Melbourne : Getting Around
By public transport
Melbourne’s public transport system, Metlink, comprises trams, trains and buses. Trams service the central city and inner suburbs. Trains service the suburbs, radiating from the central Flinders Street Station. Buses go where there are no tram or train tracks. One ticket allows travel on all three modes of transport.
The Met Shop, Melbourne Town Hall, cnr Swanston St and Little Collins St, M-F 8:30am-5pm, Sa 9am-1pm, provides timetables and brochures, and sells tickets, maps and travel merchandise. The Met Information Centre, ph 131638 (131MET), every day 7am-9pm, provides information and the Metlink website also provides information including maps, fares and zones and all timetables.
Tickets are called Metcards and are available from train stations and many retail businesses. Ticket machines on trams sell tickets for casual use, e.g. 2 hour and day tickets, but the machines are coin-only. Zone 1 covers the CBD and inner suburbs (including St Kilda) and adult tickets are $3.10 for 2 hours, $5.90 for a day and $25.90 for a week. At night a 2-hour ticket validated from 6.00pm is valid until 2.00am the following morning, so if you’re heading out after 6pm for an evening’s entertainment, don't buy or validate a day ticket. A City-Saver ticket allows a single boarding within the CBD only ($2.20 adult). Trains and trams operate from 5am to about midnight Monday-Saturday and 8am to about midnight on Sunday.
Less than 1 quarter of Melbourne's suburban train stations are staffed. At unstaffed stations, Metcard vending machines are provided, some of which will accept notes. All ticket machines accept coins, and will issue a maximum of $10.00 in change. Most stations will have at least 1 machine that will take notes, but little-used railway stations may have just coin-only machines.
After midnight on Saturday and Sunday mornings only there are NightRider buses. Tickets are $6 except for Mornington ($8) and Melton ($8.20) and Metcards are not valid.
The free City Circle trams run around the CBD perimeter, covering Flinders St, Spring St, Nicholson St, Victoria St, La Trobe St and Harbour Esplanade. They run in both directions every 12 minutes every day except Good Friday and Christmas Day from 10am-6pm, and until 9pm Th-Sa during daylight savings. Several of the trams on this service are equipped with recorded commentary about attractions passed. They are geared to visitors and are a great introduction to central Melbourne.
By car
The cheapest car rentals are from places like Rentabomb but use may be restricted to the Melbourne metropolitan area.
Mid-range rental companies give good value. Try: Snappy, 225 Franklin St, Central Melbourne or 79 Matthews Ave, Airport West Crown, 371-379 King St, Central Melbourne or its affiliate Abel, 247 Mickleham Rd, Tullamarine.
The more pricey major chains are well-represented. These include Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz, Thrifty.
Driving in the city shouldn't be attempted without at least a basic map! Melbourne has a great city road map Melways which has won many international prizes for its excellent presentation. Most Melburnians will give you their Melways reference along with their address on written invitations.
Drivers should watch out for hook turns in the inner city areas, where one must make a right turn from the left lane.
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