Tullamarine to the Melbourne CBD is 23 kilometres and the wrong choice can cost you $90 and an hour you didn’t plan for. This is the first-timer’s guide - bus, taxi, Uber, train (sort of) - with realistic times and prices for 2026, written for arrivals who don’t have a local SIM yet and aren’t sure what ‘SkyBus Express’ actually means.
SkyBus - The Standard Choice
SkyBus Express from Tullamarine to Southern Cross Station: $24 return (about $32 USD), runs every 10 minutes 24/7. Journey time: 22-35 minutes depending on traffic. Pick-up at all four Tullamarine terminals (T1 Qantas, T2 international, T3 Virgin/Jetstar, T4 Jetstar). Buses are coach-style, luggage racks below, free wifi. The Express terminus is Southern Cross Station; from there, free CBD trams cover the city centre. SkyBus runs hotel-transfer add-ons - $10 extra and they drop you at most CBD hotels.
Taxi or Uber
Taxi to the CBD: $80-$110 metered, depending on destination and time. Includes $5 airport surcharge. Outside peak: 25-30 minutes. Peak (7am-9am, 4pm-7pm weekdays): 35-55 minutes. Uber: $60-$90 standard rate, surge-priced when busy. Pick-up zone: T1, T2, T3, T4 specific levels (T2 international is the underground level). Rideshare at Tullamarine has a $5 airport access fee built in.
There Is No Train. Yet.
Melbourne is the only major Australian capital without a rail link to its main airport. The Melbourne Airport Rail Link is under construction and won’t open until 2029 at earliest, according to Major Transport Infrastructure Authority project filings. For now: bus, taxi, Uber, or hire car. There’s no $9 train option.
Hire Car: When It’s Worth It
Hire car desks at all four terminals. Useful only if your trip continues out of Melbourne (Great Ocean Road, Yarra Valley, regional Victoria). For CBD-only stays, parking in the city is $40-$70/day and city traffic is annoying. Don’t hire a car for a CBD-only stay - the tram network covers everything you need.
Public Bus (Cheaper, Slower)
Bus 901 (Smartbus) from Tullamarine to Broadmeadows Station, then Metro train to the CBD: $4.10 with Myki, journey 70-90 minutes total. Cheap but slow, and not luggage-friendly. Realistic only for solo backpackers with one carry-on.
Wifi, SIMs, ATMs at the Airport
Free wifi at all terminals. SIM cards from Optus, Telstra, and Vodafone kiosks at the airport - $30/month gets you 30+ GB and unlimited domestic calls (often a lower deal at city stores, but the airport is convenient if you need to be online immediately). ATMs in every terminal (CBA, ANZ, Westpac, NAB) - Australian banks don’t charge a withdrawal fee for foreign cards beyond the bank’s own; check your home bank’s rate. Currency exchange at the airport is poor value - wait for a city Travelex or just use card.
What This Means for You
For most travellers: SkyBus Express is the right answer. $24 return, 25 minutes, hotel transfer if you want it. Taxi or Uber if you have luggage that won’t fit on a bus or you’re a group of 3+. Don’t bother with the public bus unless you’re rigid about the budget. And don’t wait for the train. For Myki specifics, the Myki guide for tourists; for the broader no-car routing, the Melbourne no-car itinerary.
Jack Carver covers Melbourne food, drink, and city life for MELBZ.