Written by Callum Taylor, Camille Laurent, Marika Maslanka
23/08/2025
Martynas Linge, Pexels
Byron Bay is served by two main regional airports: Ballina Byron Gateway Airport (BNK) to the south and Gold Coast Airport (OOL) to the north. Long-distance buses arrive at the Byron Bay Bus Interchange on Butler Street. While a local solar train operates within Byron Bay, long-distance train services require a bus transfer from Casino Station.
By Air:
Fly into Ballina Byron Gateway Airport (BNK), approximately 30 minutes south of Byron Bay. Airlines like Jetstar and Virgin Australia offer direct flights from major Australian cities such as Sydney (from $31-$103 one-way) and Melbourne (from $101-$184 one-way).
Fly into Gold Coast Airport (OOL), located about 45 minutes to an hour north of Byron Bay. It receives flights from all major Australian cities and some international destinations.
Fly into Brisbane Airport (BNE), approximately 1 hour 50 minutes to 3 hours north. This is a major international airport.
Airport Shuttles & Transfers:
From Ballina Byron Gateway Airport (BNK) to Byron Bay: Shuttle services typically cost from $20-$35 one-way and take about 30-60 minutes.
From Gold Coast Airport (OOL) to Byron Bay: Shuttles cost from $45-$48 one-way or $80 return, with travel times ranging from 45-90 minutes.
From Brisbane Airport (BNE) to Byron Bay: Shuttle services are available, with indicative costs from $73 and travel times of 2-3 hours.
By Bus:
Long-distance bus services, such as Greyhound Australia and Premier Motor Service, connect Byron Bay to major cities.
From Sydney to Byron Bay: Buses take approximately 13-13.5 hours and tickets start from around $66-$102 one-way.
From Brisbane to Byron Bay: Buses can cost from $29-$44.
By Train:
A direct train service to Byron Bay is not available from major cities. From Sydney, one can take a NSW TrainLink service to Casino Station (about 13-15 hours) and then connect to Byron Bay via a bus transfer included in the train ticket.
By Car Rental:
Car rental is an option from Ballina Byron Gateway Airport, Gold Coast Airport, Brisbane Airport, and within Byron Bay itself. Daily rental costs can start from $63.
At TFA Travel we believe in travel for all. Our mission is to enable people to explore the world as easily as possible without having to pay a travel agent a huge commission.
Our typical audience are those that want to see something new and get involved with authentic experiences of a country. Whether you are a backpacker, solo traveller, solo female traveller, straight or LGBTQ+ couple, family, you will find local and authentic experiences here.
