SkyBus to launch 12-month trial Launceston City Express, half-price tickets on sale today

SkyBus, the airport services brand of Kinetic, will launch its new Launceston City Express on 2 November, giving Launceston a dedicated airport transfer service between the terminal and the city centre for the first time. Tickets go on sale today at half price, with the launch offer running until 30 November*.

The service is funded by the Tasmanian Government as a 12-month trial and is being delivered in partnership with Launceston Airport. It will create five new local driver roles.

Services will run seven days a week and are scheduled around flight times. The first bus leaves Launceston Transit Centre at 4:30am to meet the first flights of the day, with departures to the airport up to hourly until 6:00pm. From the airport, buses run from 9:45am, timed to meet incoming flights, with the last service departing at 10:45pm.

The journey takes approximately 32 minutes from the Transit Centre to the airport, and 35 minutes on the return.

The route runs through the city centre before heading to the airport via the Midland Highway, stopping at: 

• Opposite the Launceston Transit Centre (servicing The Sebel) 
• Brisbane Street after Earl Street (servicing Best Western Plus and Hotel Grand Chancellor) 
• Brisbane Street at City Park (servicing Mercure Launceston) 
• York Street at the Launceston Leisure and Aquatic Centre (servicing Coach House Launceston and Adina Place Motel Apartments) 
• Elizabeth Street at Princes Square (servicing Quality Inn Colonial Launceston and Balmoral on York) 
• Charles Street at Launceston General Hospital (servicing Mantra Charles Hotel) 
• Launceston Airport 

Between them, the city stops serve the hospital, the Transit Centre and a number of Launceston hotels. Buses are low floor with wheelchair access and luggage racks and carry free Wi-Fi. Passengers can track services in real time through the SkyBus website.

Standard fares are $16 for an adult one way, $14 each for two or more adults travelling together, and $8 for pension holders. A family fare covers one adult and up to four children for $16, or two adults and up to four children for $28. Every ticket bought between 20 October and 30 November is half price.

The Launceston City Express is SkyBus's second Tasmanian service, joining the Hobart City Express, which has operated since July 2018 and carried 132,056 passengers in 2025.

Kinetic General Manager Tasmania Andrew Grzinic says Launceston is a growing city with a growing airport, and the time is right for a dedicated airport-to-city service to support locals and visitors.

"The Hobart City Express carried more than 132,000 people last year, and it has become part of how that city works," he says.

"We have spent close to 50 years connecting passengers reliably, safely and affordably to and from airports across the country, and we are proud to be bringing that experience to northern Tasmania."

"We are recruiting a team of local drivers to operate this service, and they will be the first person a lot of visitors meet when they arrive in northern Tasmania.

"We look forward to bringing our red buses to Launceston."

Tickets are on sale now at www.skybus.com.au.  

*Ticket validity 

• Half price promotional tickets, available from 20 October to 30 November 2026, are valid for four weeks from the date of purchase. 
• Full terms and conditions at www.skybus.com.au.