Melbourne Notes
By MELB_NOTE
The short answer
There is no train to Melbourne Airport yet. According to the airport’s page, as read on 17 October 2026, SkyBus runs directly to and from the CBD roughly every 10 to 15 minutes and takes about 25 to 30 minutes depending on traffic, but it does not accept myki. The 901 SmartBus and other local routes do take myki on most services. Taxis and rideshare drop off directly outside the terminals, and by car the airport is about 20 to 25 km from the CBD. The airport suggests allowing an extra 60 minutes if you travel by public transport.
Anyone planning a trip to or from the airport soon runs into the same question: where is the train? This guide sets out what Melbourne Airport and Wikipedia say about getting between the airport and the city, so that you can choose a way that suits your luggage, your budget and your timing.
30-second summary
- No train: the Melbourne Airport Rail Link is under construction, and the airport’s page gives no opening date.
- SkyBus: direct to the CBD, roughly every 10 to 15 minutes, about 25 to 30 minutes, no myki.
- Buses: the 901 SmartBus runs from Broadmeadows Station, other routes serve Airport West, and most local services accept myki.
- Taxi, rideshare and driving: drop-off is directly outside the terminals, and the airport is about 20 to 25 km from the CBD.
- Public transport: allow an extra 60 minutes for road delays or disruptions from ongoing works.
There is no train to Melbourne Airport yet, and the rail link is still under construction
The airport’s own page, titled “Why a train to Melbourne Airport is not yet an option and what to do instead”, says there is no train to the airport just yet. The Melbourne Airport Rail Link is under construction. Stage 1 is part of Victoria’s Big Build and is funded by the Victorian and federal governments. The page lists current work that includes upgrades between West Footscray and Albion, the rebuild of Sunshine Station and Melton Line rail works. It gives no opening date.
Wikipedia’s Melbourne Airport article says the same thing in its own words: “Melbourne Airport does not have a passenger rail connection to and from the city.” It describes the planned 27 km link as running via Sunshine station and into the CBD through the Metro Tunnel. On timing, Wikipedia says completion was first expected by 2029 and has moved to 2033, and it cites a source for that. Because the airport’s page gives no date, treat the dates as Wikipedia’s report and not as an airport announcement.
SkyBus is the direct coach, and it does not take myki
According to the airport’s page, SkyBus runs directly to and from the CBD, the bayside and eastern suburbs, and Sunshine Station. Services run roughly every 10 to 15 minutes, and the trip takes about 25 to 30 minutes depending on traffic. Wikipedia adds that SkyBus runs express services to Southern Cross station and St Kilda.
The detail that catches people out is payment. The airport’s page says SkyBus does not accept myki, so tickets must be bought online or at the terminal before boarding. If you normally tap on with a myki card, plan for a separate ticket on this route. The page gives no fares, and neither does this guide.
A taxi or rideshare drops off directly outside the terminals, and the airport says the travel time depends on traffic and where you start. It gives no fares or ride times for these, so this guide gives none either.
Driving is the other direct option. The airport says it is about 20 to 25 km from the CBD and that the drive takes roughly 20 to 30 minutes in light traffic. Wikipedia says the airport is reached via the Tullamarine Freeway.
Local buses connect to trains and trams, and most accept myki
If you would rather use a myki, the airport’s page says most local services accept it. The 901 SmartBus runs between Broadmeadows Station and the airport, and other routes serve Airport West.
Wikipedia gives more of the route detail. The 901, which it says was introduced in September 2010, connects to trains at Broadmeadows, Epping, Greensborough and Blackburn. Routes 478, 479 and 482 serve Airport West via the route 59 tram terminus, and route 479 also goes to Sunbury station. That makes these services a way to join the wider train and tram network, with a change along the way, rather than a single direct ride to the CBD.
Wikipedia also says shuttles connect the airport to the Mornington Peninsula, with stops that include St Kilda, Elsternwick, Brighton and Frankston. If your destination is in the bayside or peninsula direction, it may be worth looking at that service as well as SkyBus, which the airport lists as serving the bayside suburbs.
Neither source gives ride times for the local routes, so this guide does not either. Check the current timetable and route details with Public Transport Victoria before you travel, because routes and timetables change.
Allow an extra hour, and know where the pick-up zones and car parks are
For public transport, the airport says to allow an extra 60 minutes for road delays or disruptions from ongoing works.
A banner on the airport’s page says free Pick Up and Drop Off zones are open for Terminals 1, 2 and 3 in the T123 Transport Hub. It also says there are “no changes to T123 Car Park, car rental return, buses, shuttles or coaches, or Pick up for Uber, Taxi or rideshare.” The page does not say where the zones are beyond that, so follow the signs and the airport’s current instructions on the day. Wikipedia mentions the opening of the airport’s new road network and T123 Transport Hub in Spring 2026.
If you are driving and leaving a car, the airport describes two Value car parks. Value North has a free bus every 15 minutes, 24/7, to stops near Terminals 1 and 4. Value South has a free bus directly to the T4 Transport Hub. Online bookings usually have lower rates than drive-up rates and can be made up to 12 months ahead. The page does not list parking prices, so check them with the airport.
The airport also describes grace periods. For stays under four hours, you get up to one hour of early entry or one hour of late exit. For stays over four hours, it is two hours each side. An optional Overstay Guarantee covers extra charges for delays, although the page does not list its price. A booking can be edited up to two hours before the scheduled entry.
It also helps to know the terminal layout in words. According to Wikipedia, the airport has four terminals: Terminal 2 is the international terminal, with “all international, and limited domestic flights”; Terminals 1 and 3 are standard domestic terminals; and Terminal 4, which opened on 18 August 2015 with Jetstar first, is “dedicated to budget airlines”. Terminal 1 hosts Qantas and QantasLink, and Terminal 3 is currently home to Virgin Australia. Wikipedia notes some conflicting information about Virgin flights in Terminal 4, and airlines move, so check your booking for the terminal. Wikipedia also says the airport is “curfew-free and operates 24 hours a day”.
Questions people ask
Is there a train to Melbourne Airport?
Not yet. Melbourne Airport says there is no train just yet, and the Melbourne Airport Rail Link is under construction. The airport’s page gives no opening date. Wikipedia says completion was first expected by 2029 and has moved to 2033.
How long does SkyBus take?
According to Melbourne Airport, about 25 to 30 minutes depending on traffic, with services roughly every 10 to 15 minutes.
Does SkyBus accept myki?
No. The airport says tickets must be bought online or at the terminal before boarding. Most local bus services do accept myki.
How far is the airport from the CBD by car?
The airport says about 20 to 25 km, and roughly 20 to 30 minutes in light traffic.
Is the airport open 24 hours?
Wikipedia says Melbourne Airport is “curfew-free and operates 24 hours a day”. Individual services, such as buses and shuttles, have their own timetables, so check them before you travel.
Sources and scope
- Melbourne Airport: Why a train to Melbourne Airport is not yet an option and what to do instead, as read on 17 October 2026
- Wikipedia: Melbourne Airport, partly cited there
- Pointers, not read for this guide: the SkyBus website and Public Transport Victoria, for current timetables and signage
Photo credits:
- Cover: Bidgee, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
- Terminal 1 photo: MDRX, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
- Terminal 4 gates photo: Philip Mallis, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
- Diagrams: drawn by MELB NOTE from the sources above.
Scope: This is a general guide, not a timetable or travel advice. Fares, timetables and arrangements change. The sources checked give no fares for SkyBus, buses, taxis or rideshare and no parking prices, so this guide gives none. Sources checked 17 October 2026.
