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[VIC] Doncaster, Box Hill, Blackburn, Ringwood or Croydon to Melbourne Airport Adult/Family One Way $2, Return $4 @ Skybus

2090

Express travel from Melbourne Tullamarine Airport to Melbourne’s eastern suburbs.

Service starts from 3 Nov, but can buy tickets now

To celebrate the launch of Eastern Express, online fares from just $2 for travel during November.

Watsonia Station

Pick up & drop off: Bus stop at Watsonia Station off Greensborough Road

Doncaster Shopping Centre

Pick up & drop off: Bus bay 1 at Doncaster Westfield Shopping Centre

Box Hill Central

Pick up: Bus stop at 888 Maroondah Hwy
Drop off: Bus stop at 605 Station St

Blackburn Station

Pick up: Bus interchange on Railway Rd, Blackburn Station
Drop off: Bus stop at 35 Railway Rd, Blackburn Station

Ringwood Station

Pick up: Bus bay 8 at Ringwood Station on Maroondah Hwy
Drop off: 227 Maroondah Hwy

Croydon Station

Pick up & drop off: Bus interchange at Croydon Station off Wicklow Ave

Related Stores

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closed Comments

  • +3

    How bizarre… some of those stops don't have bus zones. One of them is in a no standing zone and another is in a clearway.

    • +2

      Yea, the box hill one is weird. I wouldn't choose the station st stop if I were them as it's always jammed.

      I also don't get why they don't pick up and drop off on the same spot for ringwood. The drop off location is few minutes walk to the station which is a deal breaker when it rains.

      • -5

        Asian suburbs only?

      • +1

        Looks like they put the Ringwood Drop Off there so it doesn't waste time doing a double loop around Ringwood Station to stop at the interchange. Can add up to 10 extra minutes to do that like some of the suburban buses do.

        Although there is a bus zone on the north side of Maroondah Hwy opposite the station so I don't know why they didn't choose there.

        I agree the 605 Station Street, Box Hill drop off location is terrible and makes no sense!

    • It actually makes sense, I assume because its an interchange, its easier to access.

      • I don't know how you derive your assumptions. Box Hill drop off / pickup is not an interchange. The Ringwood drop off is not an interchange.

  • +15

    Damn!! I now have to buy a flight ticket to make this deal worthwhile.

    • +3

      just go for a trip to Airport, will only cost you $4 :)

      • +4

        Airport trip plus free vodafail WiFi

  • Thanks OP I have a flight at the end of Nov so the timing of this couldn't be better!

  • +7

    It's about time to start servicing one of most densely populated areas of Melbourne!
    Looks like skybus is strategising to be key provider for all of Melbourne before the airport rail is in place. This assumes the Andrews government is able to implement the airport rail without it being an epic fail.

    • -2

      Airport rail in a city like Melbourne is going to be a fail no matter who implements it. Too little population spread over far too much space. The passenger numbers simply won't be there.

      Sydney only works because they built it into the existing network.

      • +3

        If it goes to Southern Cross and is cheaper than the bus (and faster) then how would it fail? If you can just use your Myki, and the train station isn't too inconvenient to get to, you'd convert most of the Skybus passengers, and I daresay a decent portion of those who normally get a cab/uber. Bus stigma is real for some people.

        • +3

          If you look at Sydney and Brisbane you would know it won't cheaper and depending on the route it ends up taking it might not be faster. It will also certainly be less frequent than the bus.

          Even if they convert 100% of the skybus customers you're still talking pretty small numbers. Buses are far lower capacity than a train. Skybus runs every 8-10 minutes with buses of around 70-100 people capacity. You're looking at 500-750 passengers an hour. Most buses aren't full.

          Now turn that into a train with a capacity of 800. Even if you lower the frequency to 15 minutes (the absolute longest reasonable wait for a turn up and go service) suddenly you're running a capacity of 3200 an hour. It's just not going to be utilised efficiently.

          The people taking taxis and ubers aren't all coming from the western end of the CBD where the train will run to and I certainly don't expect many people to take two trains or multi-mode their way to the airport train.

          I'm all for investment in rail, Melbourne needs a lot of it, but the Airport Rail is not a good place to be starting.

        • Living in the northern suburbs I'd still need to go all the way into the CBD and then catch another train that goes out to the airport. It's the main reason the skybus sucks too, thankfully with the new Watsonia pickup location it should be more direct.

  • How long are these valid for?

    Looking to prepay a few tickets

    Great deal

    • Oops sorry just read its. November

      Disregard pls :)

  • +5

    So it’s like 20c/hr, that’s pretty awesome value.

  • +1

    Better check the timetable before you book tickets

  • +1

    Any reliable parking around these suburbs to park for ~3 days? Thinking about doing this and catching the skybus to the airport instead of parking in airport..

    Great deal, cheers OP

    • Get an uber to/from the pickup and drop off point?

      • I live slightly regional, no Uber available here. Driving is my only option, unfortunately.

        • Fair enough. I'm guessing most side residential streets should be okay for a few days, but I wouldn't do it much longer than that.

        • The stops are at train stations…

  • +12

    Once it is full price, cheaper to use PT all the way to airport. Train to city, then change to train to Broadmeadows station, then outside the station get the 901 bus to airport which takes ten minutes. Drops you at T4. Just Myki fare only.

    I've used it many times.

    • +4

      Some will be happy with the convenience if not having multiple swaps with their luggage in tow.

      • +3

        Convenience?

        We are ozbarginers!

      • +2

        Yeah if I had huge luggage with me, no way, but if just a couple of bags, it's fine. I refuse to spend $20 odd to get from Southern Cross to Airport by Skybus normally.

      • +1

        An ozbargainer travels light. That way you can utilise PT and save when travelling discount airlines.

    • +7

      Yeah, but then you have to go to Broadmeadows.

      • +15

        So you won't need to worry about your luggage for the last leg then…

    • +1

      Yup, this is an awesome option. Done it multiple times. The only problem is 901 to and from the airport has limited times, especially on weekends. You can even take an uber from the airport to broadmeadows station. Long ago bwfore uber pool was a commercial option, I'd pooled in an uber with some others who wanted to get to broadmeadows station from the airport.

      • What is the typical cost for uber pool from broadmeadows to T2? Can we take luggage with uber pool as well?

      • +1

        If you plan to take Uber, it is faster to get off at Essendon station, right at the entrance to M2 Freeway to the airport.
        1. Essendon station will save you time to go to Broadmeadows station.
        2. Shorter distance to airport means cheaper Uber/Didi cost.

    • if you live on that train line, it'll be worth awhile. Otherwise, it took much longer.

  • Maybe worth noting that seems like it can be one bus per 60-90min. Might actually be more convenient/predictable to take SkyBus from Southern Cross. Ymmv; just for consideration.

  • +3
  • +2

    Convenience is the only thing going for it. They conveniently leave out expected journey times on main pages. Traffic will be heavy in parts, with no bus lanes to use. Their normal buses are not made for tall people (knees pressed up against back of seats).

    • They do fairly clearly outline the travel times on the timetable and some of the route does contain bus routes to avoid traffic.

  • +3

    Thanks Op, partner's dad will be arriving in 10 days so going to "shout" him a ticket to the bus instead of having to get to the airport at 6am… :)

    Great service too, we're in Greensborough so the convenience of the Skybus station only 5 mins away is a big plus.

  • +3

    Last bus is 7.45pm on a weekday and 6.35pm on a weekend. Pretty useless

    • Its no doubt a trial and they will extend if it gets used. But it won't survive.

  • Seems it not running via m3 and m2? 90mins per trip seems very long, can’t even consider as express service, thought $4 is no doubt a bargain.

    • +1

      90 mins from Croydon to Tullamarine for a freaking bus is more than reasonable. It's 100% via toll as driving without traffic / stops is about 60 minutes.

    • +3

      It's one bus servicing the full route. You can tell by the timetable.

      It'll travel along Maroondah Highway from Croydon to Box Hill. Station St or Elgar Road to Doncaster. Manningham Road>Rosanna Road>Greensborough Highway to Watsonia then the Ring Road to the airport.

  • I was thinking to book, but then checked the timetable, no buses are available around 12am.
    https://www.skybus.com.au/eastern-express/timetable/

  • +1

    My flight lands at 1810hrs. Do u guys think i will be able to make to the last bus at 1945hrs? Got visitors from overseas on tourist visa and need to pick them up.

    • +1

      Heaps of time, should easily make it.

  • +1

    Thanks Op! Returning to MEL in mid-November, booked a special one-way ticket saving me heaps on the usual Skybus/Myki combo to get home…

  • +2

    On the sky is website to book tickets there is no option to enter the travel date, does anyone know how skybus will honor/guarantee that the passengers get space to sit and for luggage in their planned travel date?.

    • No sitting space can be promised in $2. Take it or leave it.

  • Isn't there one running already? I pass a Skybus Van most mornings at westfield

  • +3

    When the Docklands Express service was launched with promotional fares, staff had no problem accepting the tickets on the regular city express skybus.

    Any idea if the same will work with these tickets?

    • I'd love to know this too - will test late November unless someone does so earlier,

    • +2

      Going away to Sydney for a long weekend next week… the plan is to get to Box Hill form work, then airport because i have 5 hours to kill anywho.

      But considering work is near Southern Cross maybe I'll try this XD

      When I bought my tickets it does have a 'zone' listed on it - Zone E2 1 Box Hill and Watsonia Zone E1 1

      I bought my return ticket coming from Watsonia as that's closer to the airport, but if i can use it on a city bound bus that will be amazing!

    • +1

      Nope. The ticket is colour coded green and I wasn't allowed on after she scanned it at Southern Cross

      • Ah, shame.

        Interesting to know how it works leaving the airport - may be easier if it's a longer wait for the new bus.

        • I'll find out on Monday lol

        • +1

          No dice. I think because it's colour coded and they get a message on the scanner you have little chance.

          When I left the city it was crazy busy and I was rejected, and now leaving airport same despite it being quieter.

      • Damn, thanks for trying it out though

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