Sydney to Canberra drive
Sydney Airport to Canberra is 273 km and about 2 hours 50 minutes by road, which most people round to a three hour drive. The M5 East and M5 South-West motorways in Sydney are electronically tolled with no cash booths, so ask the rental desk how tolls are billed before you leave. The coastal route through Kiama is a scenic detour, not a shortcut.
Updated
Key facts
- Distance, Canberra to Sydney Airport
- 273 km
- Drive time, Canberra to Sydney Airport
- 2 hours 50 minutes
- Rule of thumb
- Canberra is a three hour drive from Sydney and eight hours from Melbourne
- Canberra to Bowral
- 170 km, 1 hour 52 minutes
- Sydney to Kiama
- About 90 minutes
- Tolled motorways in Sydney
- M5 East (10 km) links General Holmes Drive with the M5 South-West; the M5 South-West is a 22 km toll road with no cash booths
- Rental companies at Canberra Airport
- Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz, Redspot, Sixt and Thrifty
Sydney Airport to Canberra
273 km · about 2 hours 50 minutes
M5 East and M5 South-West
Sydney
Tolled motorways. The M5 South-West is electronically tolled with no cash tollbooths, so a hire car needs an arrangement with the rental company or your own tag.
Bowral
170 km from Canberra
A Southern Highlands town, 1 hour 52 minutes from Canberra.
Goulburn
about 2 hours from Sydney, about 1 hour from Canberra
Home of the 15.2 m Big Merino.
Canberra Airport
end of the drive
Seven rental brands have desks here, so a one-way hire from Sydney can end at the airport.
- Canberra
How long does it take to drive from Sydney to Canberra?
Canberra is generally described as a three hour drive from Sydney. For people hiring at the airport, the figure is 273 km and 2 hours 50 minutes between Sydney Airport and Canberra.
That is running time with no stops, so add time for breaks.
Are there tolls between Sydney and Canberra?
Yes, at the Sydney end. The M5 East is a 10 km link between General Holmes Drive and the M5 South-West, and the M5 South-West is a 22 km toll road from Beverly Hills to Prestons. The M5 South-West is electronically tolled only, with no cash tollbooths, and it connects with the Hume Highway.
Linkt's Trip Compare tool shows tolled and untolled options for the exact addresses you enter, so run your pick-up address through it before you drive.
Can you hire a car in Sydney and drop it in Canberra?
Canberra Airport has Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz, Redspot, Sixt and Thrifty desks. Whether a particular car can be returned in Canberra, and what it costs, shows up when you search with different pick-up and drop-off locations.
For example, Hertz's rental terms say returning a vehicle to a different location may incur a One Way Fee, and that you are told at booking whether it is allowed. Other companies set their own terms, so read the one-way line of your rental agreement.
How do tolls work in a hire car?
Some rental companies already have toll arrangements that charge you automatically. Linkt names Apex, Avis, Budget, Europcar, Goldcar and Sixt. If yours does not, contact the company, or use your own toll account by adding a valid tag and removing it when you return the car.
Linkt asks people not to register a hire car's plate on their own account. Ask at the desk how tolls will be charged.
Sydney to Canberra via Kiama and the coast
The coastal option starts with the Grand Pacific Drive. Kiama is about 90 minutes south of Sydney, and it takes longer than the direct road to reach Canberra this way, so treat it as a scenic day out rather than a transfer.
The Grand Pacific Drive guide covers Royal National Park, Sea Cliff Bridge and Kiama in order.
Where to stop between Sydney and Canberra
Bowral is 170 km and 1 hour 52 minutes from Canberra. Goulburn is about two hours from Sydney and one hour from Canberra, and it is home to the 15.2 m Big Merino.
For fuel, the FuelCheck app shows real-time prices at service stations across NSW and the ACT.
Compare one-way cars: Sydney Airport to Canberra
The search is filled in for a one-way hire. One-way fees and availability differ by company and show in the results, in Australian dollars.
Preparing live car hire search
Questions people ask
How far is Canberra from Sydney by car?
It is 273 km and 2 hours 50 minutes between Sydney Airport and Canberra, usually rounded to a three hour drive.
How long is the drive from Canberra to Sydney Airport?
About 2 hours 50 minutes, or 273 km.
Can I drive from Sydney to Canberra without paying tolls?
The M5 East and M5 South-West in Sydney are tolled. Linkt's Trip Compare tool shows tolled and untolled options for your exact start point, so check it with your address.
Can I pick up a hire car in Sydney and return it in Canberra?
Search with Sydney as the pick-up and Canberra as the drop-off. Canberra Airport has Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz, Redspot, Sixt and Thrifty. A one-way fee can apply, for example under Hertz's terms.
Is it worth driving from Sydney to Canberra via Kiama?
Only if you want the scenery. Sydney to Kiama is about 90 minutes, and the coast adds time compared with the direct road.