 |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
Info
Regions
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Country Guide > Australia and South Pacific > Australia > Victoria | |
|
Travel - International Air The international airport at Melbourne (MEL) (Tullamarine) (website: www.melbourne-airport.com.au) receives flights from the UK (approximate flight time from London – 20 hours), Europe, Asia and the USA. Major international airlines serving Melbourne include British Airways, KLM, Malaysia Airlines, Qantas and United Airlines. The airport is 22km (14 miles) from the city (travel time – 30 minutes). It contains restaurants, bars, foreign exchange centres, a children's playground and much, much more. The Skybus Super Shuttle links Melbourne city with the airport. Taxis to the city centre cost around A$40. For more flight details, see the main Australia section. There are flights from Melbourne to all State capitals and many regional hubs. Domestic carriers include Jetstar, Qantas and Virgin Blue. Sea An overnight passenger/vehicle ferry from Tasmania to Melbourne departs daily (website: www.spiritoftasmania.com.au). There are also ferry services from Melbourne to Williamstown across Port Phillip Bay; between Southgate, Princes Walk and the Melbourne Aquarium and Crown entertainment complex; and across the headlands of Port Phillip Bay between the beach towns of Queenscliff and Sorrento. Melbourne is an increasingly popular port for international cruise ships. Rail V-Line (website: www.vlinepassenger.com.au) operates state rail services, with links from Melbourne to Ballarat, Bendigo, Echuca, Geelong, Sale, Seymour, Swan Hill, Traralgon and Wodonga. Overnight trains link Melbourne and Sydney (13 hours), and an overnight train – The Overland – runs to Adelaide (12 hours). Trains run to other main centres including Canberra (eight hours 30 minutes), Brisbane (48 hours) and Perth (72 hours). Road Connected to all States by coach services. To drive to Adelaide is nine hours, to Sydney is 10 hours, to Brisbane is 20 hours and to Perth is two days. There is a well-developed road system covering 156,700km (97,400 miles) on which local buses operate. Urban Melbourne has an extensive network of electric railways, linked in the city centre by an underground loop-line. There is also a tram network which has an integrated ticket structure with the bus and rail systems. Tickets should be purchased before boarding, or from onboard vending machines (trams only). Fares are zonal, with travel cards for daily or weekly travel and multi-journey tickets. The Melbourne City Circle tram, in distinct burgundy and gold colours, is free. Buses are relatively inexpensive and usually air-conditioned and equipped with video players. Buses from Adelaide take 11 hours; between Sydney and Melbourne, 12 hours. The Melbourne City Explorer Bus and the City Wanderer Bus leave hourly to major attractions in the city and the visitor may join or leave at any stopping point in the journey. |