Trips to Melbourne, Australia
Arrival to Melbourne
Melbourne International Airport is located in the suburb of Tullamarine, about 20 kilometers from the city centre.
With one change you can get from Germany to Melbourne with different airlines. Depending on the airline, the transfer takes place in the Arab world or in Asia.
Within Australia you can fly to Melbourne from almost every corner of the country.
Transportation from Melbourne airport to the city
According to Proexchangerates.com, Melbourne Airport is only connected to the city center by bus. Unfortunately, there is no train connection.
The airport lines are all operated by the Skybus. The connection to the city takes you directly to Southcross station in Melbourne in about 25 minutes. Buses run 24 hours a day, every 8 minutes during peak hours, and less frequently at other times.
You can buy the tickets at a counter at the airport, directly from the driver (only with a credit card) or online beforehand. The price is always the same. You pay 19.75 AUD (approx. 12 euros) per person or 36.50 AUD if you buy a return ticket directly.
The online tickets are not time-bound.
From Southcross station, you can easily get to all corners of Melbourne with trams and various trains.
There are also some special Skybus lines that take you directly to St. Kilda or Docklands, for example. These buses run less frequently and are slightly more expensive.
Withdraw and pay in Melbourne
The currency in Australia is the Australian Dollar (AUD). 1 AUD is the equivalent of about 0.60 euros.
You can pay by credit card everywhere in Melbourne. This is far more common than paying with cash and is much faster than with us. We haven’t paid cash once in Melbourne in three weeks.
If you still prefer to pay with cash, you will find enough ATMs in the city. Depending on the bank, a fee of around 2 to 5 AUD is due for each withdrawal.
Even if you’re a cash advocate, you should definitely have a credit card with you. Some hotels, restaurants and shops do not accept cash. It doesn’t happen that often, but it does happen every now and then.
If you don’t already have a free international credit card, be sure to read our article on the best travel credit card .
We ourselves are big fans of the DKB credit card , with which we can pay and withdraw cash free of charge worldwide.
Travel expenses in Melbourne
Melbourne is definitely not a cheap destination to travel to, but it’s also not as expensive as you might think.
Accommodation and alcohol are generally quite expensive. Eating out can be expensive, but it all depends on where you eat. In food courts and simple restaurants it is hardly more expensive than in Germany.
Here is a small overview of the costs you have to expect in Melbourne:
Flight to Melbourne: 700 to 1,200 euros
Overnight stay in a good mid-range hotel: 150-250 euros
1.5 liter bottle of water: 1 to 3 AUD
Coffee: 4 to 6 AUD
Public transport ticket: 3 to 4.50 AUD ( free in the center)
Dinner in a simple restaurant: 15 to 25 AUD
Eating in the food court or food truck: 10 to 15 AUD
What to pack for Melbourne?
Melbourne is known for its crazy weather. It is said that in Melbourne you can experience four seasons in one day and in fact the city is very changeable.
Temperature fluctuations from 40 degrees to 18 degrees within a day can definitely happen. However, the weather forecasts are usually relatively accurate, so you can prepare well for such changes.
So be sure to pack clothes for the heat, but also something to wear when it gets colder. If you travel outside of the Australian summer, Melbourne is also quite cold. Be sure to take warm clothing with you.
If you want to make it easy for yourself, check out our city trip packing list .
In Australia you will also need a power adapter. We always have a universal travel adapter and multiple USB plugs with us and are therefore well equipped for all countries. If you only need an adapter for Australia, this would be a good choice.
Sunscreen should definitely not be missing in any luggage. There is also a large selection in Australia, but you should have at least one pack with you.
travel time and length of stay
The best time to travel to Melbourne
As already mentioned, the weather in Melbourne is very changeable. The Australian summer (November to March) can be very hot with temperatures in the 40s.
However, it is not unlikely that you will have significantly cooler days in Melbourne in between, when the thermometer rarely rises above 20 degrees.
Nevertheless, the summer months are the best time to travel to Melbourne. Melbourne is quite cold in winter (May – August).
During the day it is usually still quite mild, but especially in the evening the thermometer often drops to well below 10 degrees.
How much time should you plan for Melbourne?
Melbourne is not a city that offers many great sights. Melbourne is more of a city for strolling and experiencing.
If you only want to check out the highlights, 1 to 2 days are enough. But then you will probably be disappointed in Melbourne, because the real charm of the city unfolds above all when you stroll through the different districts and immerse yourself in life there.
In our opinion, a week is a good amount of time for this.
Good travel guides for Melbourne
Unfortunately, there are no German-speaking travel guides for Melbourne.
However, Lonely Planet has an English -language pocket guide for Melbourne with the most important information.
The Monocle Guide for Melbourne is not a classic travel guide, but it is very nicely done . The English-language book is mainly about special places, cafes, shops and hotels. However, you will not find information about classic sights and typical travel tips in it.
If there’s more than Melbourne on your travel list and you’re planning a tour of Australia’s East Coast, check out Stefan Loose’s Australia East Travel Guide .
Otherwise you will find all the important tips for Melbourne that you need for your trip with us.
Getting around Melbourne
Unfortunately, public transport in Melbourne is not quite as comfortable as in other cities. There is no subway, but there are many different tram lines.
Some of the trams are very antique and trundle leisurely from station to station. This can take a while if you want to cover longer distances.
There are also trains. These trains are a kind of S-Bahn and travel much faster. They mainly go to the suburbs, but also serve the districts around the center. In the city center, many of these trains stop at Southern Cross and Flinders Street stations.
myki card
To use local transport in Melbourne, you need a myki card. You can get them at all major stations at the ticket counters or machines, as well as in all 7/11 supermarkets.
The card costs 6 AUD and you can load it with credit. A trip costs AUD 4.50, but you never pay more than AUD 9 a day with the myki card, even if you drive more frequently. At weekends, the daily price is even just AUD 6.50.
You have to hold the card up to the card reader when boarding and alighting. If you take the tram, it is sufficient to hold the card up to the card reader when boarding.
The card reader also shows you how much credit you still have and whether you need to top up the card. You can do this at one of the machines at the stations. However, there is not always a machine at small tram stations. So always do this in good time when your credit is nearing the end.
Our tip: If you are in Melbourne for a whole week, you can also load a weekly pass onto your myki card instead of credit. It costs 45 AUD, which is a bit cheaper and you don’t have to worry about charging.
Free train travel in the Free Tram Zone
Within the city center CBD you can use all trams for free. So if you only drive a few stations within the center, you don’t have to scan your myki card.
At the stations there is always a notice whether the station is in the free tram zone and there is always an announcement when the tram leaves the free zone and you have to scan your card.
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Can you drink tap water in Melbourne?
Tap water is drinkable in Melbourne, but tastes quite strongly of chlorine. In terms of health, however, it is completely harmless.
You can find water dispensers in many public places where you can fill up your drinking bottles. Sometimes the water there is filtered and tastes better, but unfortunately not always. Only trying helps.