Melbourne Travel Forum

Hi there :)

We will be in Melbourne in May. We are travelling with an infant. We don't want to hire a car. Just wondering if it's possible for us to travel around Melbourne without having to hire an infant car seat? Can we just hop onto a bus to get around? Also is there a direct transfer or some way of getting from the airport to our Hotel in Melbourne without needing an infant car seat? Is there a bus that might possibly take us there directly?

Hope someone can help :o/

Thanks :)

You can travel around easy with an infant on bus, tram & train. Here is the link to the local airport bus service -
http://www.melbourneairport.com.au/to_from_airport/bus_services.asp
Hope this helps and have a wonderful holiday in Melbourne!! Cheers, Ann :o)

Skybus has frequent transfers to/from the CBD at 16AUD each one way. They do advertise a free shuttle service from their city terminal to various hotels. The list of hotels and schedules etc can be found at www.skybus.com.au.

A taxi will cost approximately 50AUD, bit more or less depending on hotel location and traffic conditions. You may be able to order one with a car seat from the taxi rank outside arrivals.

Thanks so much Ann :) This is exactly what we were wanting to know!

thanks swissfondue :)

The shuttle is also another great option for us to look into.

loving this site!

All Melbourne taxis are equiped with a "baby bolt" (no we don't shoot them - LOL), so if you have a capsule that can be attached to the bolt.

If you don't have a capsule, it is legal for a baby to be carried in a taxi on the lap of parent and use the same seat belt as parent.

Depending on the number of people travelling together, Skybus is a cheaper alternative than taxis, however you'll need to change buses at Southern Cross Station and that will add considerably to the travel time to hotel. After the 4 + hour flight suggest taxi although may be about $A10 - 15 (again depending on number of pass) dearer than bus.

Enjoy our city and PLEASE bring some rain with you.

If you hire a car, you WILL need a car seat as you cannot drive around without one. Catching trams is the easiest option in Melb, it is quite easy, especially with a baby. Skybus can take you to your hotel, but it does stop in the city so you can get on a smaller shuttle to the hotel. You will not need a car seat for this service. You will see the red skybus signs right outside the terminal

Did anyone check that by Melbourne Airport this poster means Tullamarine. Husband recently landed at Avalon and the service into town was not nearly so good.

I mean it is 99% sure that they will be landing in Tullamarine - but just in case.

Hi Jen - original poster is a Kiwi, so lets make that 99.5% - LOL

Since JetStar started flying in/out Avalon (must be at least 2 years now) I've only taken one passenger there - and that person works for that airline. Gee its a long way from Melb

yeah - 99.95%sure - but i am such a worry wart -

yeah - husband said he would never fly jetstar again unless he was going t Geelong

I now live at Point Cook and it is still another 30km to Avalon from my house.

I dont think I would ever go there again as i hate Jetstar

Jetstar does fly to NZ, though!

But even if arrival point was Avalon, train or bus are the best options to get into the city, so not a problem with the need for a baby seat.

And ditto for rest of public transport when in Melbourne - trains, trams and buses are not a problem without the baby seat.

There is no train to Avalon Keith

Love the photo of your baby - he is dreaming about something judging by the pursed lips! The short answer to your query is that you do not need a car seat for your child on public transport, only if you did hire a car.

You can get around Melbourne very well without a car. Trams go down just about every street and there are also plenty bus's and trains. To get from the airport to the CBD you can catch the Skybus from the airport.

Oops - you're right Suzie. What it shoud have said was the V/Line connection from the nearby station of Lara (but who would take the effort of getting to Lara in the first place when there are buses to Geelong and Melbourne).

How come you're living in Point Cook these days?

I built a house out there. Guess you can start calling me the resident guru between Melbs and Geelong now haha

Cool. And enjoying life there?

Yup, its brilliant. Great owning your own home. Well I think I own about $200 of it a the moment ;o)

Congrtatulations on the big move - have you got a passport to enter Melbourne - :))

>Well I think I own about $200 of it a the moment ;o)

When we got married in 1969 we moved into our own home in East Doncaster (still there). I always enjoyed going to our own loo as we figured that was the only part of the house WE owned as the rest was owned by the bank.

BTW the cab fare to PC is about $50 after midnight (I did one last Sat night)

Yep, I know the cost of the fare, did that about a week after moving in. Definately not something i want to do on a regular basis

Thanks everyone :), sorry I haven't had a chance to pop back in but yes we are coming from NZ, Auckland in fact & will be flying Air NZ directly to Melbourne airport. We are thinking now that we will go by cab due to all the cr*p we are bringing with us - mainly for entertainment for our little one ;)

We will be arriving in Melbourne this Thursday afternoon. Really looking forward to it too!!