By plane
By plane
Wollongong is primarily serviced by scheduled international and domestic airline flights operating from Sydney Airport IATA: SYD (http://www.sydneyairport....) to the north of the city. Connecting links to Sydney are provided by rail and road.
To get to Wollongong by car from Sydney Airport drive 60 min south along the Princes Hwy and Southern Freeway. Follow the signs from the airport towards Wollongong and Rockdale to get to the Princes Highway, and from there follow the road and directional signage south to Wollongong.
To get to Wollongong by train (http://www.131500.info) from Sydney airport, you should catch an airport train to Wolli Creek, and then change for a train to Wollongong. Peak hour trains to Wollongong often skip Wolli Creek, so during peak hour catch the next train to Hurstville, and then change again for a train to Wollongong on the South Coast rail line.
Private bus companies operate shuttle services from the airport to any destination door to door in the Illawarra/Wollongong region.
By plane
Illawarra Regional Airport Wollongong Aerodrome IATA: WOL (http://www.illawarraregio...) is only for charter flights and general aviation, and is 20 min south of the Wollongong CBD and located at the intersection of the Princes Highway and Illawarra Highway at Albion Park Rail. The airport is an 80 min drive from Sydney Airport and 60 min from Sydney's southern suburbs. It is the site of the The Historical Aircraft Restoration Society HARS museum and and workshop facilities associated with that society are located at the airport. The airport has a airport terminal building and a licensed a la carte restaurant.
The nearest airport after Sydney with scheduled commercial flights is Canberra, about three hours drive along the Picton Rd and Hume Highway. Flights to and from Canberra Airport are typically more expensive and more infrequent than Sydney, and there are fewer destinations served.
By train
There are hourly train services between Sydney and Wollongong on the the South Coast Cityrail line (http://www.131500.info/). This train can be busy during the morning and evening peaks heading towards and away from Sydney respectively, but you should usually get a seat.
The train journey is a scenic one, travelling through the Royal National Park with views of the ocean and rainforest. Sit on the left hand side and upstairs looking in the direction of travel when travelling from Sydney or the right hand side travelling to Sydney. The trip takes around 90 minutes.
By car
The quickest way from Sydney is to take MetRoad 1 and the Princes Highway south. You leave Sydney, and enter greater Wollongong just before the freeway starts. Its about 50 minutes drive to this point, and around another 20 minutes down the freeway to the Wollongong CBD. Expect to take longer in the afternoon peak, Wollongong is a part of the Sydney commuter belt.
If you have a little longer, you can take a route via the Bulli Pass and the Wollongong Northern Beaches. At the end of the freeway the Bulli Pass road throws itself straight down the escarpment and along the coast. The exit is well signposted after the end of the freeway. Add 10 minutes for this diversion.
If you have a little longer still, a very scenic way to see more of Wollongong, the escarpment and the cliffs, is to take the Grand Pacific Drive. Exit from the freeway at Helensburgh through Stanwell Park and down the coast. The road is well signposted to Wollongong. The Sea Cliff Bridge is a highlight of this trip, between Coalcliff and Scarbourough.
From the south of Wollongong, follow the Princes Highway north.
From Canberra or Melbourne, you can access Wollongong via the Illawarra Highway or via Picton Road. Picton Road offers a faster, straighter trip, while the Illawarra Highway offers scenery with windy roads and the occasional waterfall and picnic areas. To go the quick, Picton Road, route, ignore the first exit sign to Wollongong from the Hume Highway at Moss Vale, and take the second, where the exit is also signposted to Picton.