Melbourne International Airport (MEL), is in Tullamarine 21km north of the city centre. This airport handles all international flights and most domestic flights.
The cheapest way to travel between the airport and the city centre is by public transport, which involves taking a suburban train to Broadmeadows (on the Craigieburn line) and then transferring to bus 901 to the airport. Both the train and bus run every 30 minutes and you should allow at least an hour and 10 minutes for the journey. The one-way fare is $3.76.
Skybus is the quickest and easiest way to get to and from the airport with buses departing right outside the main airport terminal and the trip between the airport and the city centre taking only 35 minutes. Skybus run frequent airport bus services to the Southern Cross coach terminal on Spencer Street in the city centre with services running 24 hours every 15 minutes during the day ($18 one-way). Between 7am and 6pm Skybus provide a complimentary shuttle service between the Southern Cross coach terminal on Spencer Street and to backpackers hostels and hotels in the city centre.
A taxi from the airport to the city centre costs between $45 and $55.
Puffing Billy is a century-old steam train, run by volunteer train enthusiasts, that still runs between Belgrave and Gembrook on its original track. The train takes you through scenic countryside and the trip is a lot of fun. There are between three and six trains a day, although not all of them continue all the way to Gembrook.
Free return ride with the iVenture Melbourne card
Free return ride on the Puffing Billy railway with the iVenture Card Melbourne sightseeing pass
Melbourne’s newest airport is Avalon (AVV), 55km southwest of Melbourne’s city centre near Geelong. At this stage Avalon only handles JetStar flights to Sydney.
Sita Coaches’ Avalon Airport Transfers coach service links Avalon with Melbourne city with stops at Southern Cross (Spencer Street) coach station. The one-way fare is $22.
Avalon Airport Shuttle links Avalon Airport with Geelong with the option drop offs and pick ups farther afield including the Bellarine Peninsula, Torquay and the Great Ocean Road. The one-way fare between Avalon Airport and Geelong is $18.
Greyhound has coaches to Adelaide, Brisbane and Sydney and Firefly Express coaches go to Adelaide and Sydney. Destinations in regional Victoria are served by V/line coaches.
Firefly, Greyhound and V/line coaches terminate at Southern Cross Coach Terminal on Spencer Street next to Southern Cross train station.
All long-distance train services terminate at Southern Cross Station on Spencer Street at the western edge of the city centre.
V/line operates trains within Victoria with services to Albury, Ararat, Echuca, Shepparton, Swan Hill, Traralgon and Warrnambool. Interstate train services are operated by NSW TrainLink to Sydney and Great Southern Railway’s the Overland service goes to Adelaide.
You can travel to Melbourne on NSW TrainLink trains using the
Discovery Pass rail pass
The Spirit of Tasmania leaves Station Pier in Port Melbourne every night at 9pm for Devonport, Tasmania. Tram 109 runs between Station Pier and the city centre.
This museum provides a good overview of Australian motoring history with over 300 cars, motorcycles and commercial vehicles. The National Motor Museum also features relics from South Australia’s colonial past and interpretive exhibits in the recently opened Holden Pavillion of Australian Motoring.
The home of Hahndorf painter, Hans Heysen, has been restored featuring the artist’s studio. You can only visit by taking a guided tour of the house.
The largest regional art gallery in South Australia is noted for its exhibits of work by former Hahndorf resident Hans Heysen and also includes a museum that reveals the contribution that German migrants have made to South Australia while explaining what life was like for the region’s first German settlers.
