Travel to Melbourne in Australia. Melbourne, at the head of Port Phillip Bay, is Australia’s second largest city and the capital of the south-eastern state of Victoria. Serving as Australia s undisputed cultural capital, Melbourne is bursting with Victorian-era architecture, famed cafís, great bars and restaurants, extensive shopping, museums, galleries, theatres, and large parks and gardens. Its nearly 5-million residents are both multicultural and sports-mad, and the city has year-round festivals, sporting events and the best of Australian culture on display.Melbourne is famous as the host city for a range of major international sporting events such as the Australian Open, Melbourne Cup Carnival and Formula 1 Grand Prix. It also features some of the world’s most popular art galleries and museums (National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne Museum) and internationally acclaimed festivals (Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Melbourne International Film Festival, Melbourne Fringe Festival). The city is also represented by its world-famous street art, coffee culture, pubs and live music… most of which can be found tucked away in a large number of iconic laneways. Frequently named as the World’s Most Liveable City, Melbourne is close to and features many gardens, national parks and areas that are home to some of Australia’s iconic wildlife (The Great Ocean Road, Grampians National Park, Phillip Island, Royal Botanic Gardens). Indigenous sites, museums and experiences (Koorie Heritage Trust, Birrarung Marr, Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre) maintain a vital link to the people and culture of the First Nations.Melbourne is famous for being capable of showing ‘four seasons in one day’ and has a temperate climate with distinct seasons and usually mild weather. Melbourne is the third-driest capital city in Australia with half of Sydney’s rainfall (at 600mm) and is good to visit year-round. Days in Summer have an average high of 26C, though days above 35C occur sporadically as it is the warmest season with the lowest rainfall (and fewest rainy days). Autumn and Spring are similar temperatures, hovering around 21C averages, however there are an average of 11 days with rainfall for each of the Autumn months (March-May), compared to 14 days for each Spring month (Sep-Nov). These months usually help to prove the ‘four seasons in one day’ reputation, as rainfall and sunshine interchange frequently. Winters can be cool with temperatures around 14C and 15 days of rainfall.Melbourne summers are generally warm, with abundant sunshine and average temperatures of around 26C by day and 16C at night. Summers often feature a few very hot days and occasionally extreme ‘heatwaves’ lasting 3 or more days with temperatures above 35-40C (the hottest temperature ever recorded in Melbourne was 46.4C). After a few days of extreme heat a ‘cool change’ will usually follow, dropping the temperature back to around 20-30C. January and February are Melbourne’s hottest months and daylight-saving helps locals enjoy an average 14 hours of daylight and sunset in the late evening around 9pm.Autumn is a mixed bag of weather and lives up to Melbourne’s ‘four seasons in one day’ reputation. One day might be 30C, the next 15C. The weather can change dramatically during the week so pack a diverse wardrobe! Daily highs usually range between 18-25C, with night-time temperatures between 8-14C. In March, you can still get days of extreme heat. In 2013, Melbourne had 10 days above 30 in March, the most ever. May temperatures are noticeably colder than the days in March and early April.Winters are usually cool and damp with daytime highs around 14C in June and July, and 16C in August. The average winter day is cloudy with sunny breaks. The temperature can get colder than 10 degrees but higher than 21. It rains averagely 2 in 5 days with around 38 ‘rain’ days for the season. Melbourne winters can get below 10C once every 3 years. Minimums are around 7 degrees but can get colder than 2 and higher than 12. Light snow usually falls on top of Mount Dandenong once a year, however the rest of the city is usually snow-free. There are usually 10 daylight hours in Winter with sunset around 6pm.Spring is the wettest time of year in Melbourne and can still get quite cold early into the season, but then warmer as summer draws closer. Despite occasional showers, it is also arguably the prettiest and most comfortable season with flowers in bloom and the city thawing from winter cold. Daytime highs are around 18-25C, though November can also have days of extreme heat around 30C. October is the wettest month with 66mm and night time lows are around 9-15. Spring is usually the windiest season as well.The Kulin Nation (as it is known to the peoples of the First Nations) has existed in present-day Melbourne for an estimated 60,000-100,000 years. The area has been inhabited by five First Nation groups continuously since this time, with unique cultural ceremonies such as Tanderrum surviving to this day.British colonisation began in 1835 with the signing of Batman’s Treaty between the Crown and Aboriginal Elders. There is much debate over the understanding and circumstances in which the treaty was originally signed. The treaty was declared void by the Governor of New South Wales in 1835 and all of Australia was declared ‘vacant land of the Crown’. Settlers from Tasmania subsequently “purchased” land from the Crown and relocated to the areas surrounding Port Phillip Bay and the Yarra River. Subsequent hostilities between colonisers and First Nations people occurred due to the dispossession of Aboriginal land.In 1901, the British colonies of Australia became an independent federation and Melbourne the temporary capital of Australia, with the Federal Parliament meeting in the Parliament House of Victoria until 1927 when the new Federal capital of Canberra was founded. After World War II, Melbourne grew rapidly, with its mainly Anglo-Celtic population boosted by immigration from Europe, particularly from Greece and Italy. The significant pre-war Jewish population was also boosted after the war. From the mid-70s, many immigrants came from South-east Asia, particularly Vietnam and Cambodia. Melbourne has had a Chinese population since the gold rush of the 1850s and Chinatown has existed from that time but the population of Chinese and other East Asians has also been boosted by immigration in recent years.New high-rise buildings replaced many of Melbourne s interesting old structures in the construction boom of the 1970s and 80s. Melbournians belatedly recognised the loss of their architectural heritage and steps were taken to protect what was left. Construction of the huge Crown Casino (briefly the largest casino in the world) in the 1990s upset some Melbournians with its introduction of a gambling culture. Melbourne s development continues in the 2000s with the opening of the Melbourne Museum, Federation Square and the Docklands precinct. The city has risen to over 5 million residents and become an Alpha- World City with significant creative, scientific, health and education sectors. Melbourne is often called the cultural capital of Australia, with its many art galleries, film festivals, orchestras, choral and opera productions, vibrant live music scene, and a strong food, wine and coffee culture. People in Melbourne tend to dress up more than in Sydney, partly due to the colder climate. Many bars and clubs have strict dress regulations, such as requiring collars and dress shoes for men.Particular events to note include the Melbourne International Film Festival in August, the Melbourne International Arts Festival in October, and the Melbourne Comedy Festival in April. There are also many concerts and exhibitions throughout the year. In addition to the Melbourne Museum, there are special museums dedicated to subjects such as science, immigration, Chinese history, Jewish history, sport, racing, film and moving image, railways, police, fire brigades and banking.While often referred to this term, ‘Australia s cultural capital’, Melbourne draws much more influence from Europe in its architecture, fashion and food and for the gay traveller it may feel like a more chilled out and refined experience after the glitz of Sydney. Melbourne is a city of less ostentatious delights than its northern cousin, regularly voted the world s most liveable city so set some time aside to relax and explore. [VIC Rainbow Tours ] provides Gay and Lesbian friendly tours throughout Melbourne as well as the state of Victoria.The gay scene in Melbourne is basically divided between the north side and south side of the city. In the north side the best options are Sircuit Bar (mixed on Tuesday and Sunday) or The Laird for guys of the bear variety, while The Greyhound in St Kilda is a good pick for a mixed weekend party featuring ˜Boylesque performances. Melbourne’s main annual community events are the [Midsumma Festival ] and the [Melbourne Queer Film Festival]. Sport is integral to Australian culture and Melbourne is the unquestioned sporting capital of Australia. Two major sporting administrations base their operation in Melbourne: Cricket Australia and the Australian Football League (AFL). The Melbourne Sports Precinct is a 15 minute walk from the CBD and features Melbourne Park, AAMI Park and the world famous Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), a major tourist attraction in the world’s top 10 largest stadiums with crowds regularly exceeding 100,000 people. The city also features numerous other sporting venues that draw large crowds and enthusiastic supporters year round.Melburnians are sporting enthusiasts and particularly passionate about Australian Rules football, a sport invented in Melbourne and first played in 1859. In fact, the Australian Football League (AFL) is often jokingly referred to as more of a religion in Melbourne, with 9 of 18 league teams based in the city and matches regularly drawing crowds in excess of 80,000 at the MCG. The main competition, the Premiership Season, runs from late March to late September with the Grand Final usually played on the last Saturday in September at the MCG. The Friday preceding the Grand Final is now also a public holiday. Marvel Stadium in the Docklands area is a smaller venue with a retractable roof that also hosts many AFL games and other events.Cricket is also a big drawcard in the summertime, and the Melbourne Cricket Ground (the ‘MCG’) is one of the world’s most famous cricket grounds. The National Sports Museum (NSM) (including the Racing Museum) -Australia s only dedicated multi-sports museum- is also located at the MCG. One Day Test matches (annual) and The Ashes series (quadrennial) are the most popular events and often hosted at the MCG, with crowds often exceeding 90,000 spectators.Horse racing is another key sporting event, with the Spring Racing Carnival running between the AFL and Cricket seasons from October to November. The carnival makes use of Flemington and Caulfield race courses and features world-famous races, principally the Melbourne Cup. The majority of the state has a public holiday on the first Tuesday of November as Melbourne Cup race day, whilst other horse racing events in the carnival, such as Derby Day and Oaks Day, combine to draw crowds in excess of 400,000 yearly.Each January, Melbourne hosts the Australian Open, one of the world s four Grand Slam Tennis championships played on hardcourt. It is the largest annual sporting event in the southern hemisphere with in excess of 700,000 attendees and over $55,000,000 in prize money.In March, Melbourne has hosted the first race of the Formula One season, the Formula One Grand Prix since 1996. The race is held around Albert Park Lake in South Melbourne and draws in excess of 90,000 attendees for main race day.Melburnians have also taken soccer (football) to their hearts in recent times. Melbourne Victory, playing in Australia’s premier competition, the A-League, enjoyed enormous crowds and colourful, boisterous support at their original home ground, Etihad Stadium (Docklands Stadium). In 2011, the A-League added a second Melbourne team, Melbourne City (owned by Manchester City). The two teams now share the new Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, commercially known as AAMI Park.The city also boasts one professional team in each rugby code, with both also playing at AAMI Park. The Melbourne Storm play Rugby League in the National Rugby League (NRL), against teams throughout Australia and one in New Zealand. The Melbourne Rebels play rugby union in Super Rugby, which features four other Australian teams and five each from New Zealand and South Africa.Melbourne was the first city in the Southern Hemisphere to host the Olympic Games in 1956, and has also hosted the Commonwealth Games (2006), both of which are commemorated in varying ways around the city.Melbourne has wildlife both in and out of the city, and is the gateway to Victoria: Australia’s most biodiverse state. Victoria has 516 bird species recorded – 54% of Australia’s birds in just 3% of Australia’s land area. Even in central, inner-city Melbourne, watch for Rainbow Lorikeets and Sulphur-crested Cockatoos flying around during the day, and Common Brushtail Possums and Grey-headed Flying-foxes at night. The numerous parks and gardens in Melbourne city are home to many other native species, including Australian Magpies, Magpie-larks, Red Wattlebirds, White-plumed Honeyeaters, Little Ravens, Silver Gulls, Long-billed Corellas and the occasional sighting of a Powerful Owl, a Rakali or Peregrine Falcon. In Melbourne’s suburbs you can see a large number of native birds and some mammals. Inner suburbs are mostly home to birds like Grey Butcherbird, Crimson Rosella, Superb Fairy-wren, Brown Thornbill and Pied Currawong and both Common Ringtail and Common Brushtail Possums. St Kilda has a natural population of Little Penguins, along with other seabirds like Crested Terns and Little Pied Cormorants. You are more likely to see big mammals like Eastern Grey Kangaroos and Swamp Wallabies in the outer suburbs around dusk and dawn. It is even possible to see a Bare-nosed (Common) Wombat in the hilly suburbs near the Dandenongs, and a Southern Brown Bandicoot near the Cranbourne Botanic Gardens.Parks and reserves outside of Melbourne have the most to offer the wildlife enthusiast. East of Melbourne is generally cool, wet forest – home to Superb Lyrebirds, King Parrots, Wombats & Wallabies. The far east East Gippsland also has a spectacular coastline and mountain forests with Platypus, Goannas, Greater Gliders and wild Dingoes (but you have to be out at night to see them). West of Melbourne is largely drier open woodland and plains – home to koalas, Eastern Grey Kangaroos, Kookaburras & Cockatoos. The far north-west – the Mallee – is very dry, known for Malleefowl, Major Mitchells Cockatoos, Regent Parrots, Emus and lots of reptiles.Melbourne is served by two main airports ” Melbourne Airport, also referred to as Tullamarine Airport, is situated to the northwest of the city and is the main international and domestic hub. Some domestic flights from low-cost carrier Jetstar Airways also use Avalon Airport, located to the southwest of the city centre on the road to Geelong.Two smaller civil aviation airports, Moorabbin Airport, to the south of the city, and Essendon Airport [28], in the northwest of the city, serve limited regional flights to Flinders Island, King Island and some other regional destinations.Melbourne Airport (IATA: MEL) is the city’s primary airport, 22km north-west of the city centre in the industrial suburb of Tullamarine. The airport is a hub for Qantas, Virgin Australia [29], Regional Express [30] and low-cost carriers Jetstar Airways [31] and Tigerair Australia [32].Melbourne Airport is split into four terminals:There are multiple flights per day to most major Australian and New Zealand cities, in addition to popular tourist destinations including Cairns, the Gold Coast, Hamilton Island, Townsville and Ayers Rock-Uluru. There is a daily flight to Los Angeles, and multiple flights per day to Asian hubs including Singapore, Hong Kong, Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur, in addition to the major Middle Eastern hubs Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha. Tip: Tweet @MELFlights on the day of travel for real-time flight information direct to your WiFi device. Also be aware in line with Melbourne’s rapid population growth over the previous 5 years, passenger volumes have dramatically increases at the airport which has led to congestion inside the airport and out. They are slowly redeveloping the terminals, but this will take time. If you are driving or taking a taxi, allow at least an extra 20mins due to roadworks on the Tullamarine Freeway, and traffic bottlenecks coming into the terminals (a wrong turn can lead to a 15mins delay easily). This is especially important if you are heading out to the airport in the afternoon peak between 3 and 7pm, when traffic delays/roadworks can easily add 30 minutes to your trip to the airport. Likewise, coming into town during the morning peak, expect delays. Even an accident at 6am on Sunday morning will add delays too. Roadworks will finish by end of 2018 and may ease these issues somewhat. Inside the terminal, the busiest times are morning around 8-10am and evenings 6-8pm, in line with the big international flights departing. Expect congestion at security and immigration at these times.If you want to claim something on the Tourist Refund Scheme (TRS), allow an extra 30mins again and be prepared to jostle with dozens of travelers headed to Asia with bags full of supplements, baby formula, designer handbags and shoes. TRS have an app where you prefill information from your purchase and a dedicated queue at the airport purportedly to scan a code and save time, although many tourists will queue there not having used the app and creating further delays. The fastest way to the city centre will be with a taxi, then Skybus or shuttle bus (depending on departure and transfer times), with public transport taking at least twice as long. When traffic builds up however, as given above, public transport can defintley close the gap on taxis and skybuses on time as well as price. The cheapest way to the city is with public transport, with a one-way fare costing $4.40 (plus Myki card one-off), compared to $12 to $14 with Greenbus, $18 to $20 for Skybus or shuttle buses and $55 to $60 for a taxi. Melbourne has just had preliminary plans approved for a direct rail line from Southern Cross to the airport, possibly via Sunshine station, but this is in the very preliminary phases and is many years away yet. Once this is in place, getting stuck in traffic on Skybuses will be a thing of the past.Unofficial taxi drivers are becoming more prevalent at the airport now, approaching tired-looking travelers at arrivals within all terminals. Their rates may be slightly lower, but generally fairly negligible compared to a regular taxi or Uber. Exercise the utmost caution going with them, as they are not registered and very liable to try cheat you or worse. Try report instances to airport staff.Avalon Airport, [38] (IATA: AVV), is situated in outer Geelong suburb of Lara. The airport is located 55 km to the south-west of Melbourne, and is considerably further from Melbourne CBD than the Melbourne airport at Tullamarine. However, a shuttle to Southern Cross costs only $4 more than a shuttle from Tullamarine, and fares from Avalon are sometimes considerably cheaper. The terminal itself is about as simple as it gets, with just an ATM, car hire desks and baggage carousels in what looks like an old hangar at arrivals. The departure facilities are a little better, with a cafe and a bar, and a video arcade room. Jetstar Airways is the only airline operating from Avalon, with up to four flights per day to Sydney ” be sure to double-check your booking is from Avalon, rather than the larger Melbourne Airport.Besides Melbourne, Avalon is a useful gateway to Geelong and the Great Ocean Road.As per advice heading to Melbourne airport, allow at least 30mins extra if taking an evening flight from Avalon. Traffic on the M1 southbound is congested every day between 3pm and 7pm, and can take a lot longer than advertised. Traffic peaks at 5pm or so, and an accident can almost stop the whole freeway. Likewise, expect delays coming into Melbourne from Geelong 6-10am. All regional and interstate rail services depart from Southern Cross Station, located on Spencer Street at the western edge of the Melbourne CBD. The station is well-connected to the rest of the city’s transport network, including most suburban train lines, tram routes, and some bus services.From Sydney, the quickest route to Melbourne is the Hume Highway, which takes 10-11 hours. The Princes Highway (National Route 1) goes along the coast and is less crowded. It takes longer and the speed limit is lower, though.Adelaide is slightly closer than Sydney and can be reached in 9 hours. The coastal route is scenic but slower.A direct journey from Brisbane takes 21 hours of driving and takes you further inland along the Newell Highway. This makes for an interesting alternative to the standard Brisbane-Sydney-Melbourne coastal route.Bus services to Melbourne from out of state are provided by Firefly Express [41] and Greyhound [42].Bus services within Victoria are operated by V/Line, and operate from most major and many minor Victorian towns.Melbourne can be reached from Devonport, Tasmania by car/passenger ferries run by Spirit of Tasmania [43]. The journey takes 10 hours and runs every night (in both directions), departing at 9PM and arriving at 7AM. During the peak of summer, there are also day sailings (departing 9AM, arriving 7PM) on many days – check in advance.Ticket prices depend on time of year and your sleeping accommodation. A seat (no bed) is the cheapest, starting (in off-peak season) from $108 for adults and $82 for children. Bear in mind, the seat is most uncomfortable, equivalent to a cinema seat. Cabins with bunk beds start from $187 adults, $97 children. Peak season costs are about 25% higher. Cars cost $59 all year round.Melbourne is also served by several cruise ships throughout the year (mostly in the summer cruise season). Check operators for further details.All passenger ships serving Melbourne arrive at and depart from Station Pier in Port Melbourne which is located in South Melbourne about 2.5 miles southwest from the CBD. For those without private transport, the 109 tram departs from the old railway station across the road from the Station Pier and goes right into the heart of Melbourne (continuing to Box Hill in the north-east of the city).Melbourne’s public transport is extensive, and in inner city areas frequent and easy to use ” most popular attractions are easily reached by tram or train, and it is quite easy to get around Melbourne without a car. The Melbourne CBD is covered by the Free Tram Zone, which means travelling in the CBD by tram is free of charge. Best of all, most of the major attractions in Melbourne fall within the free tram zone. For more information refer Public Transport Victoria, the authority responsible for public transport throughout Victoria.The PTV Hub, Southern Cross Station, 750 Collins St, Melbourne, (toll free: 1800 800 007), [3].  edit provides timetables, brochures, and can assist with other enquiries. PTV apps are available for iPhone and Android, and a journey planner tool is available through its website. Services generally run from 5am to midnight, with 24 hour services common on Friday and Saturday nights.All Melbourne bus, tram and train services fall under the myki [44] smart card ticketing system. Paper tickets are not in use and the purchase of a myki card is required. A myki visitor value pack is on sale at the Melbourne Visitor Centre in Federation Square, SkyBus ticket booths and the PTV Hub. myki cards may also be purchased from vending machines at train stations, newsagents, convenience stores and major CBD tram stops.Important information:Other information:These are:Zone 2 overlap sections:Route 75: Stop 41 (Riversdale Rd.) to Stop 75 (Vermont South S/C (Terminus)) Route 86: Stop 52 (Tyler St.) to Stop 71 (Bundoora RMIT)Route 109: Stop 47 (Balwyn Rd.) to Stop 58 (Box Hill Central)Melbourne’s iconic tram network is the largest tram network in the world, and covers a large part of the CBD, inner and middle suburbs. A free City Circle tram runs around the perimeter of the CBD and Docklands area using heritage brown “W-class” trams, providing a great introduction to the city. Trams usually run frequently – though they may be crowded during peak periods in the morning (6-9am) or evening (4-7pm) ” especially along major routes such as St Kilda Road and Swanston, Collins and Bourke Streets. Around 60% of the current fleet (as of 2018) are air conditioned, and the majority of CBD tram stops are also wheelchair-friendly and clearly signed. Although outside of the CBD, many are either safety-zone or even kerbside stops.A Free Tram Zone also covers much of the CBD and Docklands. Using trams within this zone does not require a myki. If you have a myki and are travelling exclusively within this zone, do not touch on as you will be charged for a 2 Hour pass. If you board in the free tram zone but are travelling to a stop that is outside of it, remember to touch on your myki as failing to do so may incur a fine from a ticket inspector.Any disruptions due to accidents or power loss are usually resolved quickly, and outages will be noted on electronic stop signage (if present) or will be mentioned on the Yarra Trams website.All 15 suburban train lines depart from Flinders Street Station, opposite Federation Square in the Central Business District (CBD). Many lines also run through the City Loop, which connects to Southern Cross Station and three underground stations around the perimeter of the city centre: Parliament, Melbourne Central and Flagstaff. These city stations are well spread out in the Southern (Flinders Street), Western (Southern Cross), North Western (Flagstaff), Northern (Melbourne Central) and Eastern (Parliament) extremities of the CBD, making them a convenient base to explore the majority of Melbourne’s attractions. All station entrances throughout Melbourne are identifiable with their prominent blue signage. Trains run frequently throughout the day with most lines commencing service around 5am and terminating around 12am. Carriages can be crowded during peak times in the morning (6-9am) and evening (4-7pm). On weekends (Friday-Sunday nights), train services run 24 hours a day, departing at least every hour between 12am and 5am. Occasionally the network can fall victim to signalling issues, weather and extreme heat ” the most up-to-date service information is available from the Metro Trains website or Twitter account.All trains are air conditioned and most major stations will have staff, bathrooms and other facilities. 82 stations are designated as Premium Stations, featuring a customer service window where passengers can buy tickets and pick up timetables. Most Premium Stations also have additional passenger facilities such as indoor waiting areas and toilets. Southern Cross station is the best equipped station for travellers with toilets, supermarkets, food options and the ‘PTV Hub’ for help planning any journeys.Buses tend to link areas without train or tram connections, with some exceptions, often service major shopping centres, middle and outer suburbs. The Melbourne Visitor Shuttle links attractions in the CBD, Carlton and Docklands every 15 minutes for a flat rate of $5 per day.Although Melbourne itself is a very large metropolitan area, most sights of interest are within the city centre and easily reached by public transport.Melbourne’s city centre is laid out in an orderly grid system, similar to Manhattan, making it easy to navigate around the most central areas. During peak hour, walking may even be quicker than taking the tram. A free map of the city centre is available from the Melbourne Visitor Centres in Federation Square and Bourke Street Mall.All 15 suburban train lines depart from Flinders Street Station, opposite Federation Square in the Central Business District (CBD). Many lines also run through the City Loop, which connects to Southern Cross Station and three underground stations around the perimeter of the city centre: Parliament, Melbourne Central and Flagstaff. These city stations are well spread out in the Southern (Flinders Street), Western (Southern Cross), North Western (Flagstaff), Northern (Melbourne Central) and Eastern (Parliament) extremities of the CBD, making them a convenient base to explore the majority of Melbourne’s attractions. All station entrances throughout Melbourne are identifiable with their prominent blue signage. Trains run frequently throughout the day with most lines commencing service around 5am and terminating around 12am. Carriages can be crowded during peak times in the morning (6-9am) and evening (4-7pm). On weekends (Friday-Sunday nights), train services run 24 hours a day, departing at least every hour between 12am and 5am. Occasionally the network can fall victim to signalling issues, weather and extreme heat ” the most up-to-date service information is available from the ‘Metro Trains website.All trains are air conditioned and most major stations will have staff, bathrooms and other facilities. 82 stations are designated as Premium Stations, featuring a customer service window where passengers can buy tickets and pick up timetables. Most Premium Stations also have additional passenger facilities such as indoor waiting areas and toilets. Southern Cross station is the best equipped station for travellers with toilets, supermarkets, food options and the ‘PTV Hub’ for help planning any journeys.Buses tend to link areas without train or tram connections, with some exceptions, often service major shopping centres, middle and outer suburbs. The Melbourne Visitor Shuttle [45] links attractions in the CBD, Carlton and Docklands every 15 minutes for a flat rate of $5 per day.Melbourne has an excellent network of bike paths, plus a generally flat terrain, making pedal-power a great way to take in the city. Most paths are “shared footways” under the law, although the majority of users in most places are cyclists. This means cyclists should expect to share the path with pedestrians, dog-walkers, rollerbladers, joggers, prams and tricycles. Some trails contain on-road sections (in marked bike lanes). It is legal to cycle on footpaths only when supervising cycling children or when the path is marked or signposted as allowing bikes. Helmets are required by law, and care should be taken when cycling near slippery tram tracks, where many have gotten injured in the past. Reflective clothing and lights are essential for safe night rides.A folding bike of 20″ wheel base is very convenient when traveling in the city. In addition when in folded condition it can be carried on bus, train and CountryLink without any additional charges. Just tell the driver that it will be folded and hand carried as baggage. As for inter-city train, avoid rush hour (7AM-9AM and 5PM-6PM). If the wheelchair area is not occupied then the bike can be parked in this area safely without folding.The major car rental chains are well-represented and include Redspot, Avis, Budget, Europcar, melbourne Hertz, Thrifty. Independent car rental companies are also plentiful and can offer good value for money. If you are looking to cover a long distance by car, ensure your rental policy includes unlimited mileage – most economy to standard sized car rental include this already.There are a handful of intersections in the city centre and in South Melbourne, along Clarendon St. where you must do a Hook turn to turn right due to tram tracks running down the centre of the road. Follow the signs, pull to the left of the intersection if you are turning right, as far forward as possible, and when the light for the street you are turning into turns green (the traffic on the street you are on stops) make the turn.Check out CityLink’s [48] site for details of Melbourne’s T-shaped tollway which links the Westgate, Tullamarine and Monash (formerly South-Eastern) freeways. It is a fully electronic road with no manual tollgates. You can buy a day pass in advance, or within 3 days of having driven down it, giving your registration and car details. You can do this b