The charm of a self-driving tour is to be able to follow the rhythm you like and gallop freely in the beauty of a foreign country. It is up to you to galloping or enjoying slowly. Melbourne, on the other hand, has a variety of Victorian buildings, drunken coastal roads in the world, and fun penguin islands, both classical and modern. If you want to drive yourself in Australia, you must choose Melbourne.
Why is Melbourne suitable for self-driving?
Australia is a country with its vast territory, few people, wide road coverage and good road condition, which is very suitable for renting a car and traveling by itself. Melbourne`s highways are basically free, and the cost of renting a car is not expensive. The cost of renting a car a day is about 60 Australian dollars. When you get off the plane, you can pick up the car directly at the airport. The car rental company has set up many outlets in the city and town. It is very convenient to pick up and return the car.
Photo: Flinders Street Station, Melbourne. By natural volume
Moreover, Melbourne also has the world`s drunken seaside highway-Ocean Road. Driving down Ocean Road, you will be amazed again and again by the craftsmanship of nature. In the essence section, every kilometer is a perfect sight, which many people may not see for the rest of their lives.
Ocean Road is self - driven (photo from the Internet).
urban traffic
Parking spaces in downtown Melbourne are difficult to find and expensive. There is no need to rent a car to play downtown.
Public transport in the urban area can be divided into three types of tram, train, buses. You can buy a Myki cartoon card at all major train stations or 711 convenience stores. The price of the card is 6 Australian dollars. You can not use it until you have to recharge it. Get on the bus and swipe the card to get off and swipe the card again. If you don`t have much time to stay downtown, you don`t have to buy it.
Melbourne Myki card (Youyou card)
Transportation from Melbourne Airport to downtown.
Melbourne has two airports: Melbourne Airport and Avalon Airport.
Distance from Melbourne airport to downtown
Melbourne airport to the center of the city is about 25 kilometers, Avalan airport to the center of the city is about 55 kilometers. So when you fly to Melbourne, you usually choose to go to Melbourne Airport. Qantas (Qantas), Virgin (Virgin Australia), Tiger Airlines (Tiger) is a major Australian airline located at Melbourne Airport. Jetstar Jetstar (Lian Airlines) some of the aircraft landed at Awarang Airport. Remember to pay attention when you book your ticket.
Airport bus ticket office (photo from the Internet)
1 [airport bus Skybus]
SkyBus leaves from Melbourne Airport`s domestic and international terminal and travels directly to Southern Cross Station (Spencer Street), for about 20 minutes. From the arrival hall, you can see the ticket booth of Skybus, buy the ticket and get on the bus, and you will be able to leave soon. If the next flight from Melbourne to another place, it is recommended to buy round trip tickets.
Fare: 19 Australian dollars for adults, 38 Australian dollars for round trip, 9 Australian dollars for children aged 14, 18 Australian dollars for round trip, free for children under 4 years of age.
Operating time: Skybus is open all year round, 24 hours a day, every 10 minutes. It runs for 15 or 30 minutes in the early hours of the morning.
Melbourne Airport Airport bus Skybus (photo from the Internet)
2 [taxi Taxi]
The taxi waiting station is located outside the lobby of Terminal 1 and 3. Melbourne taxi is bright yellow and easy to recognize. The trip is about 20 minutes, 50 to 60 Australian dollars.
Melbourne taxis are divided into three types: (Station Wagon Taxi), an ordinary (Standard Taxi), rest model, and (Max Taxi)., a minibus. The price of an ordinary model with up to four passengers is the same as that of a rest model. The minibus can hold up to 11 passengers.
Three types of Melbourne taxi (photo from the Internet)
3 [airport bus Star Bus]
StarBus can be delivered one by one and sent directly to the hotel.
Ticket price: 18 Australian dollars per person one way to and from 30 Australian dollars per person
Operating time: 05 / 00 / 19 / 00
Melbourne Airport Star bus (pictures from the official website)
Traffic from Avalan airport to downtown
The distance from Avalan airport to the center of the city
[Sita Coaches] take Sita Coaches to Southern Cross train Station or CBD area, about 50 minutes by car.
Ticket price: $22 for adults, A $42 for adults and A $10 for children aged 14.
Web site: http://www.sitacoaches.com.au/sitacoaches
Avalan Airport Sita Coaches timetable (photo from the Internet)
Oceania Road self-driving
Ocean Road, a coastal road winding along the west coast of Victoria, is now one of Australia`s most famous tourist attractions.
Photo: Oceania Road. By Minmin Didi
Driving on Ocean Road, less than a kilometer is a desperate sight, and none of the pillars standing at sea is the same, so the beauty of Ocean Road is unique. The setting sun shines, the golden light overflows, the birds return to their nests, and the magnificent waves and straight walls along Ocean Road are the craftsmanship of God. Here you can meet the classic natural beauty of zui in Australia.
Photo: Oceania Road. By, the lonely shadow of heaven and earth, let me do it.
Recommended route-classic three-day tou
Map of Ocean Road (picture from the Internet)
Melbourne to Aaron Ford will pass through many big cities and towns, including Gillang, Tolcan, Apollo Bay and Campbell Port, and there will also be many kangaroos and koalas on the way. Oceania Road is a very interesting self-driving route anyway. If you want to play Ocean Road well, it will take at least 3 days to drive yourself.
If you plan to go directly to Ocean Road, you can fly to Avalon Airport near Jielang and drive to Ocean Road at the airport. (but the rental counter at Avalan Airport is very few and is not recommended!) so it is generally recommended to start from Melbourne. Here is the classic three-day tour route from Melbourne to start driving on Ocean Road via Jilang.
Tips：
Set navigation to avoid toll mode before departure, avoid toll road City Link, from Melbourne urban area, south out of downtown West Gate Freeway (M1), all the way west to Jilang drive.
Melbourne downtown to Jilang
- Day 1: Melbourne Jilang Tuoji Angelsi Ron Apollo Bay (living in Apollo Bay)
- Day 2: Apollo Bay / Ortway National Park (Ortway Lighthouse) Rock Rock Grand Canyon / Campbell Port (living in Campbell Port)
- Day 3: Campbell Port London Bridge West to Xiannu Port Town 20 minutes drive back to Vanambour, then east via Corlack and Gilang, back to Melbourne, and then to the west, to the town of Xiannu Port, 20 minutes` drive back to Wannabel, and then east via Corak and Gilon, back to Melbourne.
Map of Ocean Road (picture from the Internet)
Gilland (Geelong): is Victoria`s second largest city after Melbourne. Zui is famous for the interesting and lovely colored puppet pillar (Painted bollards). On the eastern beach. Melbourne to Jilang 75 kilometers, the drive is 1 hour and 9 minutes.
Jilang`s puppet portrait (the picture comes from the Internet)
In addition, in the vicinity of Jilang can also experience Ocean Road skydiving project. Jump into Ocean Road as the air soars, facing Jilang, overlooking the famous Beers Beach from 15000 feet above, I believe this will be an unforgettable experience in your life!
The starting point of (Torquay): Ocean Road. Its beautiful beach is a paradise for surfing enthusiasts. You can sit on the beach and watch the tide rise, watch the surfer rustling, and the rainbow embellished in the blue sky is a very enjoyable thing. Gilang to Togi 21.6 kilometers, 24 minutes.
Angelsey (Anglesea):, a beautiful seaside town, attracts a lot of tourists every New year and Christmas. Golf courses here are also famous. Many tourists come to learn golf. If they are lucky, they can also see wild kangaroos running around the course. Drag base to Angelsey 21 kilometers, 20 minutes.
Rainbow by Toggy Beach (photo from the Internet)
Ron (Lorne): `s favorite holiday resorts, golden beaches and Erskine Falls are picturesque, and the annual Falls Music Festival is a carnival. You can eat seafood, bask in the sun and enjoy traveling here. Angelsey to Ron 28.2 km, 33 minutes.
Apollo Bay (Apollo Bay): Apollo Bay is the middle station of Ocean Road, from Apollo Bay to the east or west has a spectacular view of the Gulf. Ron hovered up the Apollo Bay Highway as if he were at sea. There is a beautiful beach here, and it is a good place to experience the lives of the local people. There is also a chance to see the southern right whale in winter.
Apollo Bay, Ocean Road (photo from the Internet)
Here is the Oterway National Park (Great Otway National Park) and the southern Oterway Lighthouse (Cape Otway Light House) zui near the coast. The park has soft beaches with fine sand, lush fern valleys, majestic waterfalls and quiet lakes, which is ideal for photography lovers. A walk in the rainforest and the top of the tree here is also worth a walk. Ron is 45 kilometers to Apollo Bay, 40 minutes.
Oterway Lighthouse (photo from the Internet)
Between Apollo Bay and Campbell Port is the famous 12 apostles Rock and Djibouti Trail (Gibson Steps) of Campbell Port National Park (Campbell National Park),. This is the best section of Ocean Road. Apollo Bay to Campbell Port 90 kilometers, an hour and 30 minutes.
Picture: Port Campbell. By WmX
Twelve apostles (Twelve Apostles), originally part of the coastline, gradually removed leave after the erosion of waves and strong winds. Because the twelve pillars are reminiscent of the twelve apostles who followed Jusus Christ in Bible, they were named the Twelve disciples. Due to the continuous alluvial effect of the waves, there are only seven left. If you plan to go, you have to put the itinerary of Ocean Road on the schedule!
Photo: twelve disciple Rock. By came all the way and looked at it all the way.
When you get to Twelve disciple Rock, you can experience helicopter sightseeing. The boundless sea, the little rocks, the beautiful scenery overlooking Ocean Road in the sky can no longer be summed up by shock. (ps: helicopter sightseeing is on the plane near Twelve Rock, and you can go to the scene and decide whether you want to experience it or not. But it would be cheaper to book in advance than to buy it on the spot)
Vanampur (Warrnambool): is the end of Ocean Road, where the beach is beautiful and wide. Every year, from May to November, southern right whales migrate from Antarctica to the sea here to play and give birth. 70 kilometers from Campbell Port to Vanampur, 55 minutes. During the period, it will cross the offshore London Bridge.
PORT FAIRY:Even though Vanembal is the end of Ocean Road, it is worth a trip to the west of Fairy Port. It is an old town, also known as Ferry Port. When you get to Fairy Port, you have to look at TowerHill, a dead volcano and a few primitive islands with a firemouth lake, and if lucky enough, you can see Kangaroo and Kola. From Vanan Bool to Fairy Port town for 28 kilometers, 20 minutes.
After visiting xiangang town, ocean road is coming to an end. Next, you will drive from xiangang town back to wananpur, then inland via clark, gillang, zui and then back to melbourne city. The journey is 288km, about 3 1/2 hours.
Return to downtown Melbourne from the end of Oceania Road
Tips：
Oceania Road is suitable for self-driving all year round, including zui good weather from October to May of the following year, blue sky and blue sea, when Ocean Road is zui beautiful.
Philip Island (Penguin Island) self-driving
The lovely little penguin on Philip Island (the picture comes from the Internet)
Philip Island (Phillip Island), also known as Penguin Island, is connected to mainland`s San Ramo (San Remo) on the east side of the island. It is a resort for Australians to surf, sail, fish, skate and so on.
Philip Island is famous because the southwestern end of the island is a protected area for fairy penguins. The penguin is the world`s zui small penguin, only 30 centimeters tall, whenever sunset, you can see penguins flock home from the sea, because of their petite size, staggered together, very interesting.
Philip Island Penguin Island (photo from the Internet)
Tourists from all over the world come to the viewing platform and observation path of Philip Island Nature Park to enjoy penguin homing, but in order to protect penguin habitat, only 500000 people can come to watch it every year. The coastal side of the winter is quite cold, so it is better to come in the summer of the southern hemisphere (November-March of the following year).
Philip Island Penguin homing (photo from the Internet)
About 130 kilometers from downtown Melbourne to Philip Island, it takes about an hour and 40 minutes to drive by car. Philip Island and Melbourne`s mainland are connected by bridge, so you can drive directly to the island. If you drive directly from Melbourne Airport to Philip Island, about 160 kilometers by car for about two hours. Some sections charge, it takes about 2 hours and 20 minutes to avoid tolls.
Driving from downtown Melbourne to Philip Island
From downtown Melbourne, you can follow Monash Freeway (M1), turn south to take South Gippsland Highway (M420), then cross the bridge at Philip Island Road to San Remo, and follow the signs to the first scenic spot.
Philip Island self-driving route
Map of Philip Island (photo from Kingstar)
It`s about 10 minutes` drive from the town of (Cowes) to the koala Reserve. The scenic spots on Philip Island are basically within 15 minutes of the drive. You can first go to the wildlife park to contact the Australian animals at zero distance, feed the kangaroo and emu personally, and visit the Tasmanian demons. Although the koalas here can`t be held, you can look at the koalas lying on the trees near the branches and take pictures of their lovely sleeping faces.
Philip Island Wildlife Park koala (photo from the Internet)
You can watch the whole process of chocolate making in the interesting Penny Chocolate Factory, choose the chocolate you like, and make your own unique chocolate. The 2-meter-tall David Chocolate Sculpture and the deafening Chocolate Falls can relive the dream scene in Charlie`s Chocolate Factory. Don`t miss a chocolate buddy.
Philip Island Chocolate factory (photo from website).
In addition, you can rest in the town of carles, overlooking the sea lion rock while drinking coffee. If you`re lucky, you can see the sea lions lying lazily on the rocks. You can also watch sheepdogs, sheepshears, irons and other wonderful performances on churchill island`s traditional farm.
In the evening, you can watch the penguins homing on the viewing platform near the beach, and you may be surprised to find that the little penguins walk past you!
Oceania Road, Philip Island wants to get there. How can I get there?
Oceania Road and Philip Island are in two different directions. If you have to go to both places by yourself, you have to drive all the way.
There are three routes:
- Drive from Melbourne to Ocean Road, back to Melbourne and then to Philip Island.
- First drive from Melbourne to Philip Island, return to Melbourne and then go to Gillon, Southern District, and start taking Ocean Road.
- Take a bus from Melbourne Airport to Philip Island, then back to Wharf, Monington Peninsula.
If you find it too troublesome, choose a place to join the local regiment on Ocean Road and Philip Island. I suggest you visit downtown or take a break after arriving in Melbourne on the first day, take part in a one-day tour of Philip Island the next day, start driving to Ocean Road on the third day, and return to Melbourne after zui. Of course, if you want to challenge the whole self-driving, it is also complete ok!
Information you need to know on a self-driving tou
driving license
Chinese driver`s license is available in both Australia and New Zealand and is required to provide an English version of the Chinese driver`s license. To be on the safe side, it is recommended to do driver`s license notarization or translation certification. To apply for an English notarization certificate, you must take the original driver`s license, ID card, account book, go to the passport file list and seal the relevant DMV application, and then contact the notarization authority at the place where the account is located to translate. It is recommended to apply for driver`s license notarization at least two weeks in advance, the fee is about 200 yuan, and the validity period is usually from 3 months to 1 year. (subject to the requirements of the car rental company)
Car Rental Company
Australia`s car rental industry is quite mature, australia has the following six main car rental companies: Avis,Budget,Europcar,Hertz,Thrifty,Redspot, in australia`s main towns have their car rental network.(europcar and redspot do not accept credit cards with the unionpay logo. Several others are ok).
You can book in advance online or rent a local car after entering the country, but the price of a local rental car is generally more expensive than an online reservation, and it is likely that some of the popular models you want to rent have been booked out. So it is recommended to book ahead of time on the Internet and choose the model you like.
Major car rental companies in Australia
Business hours of car rental company & official website
- AVIS：00:00-23:59 www.avis.com.au
- Budget：05:00-12:00 www.budget.com.au
- Europcar：06:00-24:00 www.europcar.com.au
- Thrifty：06:00-23:00 www.thrifty.com.au
- Hertz：03:30-02:30 www.hertz.com.au
Tips：
Australian car rental companies generally use Japanese cars, American cars and Australian local HOLDEN. Australia`s roads are mostly flat and wide, medium and large Japanese cars are a good choice, fuel-efficient, easy to operate, and cheap. If you go to Ocean Road, you can also consider a convertible and enjoy driving while enjoying the beautiful scenery. If the journey is long, remember to check the condition of the car on the way and try to keep the fuel tank full of oil.
About returning the car
Pick up the car:
(1) the driver shall personally handle and produce his or her relevant documents.
2 ensure that the international credit card in the name of the main driver has an adequate amount, and the car rental deposit is generally $500, 000 according to different models. It is recommended that the driver carry two international credit cards in his or her name to ensure that there is a sufficient amount available to freeze the authorized deposit for the vehicle.
(3) safe custody of all contracts and documents
Return the car:
When returning the car, the staff will check and record the vehicle and print out the statement on the spot. Check carefully to see if there are any additional charges. After returning the car, it is recommended that all contracts and receipts be kept properly for a period of time. If there is no violation during the rental period, the deposit is usually thawed automatically within a month and returned to the driver`s credit card.
About insurance.
The quotation for renting vehicles basically includes the basic insurance (basic insurance). In the event of a traffic accident, there will be an additional damage compensation fee of (damage excess fee), that is, the deductible amount, ranging from $200 to $550 (depending on the type of insurance purchased and the supplier and rental model). If the amount is below this amount, the charterer pays for it himself; if the amount is exceeded, the excess is paid by the insurance company. The deductible amount of basic insurance is 2000 / 3000 Australian dollars.
The specific type of insurance and the amount of compensation, each company will be different, but roughly similar. Whether extra insurance is bought or not depends on itself, but given that Australia is on the right, as opposed to China, it takes time to familiarize yourself with traffic rules, or does it take time to buy accident insurance to reduce risk and compensation. Because in the event of a traffic accident, if there is no other insurance, the individual will have to pay at least more than A $2000, which is very much more than the cost of insurance!
About navigation.
Figure: GPS navigation. By rebecca1
The way in which GPS can choose:
Download navigation software to Ipad or mobile phone, download new version of zui offline map before departure
2 renting GPS navigation at a car rental company at a price of about 10 Australian dollars per day, usually in English
3 buy a navigator, about 200 RMB 300 yuan
(for the sake of ps: safety, the driver tries not to look at the navigation and let the co-pilot look at it.)
About refueling.
Australian gas station (photo from the Internet)
Be sure to fill up the car before you return it. When you pick up the car, you must fill it up when you return it. If you don`t fill it up, you will deduct a lot of money. In Australia, the price of refueling varies from region to region, the more remote the oil, the more expensive it is, and the gas stations near the high-speed roadside and airport are also expensive, so try to fuel the big towns.
Most of the gas stations in Australia are self-service type. Choose the oil gun to add the oil gun by themselves, and then go to the counter according to the number of positions, also can also brush the card, very convenient. If not know how to operate, you can also ask the staff for help.ps:when refueling, pay attention to whether it is gasoline or diesel, don`t add wrong.
On toll roads
Melbourne has only three toll roads, about 5 Australian dollars. One is the airport highway, the other is city link, and the other is east link.. If you don`t go these three ways, you can go where you want to go, just a little around.
To avoid toll roads, remember to navigate to avoid toll road "avoid toll" mode. In this mode, we do not take city link from Melbourne to Ocean Road, but take the free M1. The road sign of the toll station is blue, and the one that does not charge is green. Highway payments except for Australian locals, foreigners use credit cards to pay, can not use cash. (if you drive a toll road directly without buying a card, you have to pay within 48 hours, and there will be a heavy fine within the time limit.)
Open avoidtolls to avoid toll links (image from web).
trouble removal
In general, if the vehicle fails or is damaged, you can directly contact the store or road rescue phone on the rental agreement, and the rental company will provide you with the corresponding help in a timely manner.
In the event of a traffic accident, you must call the police at the first time and then ask the rental company how to deal with it. If the accident is serious, it is necessary to obtain the accident identification report signed by the police department and the details of the third party of the accident. Zui can take pictures of the scene with a camera. If the vehicle is unable to travel, a new car can be transferred by a nearby garage, and the accident vehicle can be repaired. If the vehicle can continue, it will be handled by the garage on return, and the corresponding fee will be charged according to the insurance you purchase. When returning the car, remember to show the accident report issued by the police, and fill in the accident report form or damage report of the garage at the same time.
[化] matters need attention
1. No drunk driving
Pay attention to keeping a distance with the front and rear cars.
3. The right rudder in Australia is on the left, contrary to that in China
4. Avoid speeding, which is not only dangerous but also very expensive
5. It is illegal for a driver to drive without calling his cell phone at the same time.
6. The driver and all passengers must fasten their seat belts, or they will be fined if caught
7. If there are children, they need to use safety seats, and children under the age of 7 must sit in the back
8. When you encounter the roundabout island, pay attention to the traffic on the inner and right side of the roundabout island, which is clockwise.
9. When entering the main lane by the side of the road, pay attention to looking to the right and then to the left. This is the opposite of the domestic one. We need to get used to it.
10. The ocean road speed limit is between 80 and 100 km/h, the urban speed limit is between 50 and 70 km/h, and the danger zone such as turning is around 40 km/h.
11. Ocean road is a two-way two-lane, some dangerous road sections are equipped with guardrails, such as the sharp bend on the side of the sea, have set aside buffer zone to ensure safety
twelve. Every other section of Dayang Road, about 5 minutes, there is a "Slow Vehicle Turnouts" sign of a safe haven. If you drive slowly, be sure to avoid the rear ca
If you find it too troublesome to drive yourself, you can choose a custom tour. It has four main benefits:
1. Play without shopping, make the trip more enjoyable and pure.
two. Special car pick-up, Chinese driver and tour guide, communication is more convenient and more secure.
3. Not only go to classic attractions, but also recommend good places for locals to eat, drink and have fun according to your preferences.
4. 24-hour online travel housekeeper, anytime, anywhere to help you answer questions.
In this way, you can set your own time, number, itinerary and standards to give yourself a perfect and comfortable trip.
Victoria, which has the reputation of "Australian microcosm", not only has beautiful natural scenery, full of interest in wildlife, but also has crisscrossed and accessible transportation roads, which is an ideal self-driving tourist destination. You can wander in Melbourne`s natural wonders and slowly savor the blend of history and fashion. The same scenery, but because of self-driving and make the trip more exciting, more vivid, more unique! Refer to this strategy as soon as possible and start planning your exclusive self-driving trip!
Author: Kingstar- Orange
