5 ways to get to Melbourne City from Melbourne Tullamarine Airport

5 ways from Tullamarine Airport to Melbourne City

There are several ways to get to Melbourne’s CBD from Tullamarine Airport depending on your budget and time you have on hand. Let’s look at 5 ways (and one bonus) to get to Melbourne City if you’re arriving at Melbourne’s Tullamarine Airport.

1. SKYBUS – RECOMMENDED

This method is by far my favourite and most frequently used method. Skybus is an express bus service from Melbourne’s Tullamarine Airport to Melbourne CBD (stopping at Southern Cross Station).

The trip takes about 25-30 minutes and will set you back AUD19.75 for One Way and AUD36.50 (as of 2019) for a Return ticket.
You can pre-purchase the tickets online or choose to buy them at the ticket counter.
If you choose to pre-purchase your tickets online, you might be lucky to get the tickets at a cheaper price as Skybus often runs a promo for online ticket purchases.
Skybus runs frequently (10-15 minutes interval).
Pick-up points are right outside Terminal 3 – which is very easy to get to.
There will be an area on the bus for your suitcase so you can just sit back, relax and enjoy the ride.
The plus point : FREE WIFI ONBOARD! Who’s with me on this?!

The Southern Cross Station is a major railway station and acts as a gateway to metropolitan and even regional areas. You can hop on the tram / Metro train which will take you around the CBD and outer CBD areas and even the V-line trains which will take you to regional Victoria.

I’ve always used the Skybus + Tram combo but will avoid doing so during peak hours as it can be very tricky holding onto your suitcase when there are so many people around you.

2. PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

Public transport in Melbourne is pretty accessible and reliable (for the most part). If you’re on a tight budget, not pressed for time and don’t have heavy suitcases with you then you can consider the public transport method.

You will need a Myki card (a reloadable card used on most public transport services in Melbourne) – I believe you can purchase one at the Skybus ticket kiosk.
It is a bit of a walk to the public bus terminal. There will be signboards that will point you to the direction of the bus terminal which is located outside of Terminal 4.
Take the 901 Bus to Broadmeadows Station.
Frequency of the bus: 10-30 minutes depending on the time and day.
At Broadmeadows Station, walk over to the Broadmeadows Railway Station and hop on the Craigieburn Line heading to the city.
Frequency of the train: 10-30 minutes depending on the time and day.
With the walking, waiting and switching, it will take over an hour to get to the city from the airport, so be prepared for an adventure.
The cost : AUD4.40 as of 2019.
Bear in mind that you will need to keep your suitcase with you at all times. If you have a small hand-carry, it should be fine. Bulky items can get very tricky.

I highly recommend checking the Journey Planner service by Public Transport Victoria as it will give you a general idea of which route to take that is suited to your time and location.

3. TAXI / UBER

Sometimes, you just have to get to your destination on time and that is completely fine. There is a taxi stand right outside Terminal 2 which makes it very convenient for international arriving passengers.

On the other hand, the pick-up point for Uber is a fair walk away from Terminal 4. From Terminal 4’s exit, turn right and walk to the next building across the terminal, you will see parcel lockers on your left. Take the elevator up to Level 2 and you can wait for your Uber there.

The travel time to the city will be about 30 minutes – pretty much the same as taking the Skybus.
Taxi Cost : AUD55-70, depending on the time of day and traffic conditions.
Uber Cost : AUD 45-60, depending on the time of day and traffic conditions.
Super convenient as you can just hop on and hop off at your destination.

4. RENTING A CAR

If you’re travelling with friends or family and plan to drive around independently, you can opt to rent a car at the airport. Bear in mind that if you do decide to rent a car, it is best to return the car at the airport instead of choosing to return it at another location. This is only a cost-related issue and you can choose to return the car at a location that is more convenient for you with an extra charge.

There are a number of car rental companies available at the airport so you will be able to make enquiries and compare prices. I do suggest that you read the terms and conditions well if it is your first time renting a car in Australia.

Cost: Renting a car can set you back AUD40-100+ per day, depending on your choice of car.
An ideal option if you’re travelling in a group.
Best to ask if the company offers any promo on weekly rentals if you plan to rent for more than a week.
Parking can be a pain in the butt and on your wallet. Parking in Melbourne’s CBD is very expensive. The cheapest I have seen for 1 hour parking is AUD10 and that adds up pretty fast if you’re having fun exploring the city.
Street parking is available but they have time restrictions on them. Plus, they’re pretty limited too.
If you intend to spend the whole day in the city and insist on parking in the city, I suggest parking at QV and then purchase something from any QV stores and your parking will be capped at AUD20 for the whole day.

To know more about renting a car in Australia, head over here.

5. AIRPORT SHUTTLE

Similar to Skybus, there are other companies that offer airport shuttles with an extra advantage : door-to-door.

If you’re lucky, your hotel might offer an airport shuttle option so always check with your hotel first.

Shared transfers are always cheaper than private transfers. Shared transfers can be as affordable as AUD20 for one way door-to-door service.
If you have the budget (and you want to feel like a popstar), you can always go for private transfers with your very own chauffeur who will be waiting with your name written on a board as you walk out of Arrivals.
Most companies extend their service area to inner suburbs so this might be more helpful to those who have accommodations located outside of the CBD area.
Passengers are only limited to one check-in and one hand-carry. Any extra suitcase will be subjected to extra charges.
Options to check out: Starbus, Con-x-ion

BONUS: HELICOPTER

Now this. This is so extra. Perfect for those who wish to be as extra as every extra can be 😂.

I came across this service very recently and found this method to be so mind blowing. But I suppose, there is a market for just about everything these days.

The service is provided by Microflite Helicopter Services. For more information and to know about their prices, head over to their website.