Your Complete Guide To Melbourne Airport
Also known as the Tullamarine, the Melbourne Airport is the second largest airport in Australia. Located approximately 23 km away from Australia’s cultural capital, the Airport was built in the 1970s as a hub for both international and domestic carriers. The airport also serves as the country’s second largest export and import freight centre and currently covers around 30% of the Australian cargo market. Book bus hire in Melbourne about Melbourne airport transfers or bus hire in Melbourne.
In case you’re travelling to Australia in the near future and have scheduled a trip to Melbourne by plane, then here are the critical details to remember about the airport.
Terminal information
The Melbourne Airport is the hub for twenty international and five domestic airline carriers as well as six freights. T2 is the international terminal and features 16 gates, while the other terminals count together almost 50 gates and serve as hubs for domestic carriers.
Facilities and shopping
Considering that it is the second largest one in Australia, the airport features numerous shops and outlets for all your needs and every budget. From last minute gift and souvenir shops for those who didn’t have time to buy presents for their loved ones to newsstands and magazines stores, the airport includes a plethora of outlets.
The airport also accommodates a duty-free shop, which is the largest one in Australia. Conveniently located, the duty free shop covers a plethora of niches from some of the biggest brands in the world. Moreover, to ensure an enhanced shopping experience, the duty-free has been recently redesigned.
Strangely, the airport only has one health and medical care centre, which is located in the T1 terminal, right next to the pharmacy. The medical centre doesn’t operate 24/7 and only offers basic services. If you require medical attention upon your arrival, it is best to contact them ahead of time.
Overnight laws and accommodations
There are no restrictions hours regarding the use of Melbourne Airport. If you have to catch an early flight and don’t want to spend the night in the city, then you can find decent accommodations in one of the three hotels located near the airport. Irrespective of whether you opt for the Ibis Budget, Holliday Inn or the more expensive Parkroyal hotel, you will be happy to learn all are situated just minutes away from the airport.
While the Ibis Budget and the Holliday Inn are the perfect places for a quick overnighter, the Parkroyal is mostly an option for business and corporate travellers. Featuring spacious guest rooms and an entire floor of business and meeting facilities, the Parkroyal can constitute a good location to schedule a get-together with a potential business partner or gather your team for a quick debriefing before an important meeting.
Eating and drinking
Regardless of whether you’re in the mood for Chinese cusine or you want to enjoy a good glass of wine while waiting for your next flight, the Melbourne Airport includes all sorts of restaurants, lounges, bars and family locations.
While it feature numerous dining and eating options and offers free wireless throughout the terminals, the Melbourne Airport has a strict policy regarding smoking. While you are allowed to light a cigarette, make sure you’re in the adequate smoking areas, which are usually situated adjacently to the terminals.
Transportation to downtown Melbourne
Did you arrange for someone to come and pick you up from the airport? Then you should know that all vehicles collecting or dropping off passengers are checked, due to security issues. Although the Melbourne Airport offers various parking options, automobiles parked at the front of the terminals and left unattended are towed and the driver is fined. Take note that attended vehicles are not allowed to station in the terminal area for more than one minute. If nobody is coming to pick you up from the airport, then here are your other options to get to downtown Melbourne:
By taxi
Taxis are a convenient way to get to Melbourne, especially if you’re travelling with less than three other friends or colleagues. Take note that the Melbourne taxis charge different fares, depending on the time of the arrival. Therefore, if you arrive between 10 pm and 5 am, don’t be surprised if the driver asks you for a pre-pay, which is the estimated fare for the trip.
By Skybus Express Bus Service
Operating 24/7 and during public holidays, the Skybus bus service to Melbourne comes by every 10 minutes. You can acquire the tickets upon your arrival from the bus stop or you can purchase them online. It can be hard to travel on this public transport with luggage or if you have a large travelling group.
By airport transfer
If you require chauffeur driven transport to or from Melbourne Airport, do contact us for a low cost, high value quote. Our prices are as low as you can go and our service rates are second to none.