Melbourne’s Tullamarine Airport sits 20km northwest of the central city, with one international terminal and three domestic terminals catering to something like 35 million people a year. It’s a nice enough place, for an airport.

Chances are, though, you don’t plan to spend your entire trip drinking bad coffee and listening to boarding announcements, so you need to know the best way to get out of there and head somewhere more interesting.

Let’s get the bad news out of the way first: while an airport train service has been talked about for over 50 years, it still doesn’t exist. It’s a standing joke amongst Melburnians at this point, and although trains are currently supposed to start running from 2033, I’ll believe it when I see it.

The good news is that there are several other ways to get between the airport and the city, including by public transport. Below you’ll find all the info you need for everything from buses and taxis to rideshares and private transfers, whether you’re coming from the airport or heading back again.

Direct Bus (Skybus)

In the absence of a train service, a company called Skybus runs regular non-stop double-decker buses between the airport and Southern Cross station on the western edge of the CBD. From there, suburban trains, trams, and buses take you all over Melbourne, and regional trains and buses leave for elsewhere in Victoria.

If you’ll be taking the Skybus both ways, save money by buying a return ticket in advance. While there are ticket machines on the curb outside Terminals 1, 2, and 4, and in the coach terminal at Southern Cross, they only let you pay the full single fare in both directions.

Advance tickets are valid for three months from the day of purchase; beyond that, there’s no need to specify or travel on a particular date.

Buying in advance also lets you skip the ticket line and just walk straight onto the bus. Note that you can’t buy a ticket from the driver on the airport Skybus route, and you’ll need to use a card or Google/Apple Pay (not cash) whether you’re buying online or from the machine.

Note that children aged 4-16 pay the child fare, while those under four travel free. At least one adult needs to travel with anyone under the age of 12.

Buses run every 10-15 minutes between 4am and 1am the next day, and take about half an hour to get to their destination. Large suitcases and backpacks go in the luggage area under the bus, while carry-on bags can stay with you. There’s free onboard Wi-Fi if you need it.

To find the Skybus at the airport, just follow the signs from the arrival hall. You’ll see the ticket machines and branding as soon as you exit terminal 1, 2, or 4: the bus pulls up directly alongside. Show your ticket to the driver as you board.

From the main concourse in Southern Cross station, follow the overhead signs for the Airport Express bus. You’ll eventually find yourself in front of a left-luggage counter: the entrance to the coach station is to your left, along with the ticket machines. You can also enter directly from Spencer St.

Skybus also operates a route to Avalon, Melbourne’s small second airport that’s actually closer to Geelong and has the airport code AVV. Unless you’re flying from there, make sure you get on a bus bound for Melbourne Airport (MEL) instead! The destination is on an electronic sign on the front.

Rideshare (Uber or Didi)

Two rideshare companies operate in Melbourne, Uber and Didi, and drivers from both companies can collect you from and drop you off at the airport. You’ll need to have the appropriate app (Uber, Didi) installed on your phone and set up with a working debit or credit card before you use it.

Uber tends to be the more expensive of the two, and has a dedicated pickup area directly outside the arrival hall in Terminal 2 and on the ground floor of the parking building in Terminal 4. Follow the signs inside and outside the terminal building, looking out for the Uber branding. Once you’re in line, call an Uber to your destination as usual.

As with many airports around the world, Uber uses a PIN system to connect you and your driver. This means that you just give your PIN number to the next driver when you get to the front of the line. Make sure that they’ve entered the PIN correctly and the ride is marked as started in your app before you get in the car.

You should expect to pay around $60 to get to the central city in a standard UberX car, although traffic and demand can push this much higher at times.

If you arrive in the main terminal building, Didi operates from lane three of the pickup/drop-off area outside Terminal 2. It’s signposted as the rideshare pickup area: from the terminal, go past the Uber pickup area, cross the road at the pedestrian crossing, and wait in lane three.

If you’re coming into Terminal 4, you’ll find the Didi vehicles on level one of the parking building in Terminal 4.

This areas operate as a normal rideshare pickup area, so just call a car through the Didi app and look out for the numberplate and model when the driver gets close.

Note that while the terminal Wi-Fi reaches to the Uber pickup zone, it doesn’t reach to the other rideshare area. If you’ve arrived from overseas and need a local eSIM to stay connected, I’ve tested close to a dozen of them. AloSIM was the best, with fast speeds and low prices: use the code WDD to get a few bucks off your first purchase.

In my experience, Didi is usually a bit cheaper than Uber, typically around $50 before any discounts. Those discounts come thick and fast after you’ve had the app installed for a while, though. They’re personalised, and automatically applied when there’s one available.

Licensed Taxi

Licensed taxis run to and from Melbourne Airport, and wait in dedicated ranks outside Terminals 1 and 4. Official taxi ranks are clearly signposted from the corresponding arrival areas inside and outside the terminals, and both car and driver need to display an accredited taxi number.

Fares will be on the meter if you just walk up: expect to pay around $65-75 during normal times, more when there’s heavy traffic or late at night.

Heading to the airport, you can hail a taxi on the street, or book a ride with 13Cabs (it’s the biggest taxi company in Melbourne) through their site, app, or by calling 13 22 27.

Whether you’re going to or coming from the airport, you can also arrange a pickup in advance with 13Cabs or a different taxi company. 13Cabs has the advantage of letting you fix the price and pay in advance if you don’t want to take your chances with the meter.

Note that I’m talking about licensed taxis here. While it’s illegal for taxi touts to operate at the airport, there seems to be little enforcement. Last time I flew in from overseas, I was approached by three different people inside the terminal and two outside, all trying to convince me to get in their “taxi”.

They’re almost certainly unlicensed and therefore not insured to carry paying passengers. You also have little protection if the driver suddenly insists on payment in cash, or increases the fare, or doesn’t take you to your destination, or anything else. In short: do not accept a ride from these people.

Private Transfer

If the last thing you want to deal with after a long-haul flight is the logistics of getting around an unfamiliar city, you don’t have to: there’s also the option of taking a private transfer between the airport and your accommodation.

The driver will typically meet you at arrivals holding a signboard with your name on it, take you to the vehicle and give you a hand with your luggage, and drive you to wherever you’re staying. Many offer SUVs or minivans for larger groups, and use larger luxury cars for a more comfortable ride.

Private transfers need to be arranged in advance, since there isn’t a desk at the airport to do so. These guys are the best I’ve come across, although there are several others available as well. They’ll monitor your flight for delays, and provide a phone or WhatsApp number to stay in contact.

All of the private transfer companies also offer hotel/accommodation pickups for a return trip to the airport: either book it in advance, or just arrange it with your driver directly.

Public Bus + Train

While it’s not the fastest way to get between the airport and the city, using public transport is definitely the cheapest option. There won’t be a direct train service for at least a decade, but if you’re happy to mix buses and trains, you’ll save a bunch of money.

Public buses leave from the transport hub near Terminal 4, which is about a ten minute walk from the other terminals. Follow the signage inside or outside your arrival terminal to find T4, and then the bus station outside it.

The best way to get into the city from there is to take bus 901 to Broadmeadows train station, then switch to a citybound Craigieburn train to get to Southern Cross or Flinders Street station. Total journey time is about an hour, depending on how long you need to wait for a train.

The 901 bus leaves from the airport every 15 minutes until 9pm on weekdays, and every half an hour at weekends and after 9pm. The bus starts running around 5:00am on weekdays, 5:30am on Saturdays, and 6:30am on Sundays, stopping at midnight Monday through Saturday and just after 9pm on Sundays.

Train timetables vary by day of the week, so plug your times into the PTV journey planner to confirm the details if you’ll be travelling from the airport late at night or early in the morning.

The same advice applies if you’re taking public transport to the airport, especially in the early hours and/or at weekends. Check the official site to make sure the bus and train are running when you need them to be, and that there isn’t any maintenance scheduled.

A Note on Myki

For those who already have a myki (Victoria’s public transport card), you’ll pay $5.30 for the combined bus and train fare to/from the airport. As with all public transport in Victoria, the total daily fare is capped at $10.60 per person.

If you’ve just arrived in Melbourne for the first time and don’t have a myki card yet, you need to buy one before you travel on any train, tram, or bus on the public transport network. Note that Skybus isn’t public transport, so you don’t (and can’t) use myki on it.

There are myki vending machines in the arrival areas of Terminals 2, 3, or 4, although they’re hidden away and not easy to spot. You’ll usually find them near other facilities like toilets, pay phones, and snack machines. The physical card costs $6, plus however much you top up with for your usage.

If you have an Android phone, a much easier option is to use a mobile myki instead, loaded into your Google Wallet. It’s free and straightforward to install, easy to top-up, and is what I use to get around Melbourne on public transport. Sadly there’s no similar mobile option for iOS devices.

Thankfully, all this myki hassle is due to disappear next year: a new operator has taken over the ticketing system, and you’ll soon be able to tap a payment card or use Apple/Google Pay on your phone to pay for public transport like a civilised person.

Remember to tap your myki on the reader as you get on and off the bus, and at the turnstiles or standalone reader when entering and leaving train stations.

All images copyright Everything Victoria