The SkyBus Sunshine Express has officially launched today, providing Melbourne's western suburbs and regional Victoria with a direct, affordable connection to Melbourne Airport.
The new service operates seven days a week with departures every 30 minutes, taking approximately 30 minutes via the M80 Ring Road between Sunshine Station and Melbourne Airport.
The Sunshine Express is the first SkyBus route in Melbourne to launch with a fully electric fleet, supporting Victoria's climate commitments and providing quieter, greener transport for airport commuters.
SkyBus General Manager (Melbourne) Audrey Speziale said the launch delivers on strong community demand for direct airport transport.
"We've heard from Sunshine residents about the need for direct airport transport, and we're thrilled to see such strong demand from the local community," she said.
"The Sunshine Express provides an affordable, sustainable transport option that connects Melbourne's west directly to the airport, whilst offering connections for V/Line passengers from Geelong, Ballarat, Warrnambool and Ararat."
Recent research commissioned by SkyBus showed 89% of Sunshine residents indicated they would use the service, alongside strong uptake intentions from Ballarat (54.1%) and Geelong (36.9%) residents.
The service provides an affordable transport option for western suburbs residents, launching with a $9.99 introductory fare (T&Cs apply), with post-promotion adult fares at $17.00 one-way ($29.00 return) and family fares offering free travel for up to four children travelling with paying adults.
Brimbank Mayor Cr Thuy Dang said thanks to the SkyBus Sunshine Express, people in the west can now travel to Melbourne Airport without having to go all the way into the city first.
“This is going to make getting to and from the airport quicker and more convenient,” she said.
“This is a great development for the City of Brimbank and means more people will get to experience Sunshine on their way to and from the airport.”
The Sunshine Express joins SkyBus' Eastern Express service (which launched 31 August) and existing Melbourne City Express, Peninsula Express and Avalon City Express services, creating a comprehensive network of airport connections across Melbourne.
SkyBus has committed to full fleet electrification across all Melbourne services by 2031.
Tickets and timetables are available at www.skybus.com.au
The SkyBus Sunshine Express has officially launched today, providing Melbourne's western suburbs and regional Victoria with a direct, affordable connection to Melbourne Airport.
SkyBus has officially expanded to Sydney Airport, marking an exciting new chapter for Australasia's trusted airport transport brand.
SkyBus’s iconic airport express bus service will land in Melbourne’s eastern and western suburbs in 2025.