Executive Summary: Despite not yet serving passengers, the second airport in Australia's second biggest city has better public transport access than the main airport in Australia's biggest city. Described is a way to cost-effectively deliver the overdue better bus service Melbourne Airport workers and visitors deserve.
Regardless of new premier Ben Carroll's enthusiasm for Airport Rail, its completion will be a long way off.
In the foreseeable future if we want better transport from surrounding suburbs (such as where many airport precinct workers live) buses must be much of the answer. I've written before about opportunities for better bus access to Melbourne Airport, including here, here, here, here and here. And credit/debit card tap and go, introduced last month, removes another barrier to using regular bus services.
How do does Melbourne Airport compare with other airports for public transport?
There are various airports we could talk about but let's be easy on ourselves by setting the bar low.
It would almost be a given that a busy long-established airport would have better transport than a new one that hasn't started carrying passengers yet. Or is it? Keep reading!
Western Sydney International Airport public transport
A new bus network for Western Sydney International Airport commenced on July 5, 2026 with more details here. This was ahead of its opening for cargo on July 27. Passenger service is planned to start on October 25.
This network comprises five bus routes to four major termini surrounding Western Sydney International Airport (WSI). These termini are Mt Druitt (772), Kingswood (790), Liverpool (825), Campbelltown (845) and Liverpool via Leppington (860).
All five routes run 6am to 10pm seven days per week with service every 30 minutes. This harmonises with trains (typically every 15 minutes from early morning to late at night).
Comparison
It would almost be a given that a busy long-established airport would have better transport than a new one that hasn't started carrying passengers yet. Or is it? Keep reading!
Western Sydney International Airport public transport
A new bus network for Western Sydney International Airport commenced on July 5, 2026 with more details here. This was ahead of its opening for cargo on July 27. Passenger service is planned to start on October 25.
This network comprises five bus routes to four major termini surrounding Western Sydney International Airport (WSI). These termini are Mt Druitt (772), Kingswood (790), Liverpool (825), Campbelltown (845) and Liverpool via Leppington (860).
All five routes run 6am to 10pm seven days per week with service every 30 minutes. This harmonises with trains (typically every 15 minutes from early morning to late at night).
Melbourne Airport buses
Four regular fare metropolitan bus routes operate to Melbourne Airport. These run to three destinations - Sunbury, Airport West and Frankston (let's call it Broadmeadows, though you might also wish to count Roxburgh Park and Epping).
Unlike the Western Sydney examples, their hours and frequencies vary hugely. The Route 901 orbital offers the best service, with a 15 minute weekday daytime frequency and some Monday to Saturday trips after 10pm. 901's weekend service is similar to any of the Western Sydney routes with buses every 30 minutes. However the trains it intersects are typically every 20 minutes (and sometimes 30 or 40 minutes), making connections less consistent. Sydney upgraded its trains to a 15 minute maximum wait at most stations in 2017.
The next best served corridor is the 478/479 pair to Airport West from where passengers can catch the 59 tram to Niddrie, Essendon and the city. The combined service here is 30 min weekdays and hourly weekends though operating hours are short. The 479 is an extended 478, operating to Sunbury every hour on weekdays, falling to just two trips on weekend days. Finally, the 482 can be disregarded as it's an occasional peak-only industrial route to Airport West.
Unlike the Western Sydney examples, their hours and frequencies vary hugely. The Route 901 orbital offers the best service, with a 15 minute weekday daytime frequency and some Monday to Saturday trips after 10pm. 901's weekend service is similar to any of the Western Sydney routes with buses every 30 minutes. However the trains it intersects are typically every 20 minutes (and sometimes 30 or 40 minutes), making connections less consistent. Sydney upgraded its trains to a 15 minute maximum wait at most stations in 2017.
The next best served corridor is the 478/479 pair to Airport West from where passengers can catch the 59 tram to Niddrie, Essendon and the city. The combined service here is 30 min weekdays and hourly weekends though operating hours are short. The 479 is an extended 478, operating to Sunbury every hour on weekdays, falling to just two trips on weekend days. Finally, the 482 can be disregarded as it's an occasional peak-only industrial route to Airport West.
One recent improvement that has made travel from Melbourne Airport easier is the acceptance of credit and debit cards on public transport across the state. I highlighted the benefits for airport travellers last month. However Transport Victoria didn't get the memo with their airport travel page still claiming a Myki is required for travel on regular bus routes.
The graph below tells the story.
The long-established Melbourne Airport (which passes 96000 passengers per day) has a far inferior bus network than an upstart Western Sydney airport that currently has no passengers. Not that passengers is the only metric when considering airport travel demand; workers due to their every day travel are also important (even if only a minority take the bus). This is something that Sydney understands but Melbourne does not despite customer parking charges being a major source of revenue for the latter.
MEL's inferiority is due to both (a) a smaller number of routes and (b) a lower frequency on routes that do run, especially nights and weekends. The collapse in both is shown below.
MEL's inferiority is due to both (a) a smaller number of routes and (b) a lower frequency on routes that do run, especially nights and weekends. The collapse in both is shown below.
Whereas WSI's five routes provide a consistent half-hourly service all week from 6am to 10pm, the service offer to Melbourne Airport varies greatly. For example the 482 is an occasional peak only industrial route, the 478 runs hourly seven days while 479 to Sunbury is hourly on weekdays with a token two trips on weekends.
MEL's strength is the 901 orbital's fifteen minute weekday frequency versus 30 minutes for all of WSI's routes. 901 also finishes a little later most nights of the week. But otherwise everything is in Western Sydney International's favour, whether it is geographic reach, stations connected, operating hours, frequency and service levels at surrounding train stations.
Melbourne Airport especially lacks direct public bus connections to western and northern suburbs such as Sunshine, Keilor, Caroline Springs, Greenvale and Craigieburn. And access to others where there is on-paper a bus, such as Airport West and Sunbury, is limited due to short hours and infrequent service.
MEL's strength is the 901 orbital's fifteen minute weekday frequency versus 30 minutes for all of WSI's routes. 901 also finishes a little later most nights of the week. But otherwise everything is in Western Sydney International's favour, whether it is geographic reach, stations connected, operating hours, frequency and service levels at surrounding train stations.
Melbourne Airport especially lacks direct public bus connections to western and northern suburbs such as Sunshine, Keilor, Caroline Springs, Greenvale and Craigieburn. And access to others where there is on-paper a bus, such as Airport West and Sunbury, is limited due to short hours and infrequent service.
Six fixes for Melbourne Airport PT
The main airport for Australia's biggest city should have better regular bus services than the secondary airport for Australia's second largest city. That means longer hours. more frequency and more destinations.
Here's six ways to achieve this:
1. Establish a new regular fare bus route from Sunshine to Melbourne Airport similar to the Route 500 concept here. Noting that a premium fare express Skybus already exists this route would have intermediate stops at key employment locations with potential operation via East Keilor. A Sunshine - Melbourne Airport bus route features in Brimbank Council's 2025-27 Advocacy Plan.
2. Swap Routes 901 and 902 at Broadmeadows so that 902 operates to Melbourne Airport and 901 to Airport West. Supported by the Northern Councils Alliance, this provides more direct access to middle-northern suburbs and train lines and be effectively a Suburban Rail Loop North precursor route. Desirable enhancements for both reformed routes (but especially 902) include adding Sunday evening service, boosting weekend service to every 20 min or better and potentially extending it to Sunshine to incorporate the above 500.
3. Upgrade and simplify bus route 478/479. Operate all trips (including short-workings from Airport West to Melbourne Airport) as Route 479 so people have only one route number to remember and frequency is better communicated. Have a uniform weekday and weekend frequency for both Airport West and Sunbury. Increase operating hours and frequency and improve passenger information to boost currently low awareness of this service. A Route 479 upgrade is supported by the Northern Councils Alliance due to the high number of airport precinct workers who live in Sunbury.
4. A new local bus route from Melbourne Airport to the Caroline Springs area via Keilor Plains Station. This would have both airport and non airport connectivity benefits including connecting Keilor to its nearest train station. This could potentially extend further west as part of a North West BRT.
3. Upgrade and simplify bus route 478/479. Operate all trips (including short-workings from Airport West to Melbourne Airport) as Route 479 so people have only one route number to remember and frequency is better communicated. Have a uniform weekday and weekend frequency for both Airport West and Sunbury. Increase operating hours and frequency and improve passenger information to boost currently low awareness of this service. A Route 479 upgrade is supported by the Northern Councils Alliance due to the high number of airport precinct workers who live in Sunbury.
4. A new local bus route from Melbourne Airport to the Caroline Springs area via Keilor Plains Station. This would have both airport and non airport connectivity benefits including connecting Keilor to its nearest train station. This could potentially extend further west as part of a North West BRT.
5. Wider northern suburbs rail and bus service improvements including:
(a) Craigieburn line upgrade to every 10 minutes off-peak,
(b) Extension of evening and weekend morning trains that terminate at West Footscray to Watergardens to provide a consistent 10 minute all week day and night frequency,
(c) upgrade Tram 59 evening and early Sunday morning frequency,
(d) bus network reform in the Keilor East area to provide longer hours, higher frequencies and stronger termini for routes such as 406, 407, 465 and 469,
(e) 7 day upgrade and extension to Coburg for the 531 bus to improve connections at Campbellfield pending the construction of a rail station, with local advocacy here,
(f) simplification of Reservoir area bus routes 552 and 558 to enable easier access to the 902, and
(g) potential new bus route from Melbourne Airport via Mickleham Rd to Craigieburn.
6. Wider northern suburbs rail infrastructure improvements including:
(a) Revamp of Broadmeadows Station to improve its amenity as an interchange, including for international/interstate visitors, as recently spoken about by Kathleen Matthews-Ward MP
(b) and a new station at Campbellfield to interchange with Route 902, and
(c) Upfield line duplication to enable a 10 minute all week frequency.
All six points have connectivity benefits wider than Melbourne Airport and would amount to a transformation of public transport in the north/north-west suburbs.
Conclusion
(a) Craigieburn line upgrade to every 10 minutes off-peak,
(b) Extension of evening and weekend morning trains that terminate at West Footscray to Watergardens to provide a consistent 10 minute all week day and night frequency,
(c) upgrade Tram 59 evening and early Sunday morning frequency,
(d) bus network reform in the Keilor East area to provide longer hours, higher frequencies and stronger termini for routes such as 406, 407, 465 and 469,
(e) 7 day upgrade and extension to Coburg for the 531 bus to improve connections at Campbellfield pending the construction of a rail station, with local advocacy here,
(f) simplification of Reservoir area bus routes 552 and 558 to enable easier access to the 902, and
(g) potential new bus route from Melbourne Airport via Mickleham Rd to Craigieburn.
6. Wider northern suburbs rail infrastructure improvements including:
(a) Revamp of Broadmeadows Station to improve its amenity as an interchange, including for international/interstate visitors, as recently spoken about by Kathleen Matthews-Ward MP
(b) and a new station at Campbellfield to interchange with Route 902, and
(c) Upfield line duplication to enable a 10 minute all week frequency.
All six points have connectivity benefits wider than Melbourne Airport and would amount to a transformation of public transport in the north/north-west suburbs.
Currently the secondary airport in Australia's second biggest city has better public transport access than the main airport in Australia's biggest city. Western Sydney also adds service before the airport becomes fully established to lock in travel habits early while Melbourne doesn't add service until decades later (if at all).
The people who disproportionately bear the cost of this poor service are not airport travellers (who overwhelmingly only use the airport a few times a year and have a premium fare Skybus alternative) but airport workers, many of whom are not on particularly high incomes and live in surrounding suburbs.
Thus improved buses from Melbourne Airport is a bread-and-butter cost of living matter widening job opportunities and delivering real benefits to peoples' pockets. As distinct from Airport Rail whose direct network benefits, with the notable exception of a new station at Keilor East, are more symbolic and harder to quantify.
Cost-effective ways to provide better public transport to Melbourne Airport ahead of Airport Rail are outlined above. This would have benefits for visitors and (especially) airport precinct workers alike. They should be implemented as soon as possible given their relatively low cost, widespread benefits and ease of implementation.
The people who disproportionately bear the cost of this poor service are not airport travellers (who overwhelmingly only use the airport a few times a year and have a premium fare Skybus alternative) but airport workers, many of whom are not on particularly high incomes and live in surrounding suburbs.
Thus improved buses from Melbourne Airport is a bread-and-butter cost of living matter widening job opportunities and delivering real benefits to peoples' pockets. As distinct from Airport Rail whose direct network benefits, with the notable exception of a new station at Keilor East, are more symbolic and harder to quantify.
Cost-effective ways to provide better public transport to Melbourne Airport ahead of Airport Rail are outlined above. This would have benefits for visitors and (especially) airport precinct workers alike. They should be implemented as soon as possible given their relatively low cost, widespread benefits and ease of implementation.
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