Melbourne Airport to City Transfer

Melbourne Airport (Tullamarine) is about 23 kilometres north-west of the city centre and has no rail link yet. The ways into the city are the SkyBus express, a public bus with a train change, taxis and rideshare.

SkyBus to Southern Cross Station

The SkyBus Melbourne City Express runs between the airport and Southern Cross Station in the city centre in about 25 minutes, less off-peak. It runs every day of the year from 4:00 am to 1:00 am, including public holidays: every 10 minutes from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm and up to every 15 minutes at other times, with no buses between 1:00 am and 4:00 am. An adult ticket costs 25.90 Australian dollars one way or 43.40 Australian dollars return; buy it at skybus.com.au, in the SkyBus app or at the e-kiosks outside the terminals, which take cards only. Child tickets (ages 4 to 16) cost 6.60 Australian dollars one way and must be bought with an adult ticket; see family-friendly hotels at Melbourne Airport. SkyBus carries a small cat or dog in an approved carrier weighing under 8 kg in total, and accredited assistance animals travel free; see pet-friendly hotels at Melbourne Airport. Other SkyBus routes from the airport go to St Kilda and Frankston (Peninsula Express), Doncaster and Box Hill (Eastern Express) and Sunshine; the Avalon City Express to Avalon Airport leaves from Southern Cross Station. At the airport the City Express stops kerbside at Terminal 1 and Terminal 3 and outside the Terminal 4 baggage claim (pick-up only), a five-minute walk from the Novotel and ibis Styles.

Public buses and the train via Broadmeadows

The cheapest way into town is a public bus and a train with a myki card: route 901 from the bus interchange on the ground floor of the Terminal 4 car park to Broadmeadows Station, then a Craigieburn Line train to the city. On weekdays route 901 runs every 15 minutes at busy times and about every 30 minutes at other times. Allow about an hour; the fare is a fraction of the SkyBus fare, but the trip has a change and is harder with heavy luggage. SkyBus does not accept myki. Check transport.vic.gov.au (formerly ptv.vic.gov.au) for current routes and times.

Taxis and rideshare

Taxis wait at the official ranks at Terminals 1, 2 and 4, and the airport advises against accepting a ride offered anywhere else. A taxi to the business district costs approximately 60 Australian dollars and takes 25 to 40 minutes depending on traffic; the meter fare is set by the Essential Services Commission, and the airport taxi rank fee and CityLink tolls are added to it. Uber picks up to the left of Terminal 1, in front of Terminal 2 and on the ground floor of the Terminal 4 car park; DiDi and Shebah pick up in Lane 3 of the Terminal 1 to 3 forecourt and on Level 1 of the Terminal 4 car park. Rideshare trips pay an airport access fee of 4.82 Australian dollars. The M2/CityLink toll road is the direct route, and peak-hour traffic makes the trip longer.

Hotel shuttles

The hotels connect to the terminals in different ways: the PARKROYAL needs no transport (a covered skybridge to Terminals 1, 2 and 3); the Holiday Inn runs a 24-hour shuttle on request, free from the airport and 3 Australian dollars per person from the hotel to the airport; and the Hyatt Place Melbourne, Essendon Fields runs a free scheduled shuttle, booking essential, from Zone L, Lane 2, outside Terminal 1, between 6:30 am and 9:00 pm.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much is the SkyBus from Melbourne Airport to the city?

An adult SkyBus Melbourne City Express ticket costs 25.90 Australian dollars one way and 43.40 Australian dollars return, and a child ticket (ages 4 to 16, bought with an adult ticket) costs 6.60 Australian dollars one way, as listed on skybus.com.au in October 2026. Fares change periodically, so check skybus.com.au before travelling.

How long does the SkyBus take from Melbourne Airport to Southern Cross?

About 25 minutes in normal traffic, less off-peak; SkyBus does not publish a journey time. The Melbourne City Express runs every day from 4:00 am to 1:00 am, every 10 minutes from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm and up to every 15 minutes at other times, with no buses between 1:00 am and 4:00 am.

Is there a train from Melbourne Airport to the city?

Melbourne Airport has no rail link yet. The cheapest public transport route is the route 901 bus from the Terminal 4 bus interchange to Broadmeadows Station and a Craigieburn Line train to the city, paid with a myki card. The SkyBus is faster and needs no change.

Information last verified: October 2, 2026