow the Grand Pacific Drive directional signage. For those of you that do like to have a map in hand, you can view one here.
By Car: M1 or M7
If you’re watching the clock, Wollongong is an easy 80 minute drive from the Sydney CBD and airports via the Princes Motorway (M1) or a 60 minute drive from Macarthur in Sydney’s west via the Westlink (M7).
By rail/train
Wollongong is located on Sydney Trains South Coast Line. Sydney Trains operate commuter trains at regular intervals to Wollongong.
If travelling from the domestic or international airports catch a train on the airport line to Wolli Creek Station. Disembark and board the next South Coast Line train to Wollongong. This journey will take approximately 90 minutes from Wolli Creek Station.
Make your travel plans on the Sydney Trains website.
By tour
If you’re wanting to visit Wollongong and surrounds, a number of tour companies are available to show you the local must-see sights with some offering pickup from various Sydney locations.
Canberra ACT to Wollongong
By car
If you are travelling from Canberra to Wollongong by car there are two main route options available:
Take the Hume Highway to the Moss Vale exit and travel to Wollongong via the Illawarra Highway. This option will take approximately three hours or alternatively take the Hume Highway to the Picton interchange and follow the Picton Road/ Mt Ousley Road into Wollongong. This option will take approximately two hours and 30 minutes.
By bus
If you are travelling from Canberra to Wollongong by bus, there are a number of coach services that offer regular timetables services. Murrays offers a daily coach service between Canberra and Wollongong. For more information visit Murrays website.
There is also a FREE gong shuttle. The Free Gong Shuttle runs every 10 to 20 minutes. The service operates in both directions on a loop from Wollongong Station to Wollongong University via Wollongong Hospital, Burelli Street and the Innovation Campus.
The route numbers for the Gong Shuttle are 55A and 55C. A map can be viewed HERE.
