SkyBus is an

airport bus An airport bus, or airport shuttle bus or airport shuttle is a bus used to transport people to and from, or within airports. These vehicles will usually be equipped with larger luggage space, and incorporate special branding. They are also comm ...

service operating in Australia in

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a metr ...

Hobart Hobart ( ; Nuennonne/Palawa kani: ''nipaluna'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Home to almost half of all Tasmanians, it is the least-populated Australian state capital city, and second-smalle ...

Brisbane Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Queensland, and the third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of approximately 2.6 million. Brisbane lies at the centre of the Sou ...

and in

Auckland Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The most populous urban area in the country and the fifth largest city in Oceania, Auckland has an urban population of about ...

, New Zealand. In Melbourne, SkyBus carries over 2 million passengers per year and 8.3% of all Melbourne Airport passengers.

History

SkyBus commenced operations on 6 June 1978, running a shuttle service between

Melbourne Airport Melbourne Airport , colloquially known as Tullamarine Airport, is the primary airport serving the city of Melbourne, and the second busiest airport in Australia. It opened in 1970 to replace the nearby Essendon Airport. Melbourne Airport is t ...

and the

Melbourne city centre The Melbourne central business district (also known colloquially as simply "The City" or "The CBD") is the city centre and main urban area of the city of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, centred on the Hoddle Grid, the oldest part of the city la ...

. On 2 August 1982, SkyBus took over the airport bus services run by the now-defunct airlines Ansett and TAA.Skybus
Australian Bus Fleet Lists Until November 2000, the Melbourne city centre terminus was at a coach depot in Franklin Street. It would pick up passengers at the then Spencer Street station and various city hotels before continuing on to the airport. In November 2000, SkyBus relocated to Spencer Street station with services operating express to the airport, cutting the journey time to 20 minutes and allowing more services to be introduced. Connecting minibuses were introduced to continue the hotel transfer/pickup service. In 2002, the

Government of Victoria The Victoria State Government, also referred to as just the Victorian Government, is the state-level authority for Victoria, Australia. Like all state governments, it is formed by three independent branches: the executive, the judicial, and ...

opted to contribute $3 million to a $10 million plan to expand and improve SkyBus services, after a feasibility study into a city to

airport rail link An airport rail link is a service providing passenger rail transport from an airport to a nearby city by mainline or commuter trains, rapid transit, people mover, or light rail. Direct links operate straight to the airport terminal, while o ...

found the service would not be viable. The initiative funded the purchase of new buses, and improvements to the

Tullamarine Freeway The Tullamarine Freeway (commonly referred to as "The Tulla"), is a major urban freeway in Melbourne, linking Melbourne Airport to the Melbourne City Centre. It carries up to 210,000 vehicles per day and is one of Australia's busiest freeways. T ...

, to give SkyBus vehicles priority in traffic. The operation has an audited revenue share arrangement with the Victorian Government. In August 2008, the SkyBus contract was renewed for five years. In 2007 SkyBus' patronage grew by 17% over the previous year, to 1.6 million passengers, with estimated revenue of $24 million. Proposals to improve the bus service involving turning emergency lanes into bus lanes on the freeway and the Bolte Bridge and putting SkyBus on a

Myki Myki ( ), stylised as myki, is a reloadable credit card-sized contactless smart card ticketing system used for electronic payment of fares on most public transport services in Melbourne and regional Victoria, Australia. Myki replaced the ...

fare, were challenged by

CityLink CityLink is a network of tollways in Melbourne, Australia, linking the Tullamarine, West Gate and Monash Freeways and incorporating Bolte Bridge, Burnley Tunnel and other works. In 1996, Transurban was awarded the contract to augment two ...

operator

Transurban Transurban is a road operator company that manages and develops urban toll road networks in Australia, Canada and the United States. It is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX). Transurban is the full owner of CityLink in Melbour ...

, because it would limit its toll revenue, and by

, because it would reduce its car parking profits. Both facilities were privatised in the 1990s. In September 2014, SkyBus was purchased by a consortium that included Catalyst Direct Capital Management and

OPTrust OPTrust, officially the OPSEU Pension Trust, is a legal trust formed by the contractual agreement between the two plan sponsors, Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) and the Government of Ontario. It manages one of Canada's largest pensi ...

Private Markets Group. The consortium would later be known as , AATS Group (known as Kinetic Group since August 2019). In 2015, SkyBus purchased the

Auckland Airport Auckland Airport is the largest and busiest airport in New Zealand, with over 21 million passengers in the year ended March 2019. The airport is located near Māngere, a residential suburb, and Airport Oaks, a service hub suburb south of the ...

service in New Zealand from Johnston's Coachlines. In June 2016, SkyBus commenced operating to Frankston with the purchase of the Frankston & Peninsula Airport Shuttle. In February 2017, SkyBus took over the route between Southern Cross station and

Avalon Airport Avalon Airport is an international airport located in Avalon in the City of Greater Geelong in Victoria, Australia. While located outside the Melbourne metropolitan area, it is the second busiest of the four airports serving the state capit ...

previously run by Sita Buslines. In July 2017, it began operating the

Geelong Geelong ( ) (Wathawurrung: ''Djilang''/''Djalang'') is a port city in the southeastern Australian state of Victoria, located at the eastern end of Corio Bay (the smaller western portion of Port Phillip Bay) and the left bank of Barwon River, ...

to Avalon Airport service after the previous owners, Murrel Group, lost their accreditation to enter the airport. In November 2017, SkyBus Gold Coast operations commenced in Gold Coast,

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

with the purchase of the Gold Coast Tourist Shuttle (GCTS) business from Surfside Buslines.

Services in Australia

Melbourne & Geelong

Melbourne City Express

SkyBus's flagship service operates between

in Tullamarine and

Southern Cross railway station Southern Cross railway station (until 2005 known as Spencer Street station) is a major railway station in Docklands, Victoria, Docklands, Melbourne. It is on Spencer Street, Melbourne, Spencer Street, between Collins Street, Melbourne, Collins ...

on the western edge of the

, via the

and

, with no intermediate stops. At Melbourne Airport, SkyBus stops for pick up and drop off at Terminals 1 and 3, and also picks up at Terminal 4. Terminals 2 and 4 are within walking distance from the Terminal 3 stop. The service operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, to a 10-minute frequency between 6:00 am and 12:00 am (midnight), subject to traffic conditions. The service operates to a 30-minute frequency between 1:00 am and 4:30 am, and 15 to 30 minutes at all other times. SkyBus is not covered under the

ticketing system which services the rest of Melbourne. but SkyBus allows the use of the access travel pass on all SkyBus services in Victoria only. Proposals in January 2013 by the

Victorian Government The Victoria State Government, also referred to as just the Victorian Government, is the state-level authority for Victoria, Australia. Like all state governments, it is formed by three independent branches: the executive, the judicial, and t ...

to integrate SkyBus ticketing with the Myki system were shelved after opposition from

and Melbourne Airport.

Avalon City Express

The Avalon City Express service operates between

and

via the

Princes Freeway Princes Freeway is a Australian freeway, divided into two sections, both located in Victoria, Australia. The freeway links Melbourne to Geelong in the west, and to Morwell in the east. It continues beyond these extremities as the Princes H ...

and

West Gate Freeway The West Gate Freeway is a major freeway in Melbourne, the busiest urban freeway and the busiest road in Australia, carrying upwards of 200,000 vehicles per day. It links Geelong (via the Princes Freeway) and Melbourne's western suburbs to c ...

, making a stop in

Werribee Werribee is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, south-west of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Wyndham local government area. Werribee recorded a population of 50,027 at the 2021 census. Werribee is ...

. The service operates to a timetable that is adjusted monthly, with one service connecting to every flight departing and arriving at Avalon Airport.

St Kilda Express

SkyBus on Carlisle Street St Kilda August 2016

The St Kilda Express service operates between Terminal 4 of

and four designated stops in St Kilda, picking up and setting down passengers at these stops. Outbound passengers can also be picked up at Terminal 1. The service operates daily, including all public holidays, to a 30-minute frequency on weekdays and hourly on weekends. Operating hours are approximately between 6:30 am and 7:00 pm daily.

Western Express

The Western Express operates between Terminal 4 of

and

, with an intermediate stop at

Tarneit railway station Tarneit railway station is located on the Deer Park - West Werribee line in Victoria, Australia. It serves the western Melbourne suburb of Tarneit, and it opened on 14 June 2015.

. Outbound passengers can also be picked up at Terminal 1. The service operates daily, including all public holidays. Operating hours are approximately between 5:05 am and 8:35 pm daily.

Eastern Express

The Eastern Express operates between Terminal 4 of

and Croydon railway station, making intermediate stops at Watsonia railway station, Doncaster Shopping Centre, Box Hill Central,

Blackburn railway station Blackburn railway station serves the town of Blackburn in Lancashire, England. It is east of Preston and is managed and served by Northern Trains. History There has been a station on the current site since 1846, when the Blackburn and P ...

and Ringwood railway station. Outbound passengers can also be picked up at Terminal 1. The service operates daily, including all public holidays. Operating hours are approximately between 4:30 am and 7:15 pm daily.

Peninsula Express

The Frankston shuttle operates between Terminal 4 of

and

Frankston railway station Frankston railway station, in Victoria, Australia, is the terminus of the suburban electrified Frankston line and diesel-hauled services on the Stony Point line. It serves the south-eastern Melbourne suburb of Frankston, and opened on 1 Au ...

, making intermediate stops in St Kilda, Elsternwick,

Elwood Elwood may refer to any one of the following:: Places ;In Australia * Elwood, Victoria ;In the United States of America * Elwood, Illinois * Elwood, Indiana * Elwood, Kansas * Elwood, Missouri * Elwood, Nebraska * Elwood-Magnolia, New Jersey *Elwo ...

Brighton Brighton () is a seaside resort and one of the two main areas of the City of Brighton and Hove in the county of East Sussex, England. It is located south of London. Archaeological evidence of settlement in the area dates back to the Bronze A ...

Moorabbin Moorabbin is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 15 km south-east of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Kingston local government area. Moorabbin recorded a population of 6,287 at the . Most of the ...

, Highett,

Cheltenham Cheltenham (), also known as Cheltenham Spa, is a spa town and borough on the edge of the Cotswolds in the county of Gloucestershire, England. Cheltenham became known as a health and holiday spa town resort, following the discovery of mineral ...

, Parkdale and

Chelsea Chelsea or Chelsey may refer to: Places Australia * Chelsea, Victoria Canada * Chelsea, Nova Scotia * Chelsea, Quebec United Kingdom * Chelsea, London, an area of London, bounded to the south by the River Thames ** Chelsea (UK Parliament con ...

. A limited number of services extend to Mount Eliza and Mornington, while one weekday-only service continues further to Dromana and

Rosebud Rosebud may refer to: * Rose bud, the bud of a rose flower Arts * The name of Jerry Garcia's guitar from 1990 until his death in 1995. * In the 1941 film ''Citizen Kane'', the last words of Charles Foster Kane and an overall plot device. * "Ros ...

Avalon Geelong Express

The Avalon Geelong Express service operates between

and

South Geelong railway station South Geelong railway station is located on the Warrnambool line in Victoria, Australia. It serves the southern Geelong suburb of South Geelong, and it opened on 1 November 1883.

, with an intermediate stop at

Geelong railway station Geelong railway station is located on the Warrnambool line in Victoria, Australia. It serves the city of Geelong, and it opened on 1 November 1856.

. The service began in July 2017. The service operates to a timetable that is adjusted monthly, with one service connecting to every flight departing and arriving at Avalon Airport.

Southbank Docklands Express

The Southbank Docklands Express operates between Terminal 4 of

and four designated stops in Southbank, with an intermediate stop in Docklands. The service began in November 2017, operating to similar frequencies and hours as the St Kilda Express. Fares are identical to that of the Melbourne City Express service.

Gold Coast Airport Services

In December 2017, SkyBus launched airport shuttle services to the Gold Coast Airport from various hotels. From 16 September 2018, the Byron Bay Express commenced running services from Gold Coast Airport to

Byron Bay Byron Bay ( Minjungbal: ''Cavvanbah)'' is a beachside town located in the far-northeastern corner of the state of New South Wales, Australia on Bundjalung Country. It is located north of Sydney and south of Brisbane. Cape Byron, a head ...

Hobart Express

In July 2018, SkyBus started services between Hobart CBD and

Hobart Airport Hobart Airport is an international airport located in Cambridge, north-east of Hobart. It is the major and fastest growing passenger airport in Tasmania. The Federal government owned airport is operated by the Tasmanian Gateway Consortium ...

Services in New Zealand

Skybus bus at Albany New Zealand 24Sept2018

SkyBus operated services to

, but they have been suspended because of the

COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand The COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand is part of the ongoing pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 () caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (). The first case of the disease in New Zealand was reported on 28 February ...

. The Auckland City Express operated between the airport and the SkyBus Lounge in the

Auckland CBD The Auckland Central Business District (CBD), or Auckland city centre, is the geographical and economic heart of the Auckland metropolitan area. It is the area in which Auckland was established in 1840, by William Hobson. It is New Zealand's le ...

, running via the Southwestern Motorway, either Dominion Road or Mount Eden Road, and Queen Street. The North Harbour Express service operated between the airport and Albany (referred to by SkyBus as Albany Westfield because of the nearby Westfield Albany shopping mall). Services ran along the Northern Busway on the North Shore section of the route, stopping at Smales Farm and Akoranga stations.

Fleet

As at June 2022, the combined fleets consisted of 104 vehicles.Skybus Auckland
Australian Bus Fleet Lists

References

External links

Australian websiteNew Zealand website
{{MelbournePublicTransport Bus companies of Queensland Bus companies of Victoria (Australia) Bus transport in Melbourne Public transport in Auckland Public transport on the Gold Coast, Queensland Transport companies established in 1978 1978 establishments in Australia Kinetic Group companies