58 minutes ago
1
Robert Jackman
May 19, 2026 — 5:00am
Anyone who has used budget airlines in Europe will be familiar with the curse of the inconvenient airport: often a smaller alternative to the main hub that lures in the likes of carriers like Ryanair and Wizz Air by offering cheaper landing fees.
Of those airports, few are as notorious as Germany’s Frankfurt-Hahn, which actually sits more than 120 kilometres away from the city of Frankfurt. In fact, the airport didn’t originally have “Frankfurt” in its name – until the airlines lobbied for that change.
Meanwhile, Melbourne Airport sits 23 kilometres away from the CBD and has no train connection – but it pales in comparison to some of the other airports around the world that bear the names of the cities they supposedly service.
Here are 10 other airports from where it might take longer than you’d expect to get to your hotel:
Munich Memmingen (FMM)
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117 kilometres from Munich by car
Where you want to go: Munich, the capital of Bavaria, and the home to bustling beer gardens, stunning neo-Gothic architecture and a rather good football team.
Where you land: Memmingen, the site of a former military airfield, since converted to a civilian airport and marketed by various budget airlines (including Ryanair) as being in close proximity to Munich.
Transfer time: To see the sights of Munich, you’ll need to catch a 90-minute shuttle bus. On the bright side, their departure and arrival times tend to correspond with Ryanair’s schedule.
Cost: From €8 ($13) for the airport express bus (provided you book in advance).
Paris Vatry (XCR)
150 kilometres from Paris by car
Where you want to go: Paris, the eternal City of Light, beloved by visitors for centuries and home to some of Europe’s most enduring tourist sights, from the Arc de Triomphe to the restored Notre-Dame.
Where you land: About 137 kilometres away, as the crow flies, on the outskirts of Châlons-en-Champagne, home to plenty of vineyards, but not much else.
Transfer time: At least two and a half hours, given that you’ll need to get a bus to the railway station and then a train onwards to Paris, which covers over 160 kilometres.
Cost: About $80.
Milan Bergamo (BGY)
58 kilometres from Milan by car
Where you want to go: Milan, Europe’s swanky fashion capital and the cosmopolitan powerhouse of northern Italy. Perfect for five-star hotels, evening ambles through the medieval quarter and indulging in la dolce vita.
Where you land: Bergamo – which, to be fair, is still blessed with charm and not exactly the worst place to spend a weekend. Though it is not ideal if you were expecting Milan, which is still 58 kilometres away away.
Transfer time: At least 90 minutes if you’re using public transport. Some bus companies provide shuttle services, or you can head to central Bergamo and catch the train.
Cost: About $50.
Oslo Torp (TRF)
117 kilometres from Oslo by car
Where you want to go: Oslo, the westernmost of the Scandi capitals and a perfect culture binge for those who can withstand the chilly weather. Let your hair down in the underrated Grünerløkka or go grander at the Opera House.
Where you land: A few kilometres outside of Sandefjord, a one-time Viking stronghold now best known for whale hunting.
Transfer time: The “express” bus takes around two hours to cover the 117 kilometres between Oslo and Oslo Torp.
Cost: The Torp Ekspressen has tickets from about $45.
Stockholm Skavsta (NYO)
108 kilometres from Stockholm by car
Where you want to go: Stockholm, Sweden’s stylish and compact capital city, where you can indulge in the country’s rich history, all the way from the Vikings to ABBA – both of whom have their own museums.
Where you land: Nyköping, which literally translates into “Newmarket” in English, about 108 kilometres away.
Transfer time: A 90-minute bus ride to Stockholm central. That compares to an 18-minute train journey had you arrived at Arlanda, the Stockholm equivalent of Heathrow.
Cost: The Flygbussarna coach to Stockholm costs about $36.
Keflavik International (KEF)
51 kilometres from Reykjavik by car
Where you want to go: Reykjavik, the striking Icelandic capital for which Keflavik serves as the only international airport, despite being 51 kilometres away.
Where you land: Keflavik, a historic fishing town which, in fairness, provides a very convenient gateway to the Blue Lagoon, which easily remains Iceland’s largest tourist attraction.
Transfer time: The express bus ride should take less than an hour and will at least provide some stunning views along the way.
Cost: Flybus charges about $40.
Denver International (DEN)
40 kilometres from Denver by car
Where you want to go: Denver, the high-altitude capital of Colorado, sits on the edge of the Rocky Mountains and is known for its proximity to world-class ski slopes, as well as being one of America’s most fashionable dining and craft-beer scenes.
Where you land: In the midst of a gigantic airport complex that might as well be a city in its own right, given that it’s more than 10 times the area of Heathrow. It’s also 40 kilometres east of the city (a long way by American airport standards).
Transfer time: The airport train – a rarity in the car-dependent US – takes about 40 minutes, making it slightly quicker than the drive.
Cost: About $14 for a one-way train ticket.
Orlando Melbourne (MLB)
113 kilometres from Orlando by car
Where you want to go: Orlando, the undisputed theme park capital of the world, home to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and some 12,000 hectares of broader theme-park attractions.
Where you land: The other Melbourne – one of the many unremarkable beachfront conurbations that sit on Florida’s Atlantic coast.
Transfer time: Holiday providers usually provide a coach transfer to your Orlando hotel. Expect it to take around 90 minutes.
Cost: Included within your holiday (probably).
Tokyo Narita (NRT)
87 kilometres from Tokyo by car
Where you want to go: Tokyo, one of the world’s greatest mega cities and an enduring bucket-list destination for many travellers. A dizzying metropolis that runs like no other thanks to its coveted transport networks and strict adherence to Japanese politeness.
Where you land: Narita, a much more sedate city, with a proud history rooted in Japan’s Edo period – evidenced in particular by the revered Naritasan Shinsho-ji temple. But still some 87 kilometres from Tokyo itself.
Transfer time: Thankfully, Japan’s famously efficient transport network comes riding to the rescue, with an express train to Shibuya and Shinjuku that takes about one hour and 15 minutes.
Cost: The Narita Express costs around $30.
Qamdo Bamda (BPX)
125 kilometres from Qamdo by car
Where you want to go (probably): Qamdo, the third-largest city in Tibet and home (sort of) to an airport known by intrepid travellers as being “the loneliest in the world”.
Where you land: About 129 kilometres away, just on the outskirts of a tiny Tibetan village called Bamda that sits 4300 metres above sea level. Why so far away from the city? It turns out that Tibet’s notoriously mountainous terrain makes it impossible to build a functioning airport any closer to Qamdo.
Transfer time: According to Tibet specialists, the drive should take around two and a half hours. Believe it or not, there is also a regular shuttle bus, as well.
Cost: Probably best to ask a tour operator.
The Telegraph, London
