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International visitors may arrive in Melbourne via Tullamarine airport or Avalon Airport. Both airports have cab and bus links into the city. Melbourne is a planned city which means that it is easy to find your way around. The thoroughfares fan out like the spokes of a wheel from the central business district. So orientation is easy. The tower over the arts centre on the South Bank is also a useful focal point. There is a range of public transport – the buses are clean and regular and there is a night service that runs from the city to the suburbs from midnight until dawn, There are plenty of taxis but no visit is complete without hopping onto one of the Melbourne famous trams – tickets are available on the trams via coin-only ticket machines. The flat nature of Melbourne means that biking and of course roller blading is a popular option for personal transportation needs, however watch those tram tracks! Most visitors use Melbourne as a stopping off point before heading off on the intercity bus and rail routes. Many travelers prefer to hire a car (or even club together to buy a second-hand motor) for travel across Australia. Which ever way you source a car (there's plenty of the usual hire companies) you should note that driving around Melbourne can be confusing, you require a day pass or an electronic pass (e-tag) for some toll roads and drivers are expected to give trams a wide berth – stopping beside a halted tram for example is a no no – unless you want emerging passengers to clamber over your bonnet. Sometimes you must also keep on the left side of the road before turning right – in order to avoid those tram tracks. |