Transport
To and From the Airport
Getting from the airport to your new home can be tricky, but there are services ready to help.
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Skybus
Locations at Melbourne Airport
Routes
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Melbourne City Express
SkyBus runs express between Melbourne Tullamarine Airport and Melbourne City. Operating seven days a week with an average trip time of 22 minutes.
Cost: $15 one way online
Pick up & drop off: Terminal 1 and 3 (outside baggage claim)
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Southbank Docklands Express
The Southbank Docklands Express airport transfer gets you direct to Melbourne’s harbour and arts precinct 7 days a week. No bookings required – just turn up and go.
Pick up & drop off : Terminal one (outside baggage claim)
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St Kilda Express
The St Kilda Express airport transfer gets you to Melbourne’s beachside playground 7 days a week – the most cost effective and frequent express transport available.
Pick up & drop off: Terminal 1 (outside baggage claim)
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Peninsula Express
Peninsula Express airport transfer gets you to and from Melbourne Airport (Tullamarine) and Frankston and surrounding bayside suburbs on the Mornington Peninsula.
Pick up & drop off: Terminal 1 (outside baggage claim)
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Western Express
Western Express airport transfer connects Melbourne Airport (Tullamarine) and Melbourne’s western suburbs, with stops in Werribee and Tarneit train station.
Pick up & drop off: Terminal 1 (outside baggage claim)
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Eastern Express
SkyBus connects Melbourne’s east and Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, with stops in Watsonia, Doncaster, Box Hill, Blackburn, Ringwood and Croydon.
Pick up & drop off: Terminal 1 (outside baggage claim)
2. Starbus (Melbourne Airport Shuttle)
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Cost per pax varies depending on drop-off location. See all available drop-off locations here. Book a shuttle at: https://starbusshuttle.com.au/melbourne-airport-shuttle-booking/
3. Taxis/Rideshare services
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Average cost: AU$50-$70
4. Public Transport
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Purchase a Myki card at the Skybus Terminal before proceeding to the Terminal 1 platform. Board bus number 901 to Broadmeadows Station (About 20 minutes) > Alight at Broadmeadows Station > Change to the train to Flinders Street (Melbourne CBD) (About 40 minutes).
Getting Around Melbourne
Using a Myki Card
A Myki card is the Australian version of your EZ-Link card and can be used for buses, trains and trams in Melbourne and regional Victoria.
They can be purchased from trains stations such as Flinders Street and Melbourne Central, or convenience stores like 7-Eleven and selected pharmacies.
They need to be topped up in order for you to travel on any of Melbourne’s transportation networks and can be done so at selected Myki machines tram stops and train stations which accept card and cash payment. An auto-top up feature can also be activated.
You can also download the ‘Mobile Myki app’, tap on and off with your phone and pay for rides via Google Pay.
Concession myki passes are also available for international students, enabling you to save up to 50% on trips. These exclusive international student passes are called iUSEpass and can be claimed via your education institute.
You can apply for them here.
Suburban Trams
In the CBD, there are designated ‘free tram zones’. Trips are free as long as you get on and off within the zone. There is no need to tap in or out if your entire journey is within the free tram zone. However, do note that the University of Melbourne stops are just outside this zone.
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Trains
Please note that in Melbourne, more than one train can come to any one platform (unlike our designated North-South line, Circle line etc), so please check that you are getting on the right train even though you are at the right platform. There are also major city loop stations. These are Flinders Street Station, Parliament Station, Flagstaff Station and Melbourne Central Station.
Car Rental
Car rentals are perfect for road trips. There are multiple car rental companies in Melbourne, such as Goget and Flexicar, which has a student discount and an annual membership fee of $35.
Find the full car rental student plan here.
**Disclaimer: The information in this guide is up to date as of December 2021. It is a compilation of our research and lived experiences as international students in Melbourne, but we do not claim to represent the University of Melbourne or any other organisation aside from the Singaporean Students’ Society. We can provide tips and pointers, but it is always best to do your own research and refer to official sources!