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Melbourne Travel Guide
Buy Australian DollarsMelbourne at a glance
Melbourne is Australia's food and culture capital and home to the country's largest India-born community, about 243,000 people at the 2021 census. Laneway cafes, the arts precinct and sport fill three days and the Great Ocean Road a fourth. Air India flies nonstop from Delhi every day, 11 times a week from 27 October, and Qantas adds Delhi flights from 26 October to 27 March.
Getting around is unusually cheap. Trams are free within the CBD and Docklands, and until 1 January 2027 all Victorian public transport is half price: AUD 2.85 for two hours and AUD 5.70 a day, or AUD 4 at weekends. You can tap a Visa or Mastercard credit or debit card or a phone, but prepaid cards issued outside Australia, which include most forex cards, are not accepted, so buy a myki (AUD 6) at a 7-Eleven or station if you need one.
There is no airport train: SkyBus runs to Southern Cross in 25 to 35 minutes for AUD 25.90, or AUD 43.40 return. The National Gallery of Victoria is free, Queen Victoria Market closes on Mondays and Wednesdays, and the St Kilda penguins can now be seen only on free, booked ranger-led sessions.
Indian passport holders need a Visitor visa (subclass 600), AUD 250 from 1 July 2026, and since 1 October 2026 card surcharges are banned on eftpos, Visa and Mastercard, so the displayed price is what you pay.
Where to stay
Trams link everything, and rides within the CBD and Docklands are free.
The CBD
Walkable to Flinders Street Station, the laneways and Queen Victoria Market, and inside the Free Tram Zone; the easiest first-time base.
Southbank
Riverside, by the arts precinct and the National Gallery of Victoria, a short walk across the Yarra into the CBD.
St Kilda
Beachside, a tram ride south, with the pier, Luna Park and the Sunday Esplanade Market; good for a couple of nights by the bay.
Paying in Melbourne
For the Australian dollar itself, the visa, the Tourist Refund Scheme and how much cash to carry, see the Australia travel guide and our page on the Australian dollar.
Cards and phones work almost everywhere, including small cafes. Melbourne's transport takes Visa and Mastercard credit and debit cards but not prepaid cards issued outside Australia, so bring a credit or debit card or buy a myki. Carry AUD 150 to 250 in cash as a backup, and when a terminal or ATM offers rupees, choose Australian dollars.
What Melbourne actually costs
Set the length and style of your trip to see what to budget, in Australian dollars and Indian rupees.
Indicative, excluding international flights and accommodation, per person per day. Converted at the verified mid-market rate on 3 October 2026, A$1 ≈ ₹66.99, not a Matrix board rate.
Budget roughly ₹4,350 to ₹16,080 per person per day on the ground, excluding flights and accommodation.
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| SkyBus to Southern Cross, one way / return | AUD 25.90 / AUD 43.40 |
| myki daily cap, half price until 1 Jan 2027 | AUD 5.70, AUD 4 at weekends |
| myki card | AUD 6 |
| Trams in the CBD and Docklands | Free |
| National Gallery of Victoria | Free |
| Great Ocean Road day tour | about AUD 95-180 |
Getting around
Trams are free within the CBD and Docklands, and so is the City Circle heritage tram (route 35). Beyond that, tap a myki or a Visa or Mastercard credit or debit card; half-price fares run until 1 January 2027, when the daily cap returns to AUD 11.40.
From the airport, SkyBus runs to Southern Cross Station every 10 to 15 minutes, taking 25 to 35 minutes, for AUD 25.90 one way; there is no rail link yet.
Common mistakes in Melbourne
Packing Indian food without declaring it
Declare all food on arrival or bin it. Cumin, coriander and fennel seeds, dried chillies and raw rice are not allowed in, ghee and milk sweets are likely to be refused, and fines run up to AUD 7,280.
Tapping a forex card on the tram
Melbourne's network does not accept prepaid cards issued outside Australia. Use a credit or debit card, or buy a myki for AUD 6.
Turning up for the St Kilda penguins
Viewing is by free, booked ranger-led session only, from a platform on the breakwater.
Rushing the Great Ocean Road
It is a full day out on any tour. Do not try it as a half-day.
Melbourne FAQs
Three days covers the CBD, the laneways and St Kilda. Add a fourth for the Great Ocean Road.
Yes. Indian passport holders cannot use the ETA or eVisitor and need a Visitor visa (subclass 600, Tourist stream), applied for online through ImmiAccount. The charge is AUD 250 from 1 July 2026. In late September 2026, half of applications were decided within 21 days and 90% within 33. Biometrics are requested only in some cases.
No. SkyBus runs to Southern Cross Station for AUD 25.90 one way or AUD 43.40 return; the airport rail link is years away.
Visa and Mastercard credit and debit cards and phone wallets work on all trains, trams and buses at myki fares. Prepaid cards issued outside Australia are not accepted, so a forex card may be refused; a myki costs AUD 6.
Inside the Free Tram Zone, which covers the CBD and Docklands, yes. Outside it, fares are half price until 1 January 2027: AUD 2.85 for two hours and AUD 5.70 a day.
About AUD 95 to 180 per person for a standard day tour, and more for premium small-group tours.
On 3 October 2026 one Australian dollar was ₹66.99 at the mid-market rate, so AUD 100 is about ₹6,700.
More guides in Australia
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