About SkyBus

Award winning airport transfer service

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Offering a convenient, comfortable and cost effective travel solution to passengers for more than forty years, SkyBus is recognised as the best choice for traveling between Melbourne Airport into the centre of Melbourne’s CBD, Southbank Docklands, St Kilda, Frankston, Bayside and Melbourne's Western and Eastern suburbs. 

We’re the proud operator of world-class airport transfer services between major airports and cities, moving millions of passengers annually as one of the world’s most frequent airport bus transfers.

Continued investment in customer experience has seen SkyBus become a preferred mode of transport to access airports, pairing affordability with superior service and offering customers free WiFi, luggage racks, reliable running times, and online, mobile and e-kiosk ticketing options.

SkyBus is part of Australasia’s biggest bus network, Kinetic, alongside some of the most recognisable names in bus transport. Collectively, Kinetic moves in excess of 75 million people across Australia and New Zealand every year.

Fast, frequent, affordable. The easy way.

SkyBus History and profile

Kinetic Group is owned by Canadian Pension Fund, OP Trust. Operating for over 41 years, SkyBus has a dedicated Airport Express Bus service out of Melbourne Airport, with an annual passenger growth averaging 6% per year.

Recognising a gap in traveller needs for a cost effective and reliable mode of transport accessing the airport, SkyBus first opened operations in 1978 as a small family business founded by the Cowen Family. SkyBus’ original coach depot was located on Franklin Street from which buses were deployed to Southern Cross Station for passenger pickups. From here, buses continued onto various CBD hotels before continuing onto the Airport. In 2000, the service evolved into an express service running directly from Southern Cross Station to Melbourne Tullamarine Airport and back again. This change in operation significantly reduced travel time to approximately 20 – 30 minutes. Hotel connections became a separate service with the introduction of minibuses implemented for the SkyBus complimentary Hotel Transfer Service.

In September 2014, SkyBus was purchased by a consortium that included Catalyst Direct Capital Management and OPTrust Private Markets Group. A new management team was introduced with the vision to be the world leader in airport mass transit, through development of safe, efficient and reliable services providing a world-class customer experience.

Today, SkyBus’ continued growth has expanded operations to Auckland, New Zealand. In addition, with the recent acquisition of the Airport Eastside Bus, in early April 2019, SkyBus has proudly launched its Western Express, Byron Bay Express and Hobart City Express services in the last 12 months.

SkyBus is now recognised as one of the world’s most frequent airport bus transfers, currently moving 4 million people from Melbourne Airport to the Melbourne CBD annually. The iconic red buses run regularly on the most affordable airport transport service in Australia, when measured by cost/kilometres travelled. SkyBus pairs affordability with superior service, offering customers free WiFi, luggage racks, reliable running times, and online, mobile and kiosk ticketing options.

Stakeholders

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Memberships

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Partners

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Associations

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Sponsorships

SkyBus is proud to sponsor of the following organisations

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