Getting around Melbourne: public transport, passes and taxis

Melbourne's network is built around trams in the centre and trains out to the suburbs, with buses filling the gaps. For almost every visitor trip inside the city, public transport wins on cost and usually on time. Taxis and rideshare make sense for the airport, for late nights when services thin out, and for cross-suburb journeys that would mean two changes.

The table below sets out what each mode is good for, roughly what it costs and how long a typical trip takes. Prices are 2026 estimates.

Melbourne runs on myki. You tap on at the start of a trip and tap off at the end, on trams, trains and buses. You need a myki card or a phone wallet version; a tap-to-pay rollout with bank cards has been discussed — check what is live when you arrive. Buy or top up at staffed stations, ticket machines and many shops.

Fares are charged by zone and by time of day, with a daily cap so a full day of travel costs no more than a set amount. Weekend and off-peak rates are lower. If you are in the city for several days, a myki with a topped-up balance is simpler than buying single tickets, and it also works on regional trains to places like Geelong and Bendigo.

The free tram zone covers the central grid, roughly between the Queen Victoria Market, Spring Street, Flinders Street and Victoria Street. Inside it you do not need to tap on or off. Step one stop outside and you must pay, and inspectors do check.

Taxis are metered and easy to find at ranks around the CBD, at Southern Cross and Flinders Street stations, and at the airport. Rideshare apps — Uber, DiDi and Ola — work across the city and often undercut taxis on short trips, though prices rise at peak times and on Friday and Saturday nights.

For the airport, SkyBus runs a frequent coach service to Southern Cross station in the city centre, and there is no rail link to Tullamarine. A taxi or rideshare is faster door to door but costs more, and airport and toll surcharges apply. For late nights, both are reliable; the tram and train network runs late on Fridays and Saturdays but thins out in the early hours.

A single public transport trip is a few dollars, and the daily cap means a heavy day of sightseeing still costs less than a short taxi ride. Two people sharing a taxi across the city will often pay more than two myki fares. The free tram zone removes the cost entirely for many CBD movements.

Budget roughly A$10–15 a day per person for public transport if you are moving around a lot, less if you stay central and walk. Airport transfers are the big variable: SkyBus is the cheap option, taxi or rideshare the fast one. All figures are 2026 estimates.

Melbourne's weather changes fast, so a tram or train ride is often more comfortable than walking in a sudden downpour. The CBD grid is walkable, and the free tram zone makes short hops easy, so mix walking with trams rather than committing to one.

If you are heading out of the city — to the Great Ocean Road, the Yarra Valley or Phillip Island — public transport will not get you there. A car, a tour or a regional train plus a local connection is the realistic option. Check the day trips page for what works without a car.