Free Parking & Public Transport at Melbourne Airport
neil on 09/08/2012 at 9:00 am, filed under Travel
Melbourne finds itself at the hub of great airline deals such as the recent $10 fares to Sydney. To further minimize excess costs, travellers utilize different payment methods, Jetstar pricematching, bring food on the plane, and pack everything into a carry-on bag. The hardest expense to minimize is transportation to Melbourne Airport.
Your choices:
- Skybus ($17/ow, $28 return) – Runs 24 hours a day, takes 20 minutes from Southern Cross Station.
- Taxi (~$60/ow from city) – Same as above.
- Private buses ($15-$20 (e.g. Starbus) o/w.) Takes 1 hour from city/city suburbs.
- Park yourself - ($29/day (airport), $19/day at nearby private car park, e.g. Andrew’s Airport Parking) Airport parking is the easiest option.
- Public buses- From city, $5.54/ow. ~1 hour From Gladstone Park Shopping Centre $2.26. ~5 minutes. (There is only 1 public bus that goes from the city to the airport and only runs once a day (don’t even try). There are other lines that run to the airport but you will need to catch them in the outer suburbs. The easiest route utilizing public transport from the city would be to take a train out to Broadmeadows station then catch the 901 bus to the airport.)
There is one last method that I tried out on a recent trip to Sydney. According to this map via reddit, you can park your car for free in and around Gladstone Park Shopping Centre. The centre is about a 5 minute bus ride from the airport and serves the 478, 479 and 901 bus. The 901 bus runs the most frequent. Drive at your leisure, park the car, 1 minute walk to bus stop, catch bus to airport.
1. Park for free at Gladstone Park Shopping Centre or surrounding streets. There are no restrictions on either.
2. Walk 1-2 minutes to the bus stop on Mickleham Road.
3. Take the 901 bus to Melbourne Airport. The bus runs every 15 minutes during the day and at later intervals at night/early morning.
4. The bus ride should take around 5 minutes and the airport will be the first stop.
5. The bus will drop you off outside Terminal 4 (Tiger).
5. Walk to your terminal. Terminal 4: 2 min, Terminal 3: 5 min, Terminal 1: 12 min.
If you are traveling with another person or group, drop them all of at the airport with the bags. Drive back to Gladstone Park Shopping Centre, park, and take the bus back to the airport. Want to get a cheap meal? Grab some food for the plane at Woolworths, located in the shopping centre.
*Notes:
If you don’t possess a MYKI card you will need to purchase one for $6. The card allows you to travel on trams, trains, and buses in Melbourne. So if you are taking the train to Broadmeadows, you will need a MYKI. If you are just taking a bus, then you can just purchase your fare on board without having to purchase a MYKI.
Airport parking prices vary and tend to get cheaper the longer you park. For the purposes of this post, a daily rate was used.
Depending on the route you drive to the Airport / Gladstone Shopping Centre, you may incur tolls using Citilink. You can avoid these by using local roads.
… You DO need to leave your car in Gladstone Park though.
For those without a car or who aren’t willing to park their car at Gladstone Park, you’re able to catch a train to Broadmeadows (Craigieburn Line) and catch the 901 bus from there.
You can book online with Airportbus Eastside and the Fare from Ringwood is $22. Travel time approx 1.5 hrs. The 901 takes almost 3.5 hours.
The Fare from / to Box Hill is similar and a little more to Lilydale and Knox.
The 901 does not go to the city so comparing it as you have with Starbus and others is not really helpful.
Geoff, as stated in the post, for public transportation from the city you would need to take the train from Southern Cross to Broadmeadows then take the 901 to the airport.
According to ptv, it takes 1 hour 50 minutes to get to the airport from Ringwood by train. Train to Southern Cross, Train to Broadmeadows, and then 901. $5.54 vs. $22. 1 hour 50 vs 1 hour 30.
That said, from Ringwood, it may be worth using your service (or something similar) as you’d be depending on 2 trains and bus. With the punctuality of our public transport it could take more than 1 hour 50 minutes. You could also just drive to Gladstone Shopping Centre and take the 901 bus. I think that’s the easiest option especially if you are traveling with others.
Melbourne Airport Childcare center apparently has free unlimited parking as well
Interesting. I wouldn’t want to take parking spaces away from child care staff/parents. They are open business hours so wouldn’t it be suspicious if there was a car parked in there after hours?
Thanks for the clear information with photos. This way, we travellers will know our way in the airport. Sometimes airports can be confusing due to its enormous land area.
Airportbus Eastside also offers home pickups and drop offs to Melbourne’s eastern suburbs.
Full details including costs and areas serviced are on the website.
As a guide a home pick up or drop off (if booked on the web) is $55 for pick ups in the Maroondah and Knox Municipality and slight more for other areas.
Discounts apply for more than one person travelling together.
It’s a great option when you consider the amount you would have to pay a taxi etc if you had to get public transport to the airport. You also have the convenience of driving straight there and having the car there awaiting your return.
I recently visited Melbourne and I was pleased to find a number of quality transportation services. I think public transportation system in Melbourne can compete with the best in the world.
How long can one park in Gladstone Shopping Centre? 2 weeks? without the shopping management towing your car away?
I think parking in the shopping centre for 2 weeks might be a bit suspicious. In that case, I would just park in nearby residential streets.
How long can you park in the streets without your car being towed away by council?
Not sure. I don’t think there is a time limit. I imagine there are people who don’t use their cars too often or park in the same spot. Someone would have to report your car to council as an abandoned car. It would probably have to look like an abandoned car. I’d think they would have to put a sticker/warning saying this was reported as abandoned etc. I mean whats to say it’s not a neighbours car.
For a couple of weeks, I’d think you’d be fine. Perhaps a few months may not be a good idea. I can’t find any information from the Hume council but it may be similar to the Yarra Council which states they will put a warning if the car is unregistered and after 30 days they will tow it. Assuming a car is registered, then nothing will happen.
We put our friend on Airportbus Eastside last week. they called right on time to my Bayswater address at 6.50am and arrived at the Airport at 8:15am.
For $55 you couldn’t beat it.
2 weeks ago my son caught Airportbus Eastside from the Ringwood stop and they departed the Ringwood Stop at 12.30pm and arrived at the airport at 1.45pm. The cost was $22
Awesome hack! I am going to have to try this next week when I go to Sydney for 3 days. I think I will get in after the last bus, but a taxi back to my car should only be $10, and that will be quicker than doing a parking shuttle :)
Thanks also for the excellent detailed instructions and photos. Brilliant.