Getting Around Melbourne

At nearly 10,000 square kilometres in size and spanning more than 320 suburbs, Greater Melbourne is a vast region served by a comprehensive public transport system, well-connected roads, and numerous walking and cycling tracks.

Melbourne public transport

Melbourne’s public transport system is one of the quickest and easiest ways to get around Melbourne, especially in the city area. The city is connected by trams, trains, and buses, as well as SkyBus – an express bus service from Melbourne Tullamarine Airport to the city.

The public transport system in Melbourne uses Myki smartcards, which are reusable cards for travel throughout Melbourne and some other regional areas of Victoria. You can use Myki for:

·       Melbourne's trains, trams, and buses

·       V/Line trains between metropolitan Melbourne and Eaglehawk/Epsom, Seymour, Traralgon, Waurn Ponds, and Wendouree

·       Buses in Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong, Seymour, the Latrobe Valley, and Warragul

You can buy a Myki card at some train station ticket offices, certain retail outlets, or online at the Public Transport Victoria website.

To use your Myki, you’ll need to tap on at the reader when you get on public transport and tap off when you get off.

Taxis can also be used to get around Melbourne – you can flag one down in the CBD area, or you can book ahead by calling 13 22 27 or visiting www.13cabs.com.au. The rideshare service Uber is also readily available in most areas – you’ll need to download the app to book a ride.

Driving in Melbourne

Although Melbourne’s public transport system covers the vast majority of the metropolitan area, the city also has over 342 km of roads within the region made up of a mixture of private and public laneways.

There are a number of toll roads throughout Melbourne:

·       Southern Link (M1) – Monash Freeway between Power Street (Southbank) and Toorak Road (Malvern). It includes the Domain and Burnley Tunnels.

·       Western Link (M2) – Tullamarine Freeway between West Gate Freeway (Port Melbourne) and Bell Street (Strathmore). It includes the Bolte Bridge.

·       Batman Avenue – between Flinders Street and Olympic Boulevard (Melbourne). It extends from south of entrance "A" to north of entrance "B" at Melbourne Park.

·       EastLink (M3) between Springvale Road (Nunawading) and Frankston Freeway (Seaford), including the Melba and Mullum Mullum Tunnels.

Tollbooths are cash-free, which means you need to have an electronic tag fitted to your car that is scanned at the checkpoint, otherwise, you will be billed by mail. If you’re driving a rental car, you should be billed automatically when you return the car.

Find out more about e-tags.

Using an overseas driver’s licence in Melbourne

If you’re living in Melbourne on a temporary visa and come from a recognised country, you can drive using your overseas licence for the length of your stay. Your licence needs to be written in English or accompanied by an English translation or international driving permit. If you are coming from a non-recognised country, you’ll need to book a licence verification appointment before you can start driving.

Permanent visa holders can drive on an overseas driver’s licence for:

·       Six months from the date you first entered Australia (if the permanent visa was issued before you entered Australia), or

·       Six months from the date when the permanent visa was issued (if the permanent visa was issued to you while in Australia)

After this, you’ll need to apply for a Victorian driver’s licence to continue driving.

Hire cars in Melbourne

Hire cars are a convenient option if you don’t plan to drive frequently – especially because permanent parking can be scarce and expensive in central areas of Melbourne. There are several hire options, including rental cars, vans, and trucks.

Around many areas of Melbourne, you will also find cars that belong to the GoGet car share service, which can be used by anyone with a GoGet membership. Cars can be booked via the GoGet website or app.