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Car Hire in Melbourne


punkinlr
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We are spending about 11 days in Melbourne and plan on hiring a car for day trips out of town.

 

I'm finding through my research that hiring via US car rental sites that the prices are much less expensive than if I book via an AU site.

 

The differences between the two makes me a bit nervous. Would there be any problems if I booked in the US?

 

Any recommendations or tips would be appreciated!

 

Thanks!

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Trying to, but maybe I'm going about it in the most difficult way - I tend to overthink things:D

 

Even so, looking at a US site w US$, and look like at Qantas AU to US$, it's still looks like it make more since financially to book from a site here.

 

I just don't want to land and not have a car waiting for us - and then no car to be found to hire.

 

Label me : Worry Wart ;p

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If it’s one of the major hire car firms I can imagine there would be a problem.

 

What you need to consider is that parking in the city for 11 days could be expensive.

 

Also are you OK with driving on the opposite side of the road.

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If it’s one of the major hire car firms I can imagine there would be a problem.

 

What you need to consider is that parking in the city for 11 days could be expensive.

 

Also are you OK with driving on the opposite side of the road.

 

I’d say not “could be” but “will be”... Crown Casino is probably one of the cheapest, and that’s about $20 a day - but substantially better than a lot of the Wilson parks - which are more like $60-70+/day.

 

Adding to your comment about opposite side of the road driving, if OP is planning to drive in the CBD, I’d suggest a little education on hook turns...they bring many a tourist (and many a local!) to grief.

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I’d say not “could be” but “will be”... Crown Casino is probably one of the cheapest, and that’s about $20 a day - but substantially better than a lot of the Wilson parks - which are more like $60-70+/day.

 

Adding to your comment about opposite side of the road driving, if OP is planning to drive in the CBD, I’d suggest a little education on hook turns...they bring many a tourist (and many a local!) to grief.

Luckily, the airbnb I have booked has a free & secured underground parking garage with a designated slot. It's @ Brunswick Street 206, Fitzroy North. There's a tram stop near the corner.

Our plan is to use the trams in the city - especially in the CBD - or walk. Reading the directions for a hook turn make it sound like a math problem ;p. Hoping that highway driving won't be as challenging!

 

 

Hiring a car even for 11 days will be less expensive than booking tours for 2 for each city. Plus the flexibility to come and go and not have to be at the mercy of a tour group.

 

 

But still open to other arrangements if there's a reasonable compromise for transportation.

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Luckily, the airbnb I have booked has a free & secured underground parking garage with a designated slot. It's @ Brunswick Street 206, Fitzroy North. There's a tram stop near the corner.

Our plan is to use the trams in the city - especially in the CBD - or walk. Reading the directions for a hook turn make it sound like a math problem ;p. Hoping that highway driving won't be as challenging!

 

 

Hiring a car even for 11 days will be less expensive than booking tours for 2 for each city. Plus the flexibility to come and go and not have to be at the mercy of a tour group.

 

 

But still open to other arrangements if there's a reasonable compromise for transportation.

 

punkinir,

 

Just a couple of points, Brunswick Street is a very busy street, particularly in the morning and afternoon peaks and also there are tram tracks along it which can slow you down and make for more difficult driving. I would suggest you read the Victorian road rules for driving along a tram track to make it a little easier for you.

 

If you are heading out of town, you are possibly going to drive on tolled freeways so that may add to the cost of your car hire. This link will have much of the information you may need - https://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/

 

There will not be much difference driving in the Fitzroy area to actually driving in the CBD.

 

 

Good luck with your choice.

 

Leigh

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Not a big fan of driving in Melbourne if I can avoid it

 

I'm not either and try to avoid it if I can. I drove to the MCG on Friday afternoon which was bad enough. Although I think Sydney is much worse.

 

Leigh

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I'm not either and try to avoid it if I can. I drove to the MCG on Friday afternoon which was bad enough. Although I think Sydney is much worse.

 

Leigh

I’m more comfortable with Sydney because I know it better, but am not looking forward to the added complication of light rail.

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Okie Dokie - Y'all have just about convinced me that I need to research other ways to hit the road besides driving. LOL! Seriously tho....

 

if we don't rent a car to do out of town travels, and we aren't keen on organized tours, what other options might we have that won't take all day to get somewhere 1.5 hrs away from the city?

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Okie Dokie - Y'all have just about convinced me that I need to research other ways to hit the road besides driving. LOL! Seriously tho....

 

if we don't rent a car to do out of town travels, and we aren't keen on organized tours, what other options might we have that won't take all day to get somewhere 1.5 hrs away from the city?

 

 

Where do you want to go to that is 1.5 hours away?

 

 

Leigh

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Okie Dokie - Y'all have just about convinced me that I need to research other ways to hit the road besides driving. LOL! Seriously tho...

 

Don't worry you will be fine. Melbourne is a large city and a lot of tourist destinations are over an hour and a half drive (great Ocean road, sovereign Hill Ballarat, Philip Island, puffing Billy, Mornington peninsula etc.). Stick to the major well known car rental companies and I am sure you will have a great holiday.

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Y'all have just about convinced me that I need to research other ways to hit the road besides driving.
Personally, I would rent a car for any out-of-town trips (as I have done in the past). I just wouldn't have one in Melbourne when doing Melbourne things. Give the car back as soon as you don't need it any more, even if it means (for example) renting for two or three separate days at intervals during your 11-day stay.

 

I don't agree with the angst about driving in Melbourne, anyway. The only unusual thing there is those hook turns. Everything else is pretty conventional, just like driving in any other "western" city around the world.

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Don't worry you will be fine. Melbourne is a large city and a lot of tourist destinations are over an hour and a half drive (great Ocean road, sovereign Hill Ballarat, Philip Island, puffing Billy, Mornington peninsula etc.). Stick to the major well known car rental companies and I am sure you will have a great holiday.

 

All of the above + Healesville Sanctuary. I hoping that once we get on the highways it will be smooth sailing.

 

You know, Fed Ex drivers here in the States never make left hand turns - it slows them down by having to wait to cross traffic. Maybe I'll take a page from their book and never make a hook turn :confused:

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All of the above + Healesville Sanctuary. I hoping that once we get on the highways it will be smooth sailing.

 

You know, Fed Ex drivers here in the States never make left hand turns - it slows them down by having to wait to cross traffic. Maybe I'll take a page from their book and never make a hook turn :confused:

 

punkinir, I would suggest your trip to Puffing be by public transport. You just need to catch a tram down Brunswick Street (No 11 tram - West Brunswick to Victoria Harbour Docklands) to Parlitament Station - hop off at corner of Collins Street and Spring Street and Parliament Station is right there. Just follow the signs. Catch a Belgrave line train to Belgrave station,. When you arrive at Belgrave, the Puffing Billy station is just opposite. From memory it is well sign posted. And there are sure to be others on the train going on Puffing Billy.

 

Unless you are driving in the CBD you don't need to do a hook turn. They are actually quite easy to do.

 

Leigh

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  • 3 weeks later...

We booked our cars thru Autoeurope. We picked up in Gold Coast and dropped in Sydney. Cruised. Then picked up in Sydney, drove to Melbourne and then up the Great Ocean Road (wonderful). Dropped the car at Melbourne Airport, flew back to Sydney for our second cruise. Drop off charges were minor.

 

Highly recommend the Great Ocean Road. Four days at least.

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With only eleven days, we'll drive some of the GOR. I have so much I on my "to see, do, eat" list!

 

DH and I have fished for halibut & salmon in Alaska and red snapper and tiger fish in the Gulf out from Panama City Beach, Florida - so how could we possibly travel all the way to Australia and not fish? So, I've been debating booking a fishing trip that goes out of Mornington vs finding somewhere we can fish off the dock or pier.

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Hook turns don't really make sense until you see them done. You'll likely get it as soon as you see it. I love Melbourne, it's a great city. Hope you have a great time.

 

Sent from my Lenovo A7600-F using Forums mobile app

 

Thanks Suzanne! That gives me a bit of confidence :D. What's your favorite thing to see or do in Melbourne? Place to eat?

 

We'd love to spend some time - even if it's a day - in Canberra. My husband is a retired Army First Sargent whose service began in Viet Nam when he was an 18y/0 kid. We both want o visit the Australian War MemorialI so I hope I can work it out.

 

I know a flight would be expensive - but as my aunt always said : It's only "paper". Go and do all you can when you can because you never know when you won't be able to do much of anything any more.

 

Words to live by.

 

Lee Ann

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We'd love to spend some time - even if it's a day - in Canberra. My husband is a retired Army First Sargent whose service began in Viet Nam when he was an 18y/0 kid. We both want o visit the Australian War MemorialI so I hope I can work it out.
It's feasible to go to Canberra as a day trip from Melbourne, although slightly hard work, if there's a limited number of things you want to see there. The scheduled duration of a flight on a jet is just over an hour, and there are plenty (I think almost 20 a day on weekdays - although from Sydney it's closer to 30). And Canberra is reasonably compact.

 

Although Canberra is worth more time than that! Two days and a night would be a good start.

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With only eleven days, we'll drive some of the GOR. I have so much I on my "to see, do, eat" list!

 

DH and I have fished for halibut & salmon in Alaska and red snapper and tiger fish in the Gulf out from Panama City Beach, Florida - so how could we possibly travel all the way to Australia and not fish? So, I've been debating booking a fishing trip that goes out of Mornington vs finding somewhere we can fish off the dock or pier.

 

punkinlr, not sure if you are aware that ALL persons including those on charters MUST have a recreational fishing licence when fishing in Victoria unless you are over 70. The cost for a three day licence is $10. More information can be found on this link - https://vfa.vic.gov.au/recreational-fishing/fishing-licence

 

Leigh

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We'd love to spend some time - even if it's a day - in Canberra. My husband is a retired Army First Sargent whose service began in Viet Nam when he was an 18y/0 kid. We both want o visit the Australian War MemorialI so I hope I can work it out.

 

I know a flight would be expensive - but as my aunt always said : It's only "paper". Go and do all you can when you can because you never know when you won't be able to do much of anything any more.

 

Words to live by.

 

Lee Ann

 

Leigh Ann, Melbourne has an amazing memorial to our fallen service personnel - The Shrine of Remembrance which is situated on the edge of the CBD just opposite the Royal Botanical Gardens between St Kilda Road and Birdwood Ave. It is easily reached either by walking through the gardens from near the Yarra River or catching a tram along St Kilda Rd, or if you have a car, it is easy to drive to. Much easier to visit than making a side trip to Canberra.

 

More information here - https://www.shrine.org.au/Home

 

Leigh

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Hook turns don't really make sense until you see them done. You'll likely get it as soon as you see it. I love Melbourne, it's a great city. Hope you have a great time.

 

Sent from my Lenovo A7600-F using Forums mobile app

 

 

 

I’m in Melbourne now on business (from Sydney). Hook turns I dodge as much as possible, but the teams are the real worry when driving [emoji15]

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

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