Cheaper SkyBus Alternatives for Airport Transport

SkyBus
SkyBus is a convenient way to get to the airport, but there are cheaper alternatives. Photo: Liamdavies via Wikimedia Commons.

SkyBus offers express airport bus services in Melbourne, Brisbane and Hobart, as well as Auckland in New Zealand. But SkyBus tickets aren’t cheap, with a one-way journey into the city from Melbourne Airport or Hobart Airport costing almost $20 per passenger!

If you’re travelling in a group with multiple people, it could almost be cheaper to take a taxi or an Uber rather than paying for the SkyBus. But even if you’re travelling alone, there are some much cheaper alternative ways to get to or from the airport.

Here are some more cost-effective airport transport options in Melbourne, Brisbane, Hobart and Auckland. Using these methods, the trip to the airport might take a bit longer – but the savings could be worth it. In this guide, we’ll also show you a cheaper way to get to Sydney Airport rather than catching the train.

Cheaper SkyBus alternatives in Melbourne

Rather than paying $19.75 one-way for the SkyBus from Tullamarine Airport to Melbourne’s Southern Cross station, you could pay just $4.60 (or $2.30 if you qualify for a Myki concession card) using regular public transport.

SkyBus offers the only direct bus service from Melbourne Airport to the city, and the Melbourne airport rail line is still under construction. But there are other public bus services available from Melbourne Airport which stop at nearby train stations.

Melbourne Airport’s public bus stop is located below the carpark near Terminal 4. From here, you can catch a route 478, 479, 482 or 901 bus.

Melbourne airport bus
Instead of paying through the nose for the SkyBus, you can take a public bus to a nearby train station. Photo: Matt Graham.

Using the route 901 bus bound for Frankston, for example, you can get from Melbourne Airport to Broadmeadows train station in around 16 minutes. Then, simply catch a suburban train from Broadmeadows into the city (around a half-hour journey). In total, this journey usually takes around 55-75 minutes depending on the connection time at Broadmeadows and whether there is traffic.

Alternatively, you could catch a route 478 or 479 bus from the airport to Airport West and connect from there to a route 59 tram that will take you into the city.

Using your Myki card, with either method, you’ll just pay $4.60 for the whole trip from Melbourne Airport to the city as this is a Zone 1+2 Myki journey. If you don’t already own a Myki card, you can buy one from the vending machines inside the Melbourne Airport terminal for a one-off cost of $6.

Cheaper SkyBus alternatives in Brisbane

In Brisbane, it costs $15 one-way to catch the SkyBus from the airport to the CBD. This is admittedly cheaper than the convenient public train service which costs $19.50 – although you can also catch the Brisbane Airtrain for $15 by buying your ticket online in advance.

Brisbane's airport train
Brisbane’s airport train. Photo: Matt Graham.

As a cheaper but less convenient alternative to the Skybus and Airtrain in Brisbane, you can take a free shuttle bus from the Brisbane domestic or international terminals to Skygate Shopping Centre (opposite DFO). The complimentary Skygate Loop shuttle service departs every 30 minutes and the trip takes 10-20 minutes. From Skygate, you can then take a route 590 bus to Toombul train station. Finally, catch a train from Toombul to the city or wherever you’re heading in Brisbane.

The Skygate method can take quite a bit longer than the direct train or SkyBus service, so only use this method if you have spare time up your sleeve – and check the connection times first as the buses don’t run that frequently.

SkyBus alternatives in Hobart

Unfortunately, there aren’t quite as many transport options from Hobart Airport into the city. At $19.50 one-way, SkyBus is actually a very competitive option compared to the cost of a taxi or Uber.

There are public buses that run along Tasman Highway (the road at the end of Hobart Airport’s runway) towards Cambridge and Hobart City. It is possible to walk to a bus stop outside the airport precinct and catch a bus from there to the city for $4.80. But it’s quite a walk, and the buses are not that frequent.

Cheaper SkyBus alternatives in Auckland

The final city where SkyBus normally operates is Auckland, New Zealand (although this service was suspended in 2021).

At $15 one-way from Auckland Airport into the city, the SkyBus is certainly cheaper than a taxi (which can cost $50-80 to the CBD). But there is a much cheaper public transport option, too.

If you don’t already have an AT Hop card, you can buy one and load money onto it from the convenience stores located inside the domestic and international airport terminals.

Then, catch an AirportLink bus from outside the airport terminal to Puhinui train station. These buses come frequently and the trip to Puhinui station takes around 15 minutes. Alternatively, you could catch a route 38 bus to Onehunga train station. From there, simply catch a train to Britomart station in the city.

Britomart train station in Auckland's CBD
Britomart train station in Auckland’s CBD. Photo: Matt Graham.

A cheaper way to get to Sydney Airport

SkyBus doesn’t operate at Sydney Airport, where Sydney Trains provides a very convenient rail service into the city.

But the Sydney airport train comes at a price, with a “Station Access Fee” adding $15.30 to the cost of a one-way adult train ticket or $13.20 to a child fare. In total, this means a one-way ticket from Sydney Airport to the city could cost between $17.69 (off-peak) and $19.80 (with a single-trip ticket).

Sydney train at Circular Quay
The Sydney airport train is convenient, but catching it from an airport station is expensive.

If you’re travelling in a group, it’s often cheaper just to take a cab or Uber instead of the train.

Alternatively, you could catch a route 420 or 350 bus from the airport to Mascot station. Then, catch a train from Mascot station into the city. Using this method, you’ll avoid paying the $15.30 Station Access Fee.

If you’re feeling like some exercise, you could even walk to the nearest train station. From the domestic terminals, it’s a 20-minute walk to Mascot train station. Or if you’ve arrived at Terminal 1 on an international flight, you can walk 15-20 minutes to Wolli Creek train station.

From Mascot or Wolli Creek stations, the train fare to the city is either $2.56 (off-peak), $3.66 (during peak times) or $4.50 (with a paper ticket).

Don’t forget that even if you don’t have an Opal card, you can now tap on and off public transport in Sydney using your credit card.

 

You can join the discussion on the cheapest public transport options to/from Australian airports on the Australian Frequent Flyer forum: Public Transport to our airports – what’s cheapest?

The editor of Australian Frequent Flyer, Matt's passion for travel has taken him to over 70 countries… with the help of frequent flyer points, of course!
Matt's favourite destinations (so far) are Germany, Brazil & Kazakhstan. His interests include economics, aviation & foreign languages, and he has a soft spot for good food and red wine.

You can connect with Matt by posting on the Australian Frequent Flyer community forum and tagging @AFF Editor.
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