SkyBus has launched the Sunshine Express, a new 100% electric service connecting Melbourne’s west to Melbourne Airport. The route opened on 9 November 2025, offering a direct 30-minute trip between Sunshine Station and the airport via the M80 Ring Road.
The service operates seven days a week with departures every 30 minutes from early morning to after midnight. It marks SkyBus’ first all-electric Melbourne route and a key step in the company’s plan to electrify its entire local fleet by 2031.
SkyBus General Manager (Melbourne) Audrey Speziale said the new service answers a clear need from the community. She said the company had “heard from Sunshine residents about the need for direct airport transport” and was encouraged by the level of interest. Speziale added that “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.”
How Sunshine became a new airport hub
Recent SkyBus research shows 89 per cent of Sunshine residents said they would use the service. Uptake potential also appears strong among regional travellers, with 54.1 per cent of Ballarat residents and 36.9 per cent of Geelong residents indicating likely use.
The data positions Sunshine Station as a key interchange for both local and regional passengers, especially those transferring from V/Line services. For travellers from western and regional Victoria, the new connection removes the need to route through the Melbourne CBD before heading to the airport.
Brimbank Mayor Cr Thuy Dang said the Sunshine Express will make airport access significantly easier for people in Melbourne’s west. She said it will “make getting to and from the airport quicker and more convenient” and called it “a great development for the City of Brimbank” that would help more people experience Sunshine on their way to and from the airport.
Fare structure and operating schedule
The Sunshine Express launched with an introductory $9.99 fare (terms and conditions apply) available through skybus.com.au. When the offer ends, adult fares will be $17 one-way or $29 return. Family tickets allow up to four children to travel free with paying adults.
Operating hours run from 6.05 am until 12.20 am, timed around key flight banks. The schedule aims to serve both early morning departures and late-night arrivals, creating predictable transfer options for passengers and agents packaging itineraries.
Expanding SkyBus’ Melbourne network
The Sunshine Express joins the Eastern Express, launched in August, along with SkyBus’ Melbourne City Express, Peninsula Express and Avalon City Express. Together these routes now connect all major catchments across Melbourne to both of the city’s airports.
SkyBus’ investment in fleet electrification and route expansion supports Victoria’s emission targets and growing demand for sustainable transport infrastructure. The company says the Sunshine Express demonstrates that fully electric airport transfers can operate at scale in metropolitan environments.
Sustainability and long-term goals
SkyBus says the new electric route aligns with both state and federal emissions reduction goals and complements Melbourne Airport’s sustainability initiatives. The all-electric operation contributes to lower noise and zero tailpipe emissions, improving the airport’s environmental footprint while offering quieter travel for passengers.
The company began testing electric and hybrid vehicles on select routes in 2023 before committing to a full rollout by 2031. Speziale said SkyBus will continue expanding its electric fleet and “evaluate opportunities for route extensions and service increases as demand grows.”
KARRYON UNPACKS: SkyBus is securing the west before airport rail arrives, using a fully electric model that ticks both policy and passenger demand boxes.
