MEL → CBD · Direct via Tullamarine Freeway

Melbourne Airport to Melbourne CBD.Fixed fare. Flight tracked.

Pre-booked pickup from Melbourne Airport (Tullamarine, T1/T2/T3/T4) to anywhere in the CBD grid — Crown, Collins Street, Southbank, Docklands, Park Hyatt, Sofitel, Hotel Windsor. Public pickup at your terminal or arrivals-hall meet-and-greet as an add-on, fare locked at booking, flight tracked. 24/7 from a Melbourne dispatch on 1300 012 018.

  • Fixed fare, set before you book
  • Flight tracked
  • 24/7 Melbourne dispatch
  • Meet & greet at arrivals

Book online in under a minute · Cabcharge accepted, no card fee.

ME CABS Melbourne Airport transfer to Melbourne CBD

MEL → Melbourne CBD · Off-peak

33 min

Fixed fare locked at booking

Travel time · MEL → Melbourne CBD

The Tullamarine run, by the hour.

MEL to CBD is around 25 km via the Tullamarine Freeway and CityLink. Off-peak this is 33 minutes; weekday morning peak (7am-9am) and evening peak (3pm-7pm) extend the run. Flight-tracked pickups absorb arrival delays automatically.

Off-peak

33 min

Wkday peak

58 min

Distance

25 km

Clean runModeratePeak — book ahead

9pm – 6am

30 – 35 min

Free freeway, fastest run of the day

6am – 7am

33 – 40 min

Pre-peak, still clean

7am – 9am

48 – 58 min

Weekday morning peak — book earliest

9am – 3pm

33 – 40 min

Mid-day, predictable

3pm – 7pm

43 – 53 min

Evening peak, freeway congestion

7pm – 9pm

33 – 40 min

Off-peak resumes

Weekends (any time)

30 – 38 min

Lighter traffic both directions

How the run actually goes

From the kerb at MEL to your door at Melbourne CBD.

The four standard segments of the run. Off-peak vs peak time ranges baked into the fare.

01

Meet your driver at MEL

Meet-and-greet is available on every pre-booked airport pickup: choose it when you book, add A$35 to the fare, and your driver waits inside the arrivals hall with a sign showing your name. Without it, your driver meets you at the airport's public pickup zone at no extra cost — near the Parkroyal for T1, T2 and T3, or on Level 1 at T4. Either way, the exact meet point depends on your terminal and is sent to you before pickup, with an SMS when the driver is on site.

0 min

02

Tullamarine Freeway southbound

Down the Tullamarine Freeway from MEL onto CityLink. Off-peak this is the fastest segment of the run; in morning or evening peak it crawls.

0 - 24 min

03

CityLink → Wurundjeri Way

CityLink connector down to the CBD edge. Tolls covered in the fixed fare. Driver knows the back routes if there’s a closure.

24 - 30 min

04

Hotel or apartment lobby

Driver drops you at the kerb of your hotel concierge desk or apartment lobby. Receipt emailed automatically post-trip for expense reporting.

30 - 33 min

Where we drop in the CBD

Every corner of the CBD grid, door to door.

From the Paris end of Collins Street to the Docklands waterfront, we drop at hotel concierge desks and apartment lobbies right across the city grid. There's no airport train link to the CBD as of 2026, so a door-to-door pickup skips the Southern Cross transfer entirely.

Collins Street

The city's premier commercial spine — major bank HQs, the 'Paris end' fashion houses and grand heritage towers.

Southbank

Riverside precinct on the south bank of the Yarra, home to the Arts Precinct and a promenade of restaurants and bars.

Docklands

Waterfront district on the CBD's western edge with Marvel Stadium, The District shopping and harbour-side apartments.

Crown Riverside

The Crown Melbourne complex — casino, hotels, theatres and a long dining strip stretched along the river.

Flinders Street precinct

The CBD's main transit hub around the landmark station, opposite Federation Square and the eastern city grid.

Carlton edge

Just north of the grid — Lygon Street's Italian eateries, the Royal Exhibition Building and the University of Melbourne.

Hotels & apartments we serve

Sofitel on CollinsGrand Hyatt MelbourneThe LanghamCrown TowersCrown MetropolCrown PromenadeThe WestinInterContinental Rialto

Landmarks & venues nearby

Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG)Federation SquareFlinders Street StationMarvel StadiumQueen Victoria MarketRoyal Botanic GardensArts Centre MelbourneState Library Victoria

Free

Flight tracking included

24/7

Melbourne dispatch

33 min

MEL → Melbourne CBD off-peak

Fixed

Fare locked at booking

MEL → Melbourne CBD FAQ

Common questions about the Melbourne CBD run.

Couldn’t find what you’re looking for? Call the Melbourne dispatch on 1300 012 018 — 24/7, real human, no overseas queue.

How much is a taxi from Melbourne Airport to the CBD?

It’s a fixed fare quoted the moment you book — no surge during peak hours, no traffic surcharge if the freeway crawls, no card fee on Cabcharge. Tolls, GST and airport access fees are all included. Enter your details online or call 1300 012 018 for your exact fare on a Flex sedan, Plus SUV or 9-seater Group.

How long is the run from Melbourne Airport to the CBD?

Off-peak (between 9pm and 6am, or weekends), the run from MEL to the CBD is around 33 minutes via the Tullamarine Freeway. Weekday morning peak (7am-9am) typically extends to 48-58 minutes. We pre-book on flight time, not clock time, so the pickup is calculated backwards from when you need to be at your destination.

Where does the driver meet me at Melbourne Airport?

Meet-and-greet is available on every pre-booked airport pickup: choose it when you book, add A$35 to the fare, and your driver waits inside the arrivals hall with a sign showing your name. Without it, your driver meets you at the airport's public pickup zone at no extra cost — near the Parkroyal for T1, T2 and T3, or on Level 1 at T4. Either way, the exact meet point depends on your terminal and is sent to you before pickup, with an SMS when the driver is on site.

Do you track international flight delays?

Yes. Every airport pickup is flight-tracked at no extra charge. Add your flight number to the booking. If your flight arrives early or late — including international flights with Border Force / Customs delays — the pickup time adjusts automatically. The driver waits at arrivals through the queue, with no clock starting on the meter.

Which CBD hotels do you pick up from?

Anywhere in the CBD grid — Crown Towers, Park Hyatt, Grand Hyatt, Sofitel on Collins, Hotel Windsor, The Westin, Pan Pacific, Stamford Plaza, Quay West, plus residential apartment towers in Docklands and Southbank, and along Collins, Bourke, Flinders, Spencer, La Trobe streets.

Can I book this run for a 4am or 5am pickup?

Yes — 24/7. Early-morning airport runs are one of our most-booked routes. Pre-book the night before and the driver will be at your terminal's pickup zone, or your kerb for a departure, at the time you specified. Confirmation SMS lands the previous evening with the driver's name, vehicle, and live ETA on the morning of the trip.

What payment methods do you accept?

Cabcharge, all major cards (Visa, Mastercard, Amex), Apple Pay, Google Pay, or cash. Card payments have no surcharge on Cabcharge. Receipt emailed automatically post-trip for expense reporting.

MEL → CBD · Lock the fare

Pre-book your Melbourne Airport pickup to Melbourne CBD.

Fixed fare. Flight tracked. Hybrid & electric fleet. Pre-book online in under a minute, or call the Melbourne dispatch.