General Information About Darwin International Airport

Darwin International Airport (IATA: DRW, ICAO: YPDN) is Australia's Northern Territory main and busiest airport, serving Darwin city centre. Situated 8 km (5 miles) northeast from Darwin city center at Eaton, it serves regional destinations throughout Australia and Southeast Asia.

History

In 1937, the Royal Australian Air Force opened Darwin Airport in Parap to ease congestion at Ross Smith Aerodrome four kilometres away in Darwin city centre. Designed as both civilian and military use airport, this airport provided service to aircraft of both types.

From 1950 to 1974, Darwin Airport served as both domestic and international airport for the Northern Territory, making a key stopover point for airlines flying between Asia and Europe; UTA, BOAC, Alitalia[8] and Air India[9]. Due to longer range aircraft in use during the 1970s however, these services became no longer necessary; consequently Darwin Airport closed down operations by 1975.

Car Rental at Darwin International Airport Darwin International Airport offers numerous parking solutions for both long- and short-term parking needs, along with multiple car hire desks inside its terminal building.

Taxis Metered taxis are available from across the terminal, with services like Blue Taxi (Tel +61 138294), Darwin Radio Taxis, Metro Mini Bus and City Palmerston Minibuses offering rides into the city centre.

How to Get From Darwin International Airport to Darwin Center

If you need an easy way to travel from Darwin International Airport to Darwin center, there are numerous transportation options available to you. Rent a car, use ridesharing apps such as Uber or take public transport.

Sharing a transfer service between Darwin Airport and city center can be the cheapest way to travel; typical transfer prices start around 30 AUD but may differ depending on your destination and traffic conditions.

Rental Taxis. There are several companies that provide this service, such as Darwin Radio Taxis (tel: +61 8 8985 0708) and Blue Taxi Company (tel: +61 8 1313 8294).

Make sure to book with a reliable company to avoid delays. A taxi costs about $30 AUD with additional costs applicable for exit toll fees.

Booking your taxi through an online platform is the simplest and fastest way to ensure you don't waste your time waiting in an airport queue for pick-up. Just fill out a simple form, and your driver will meet you at the terminal.

At the airport, there are designated zones for pick-ups and drop-offs with maximum wait times of two minutes to facilitate traffic flow and keep parking spots clear for other passengers.

Shuttle buses run directly from the terminal doorstep, transporting passengers directly to all accommodation locations within town. It's the quickest and easiest way of traveling from airport to city.

Use of a Tap and Ride card or individual tickets purchased on board (cash only) are also options available to you. Purchase of the latter can be done either locally or at the airport bus interchanges and will provide unlimited rides until its limit has been reached.

For an accurate overview of bus schedules, Google Maps or NT Bus Tracker App are both great resources to use. Furthermore, visiting NT Transit website enables you to plan your journey and locate which buses are nearest your hotel or apartment.

Once in Darwin, visitors can explore its many museums and art galleries as well as take a stroll along Mindil Beach and the waterfront precinct. There are also parks and gardens worth exploring.

If you're seeking adventure, head south of Darwin to Litchfield National Park. With beautiful bushwalking trails and waterfalls bursting with cool waters for swimming, Litchfield is an unforgettable place.

Visit Berry Springs and visit the Territory Wildlife Park - both are approximately 45 minutes south of San Antonio.

No matter the reason for your trip to Darwin, its clean and efficient public transport system makes getting around an effortless experience. There are over a dozen buses connected by this network so that you can easily connect to all that awaits.

Travel agents or limousine services can also arrange tours around Darwin for you. Additionally, the Tourism Top End information desk located on the ground floor of Darwin Terminal provides advice regarding tours that visit popular Darwin attractions.

Darwin International Airport Amenities & Services

Travellers can enjoy comfortable lounges, WiFi connectivity and 24-hour food options in its main terminal. In addition, this small and simple airport offers several shops and duty-free outlets.

Notably, travellers will also find various services at this terminal available to them, including a lost property service and information desk. You can post postcards and letters at an Australia Post mail box near the entrance to the terminal.

There are a variety of restaurants offering meals and snacks as well as drinks within airport terminals, which make grabbing something to eat while waiting for your flight easy. These dining spots are usually located before and after security checkpoints so it is easy to grab something to snack on while waiting.

Novotel Darwin Airport Hotel and Mercure Darwin Airport Resort offer convenient 4-star accommodation near DRW: both feature two swimming pools as well as meeting/conference spaces.

Novotel Darwin Airport Hotel and Mercure offer convenient accommodations that provide a complimentary shuttle bus that will transport guests quickly from and to their accommodation, providing an effortless means of accessing the city from the airport or simply relaxing after a long journey.

Car Rental Agencies at the Airport: Avis, Budget, Hertz and Thrifty can be found.

Shopping: There are a few shopping opportunities in the terminal, including News Travels and Territory Store. They provide everything from newspapers and books, travel accessories and basic refreshments (drinks and snacks).

JR Duty Free can be found within the Transit Lounge of International Departures on the First Floor and offers tax-free items like alcohol, cigarettes, perfumes, cameras, souvenirs cameras souvenirs cosmetics watches.