How to Get to Albert Park – 2026 Australian Grand Prix

Advice on getting around in Melbourne for the 2026 Australian Grand Prix and the best ways to get to the Albert Park Circuit

Official Travel Packages / F1 Experiences / Melbourne Hotels / Australian GP Facebook group

The 2026 Australian Grand Prix is scheduled for March 5-8

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Flights to Melbourne

Melbourne’s main airport, Tullamarine (MEL), offers plenty of international connections. There are also scores of daily flights between the main Australian cities, both with full service carrier Qantas and budget carriers such as Virgin Australia and Jetstar. We recommend flying into the main Melbourne Airport (MEL) at Tullamarine rather than Avalon (AVV), which is a considerable distance further from the city.

Flights from Europe

European Hubs: London, Paris, Frankfurt, Amsterdam.

Airlines flying to Australia from Europe include: Qantas, Singapore Airlines, British Airways, Lufthansa, Emirates, Qatar Airways

Flight times: Combined flight/transit time with at least one stop en route is a minimum of 24 hours. You’ll also lose up to 10 hours due to the time difference. Qantas now flies direct from Perth to Paris and London (both 17.5 hours).

Flights from USA

North American Hubs: Los Angeles, New York, Atlanta, Dallas

Airlines flying to Australia from North America: Qantas, United, Delta, American Airlines Air New Zealand, Virgin Australia

Flight times: 14-15 hours direct from the West Coast. Flights with a stop-over have a combined time in excess of 20 hours. Melbourne is 15-18 hours ahead of US time.

Flights from Asia

Asian Hubs: Singapore, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Tokyo, Bangkok

Airlines flying to Australia from Asia: Qantas, Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Thai Airways, AirAsia, Jetstar)

Flight times: Around 8-10 hours from most Asian hubs

Melbourne Airport is about 23km from the centre of the city. Uber and Taxis are plentiful. Expect to pay around $70 AUD for a metered taxi and slightly less for an Uber. If you are on a budget, the SkyBus service operates an express service to Melbourne’s CBD at regular intervals with one-way fares starting from under $25 AUD and return fares just over $40 AUD.

Regional Trains & Buses to Melbourne

Trains connect all the capital cities in Australia. They are a good choice if you have some extra time to see more of the countryside, but not much cheaper than flying. The Sydney-Melbourne train ride takes around 12 hours; daytime and overnight services are available. A seat can be purchased from $79 AUD, whilst a bed on an overnight train costs from $235 AUD. More information on Sydney-Melbourne trains

Regular bus services also run between major Australian cities for budget-conscious fans. A one-way trip from Sydney to Melbourne (10 hours) costs around $60-100 AUD, and day and overnight service are available. Firefly is a reputable bus company with services between Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney.

Free Trams to Albert Park Circuit

The easiest way to get to Albert Park from the city center is to take a tram. Services are frequent on Grand Prix weekend and FREE for F1 fans on trams traveling direct to the circuit. Although 5,000 extra tram services run on race weekend, the trams do still get very crowded at the end of the day, especially after the race. Consider waiting a bit longer at the circuit to miss the crowds. More information is available on the AGP website.

St Kilda Road GP Shuttle: Services run between the city centre and St Kilda, stopping at the circuit along the way. In the center, trams leave from outside Flinders Street train station on Swanston Street (opposite Federation Square) at 1-2 minute intervals during peak times; these are best for accessing the circuit via Gates 5, 8, 9 and 10. Trams on this route terminate at St Kilda and then return to the city center, so are also suitable for fans staying near the beach.

Light Rail GP Express: Trams head to Gates 1 & 2 from Southern Cross Station on Spencer Street (corner of Collins Street) every 1-3 minutes at peak times throughout the weekend.

Clarendon Street GP Express: Trams also depart from Southern Cross Station on the corner of Spencer and Collins Streets, heading to Gates 3 & 4 at 1-5 minute intervals during peak times over the weekend.

Use Melbourne’s New Anzac Train Station

New for 2026, Melbourne’s Anzac Station is now open, making train a viable way to get to the Grand Prix. The even better news is that the train service is free between the State Library, Town Hall and Anzac Station. The Anzac Station is an eight minute walk from Gate 5.

You can also access Albert Park by using the Southern Cross Station (catch a tram from there to Gates 1 and 2 down Spencer Street), Flagstaff Station (where you can catch a new temporary tram route to Gate 3), or Flinders Street Station (which is recommended for Gates 5, 8, 9 and 10). Further information is available here.

Taxi or Uber to Albert Park Circuit

Dedicated parking near the Albert Park circuit is not available and parking restrictions apply in the vicinity, so we don’t recommend driving to the circuit. Taxis and Uber are a good way to get to the circuit; 13cabs (tel: 132 227) is the recommended taxi service for the race. Taxi ranks are located at Gates 1 & 2 (Canterbury Road), Gates 3 & 5 (Albert Road), Gate 8 (St Kilda Road) and Gate 10 (Fitzroy Street). Check the locations on the 2026 circuit map.

Melbourne Taxis

The bright yellow taxis in Melbourne are plentiful and well regulated. Fares are increased when you are travelling late at night, if you wish to pay with card or have 5 or more passengers. Expect to pay around $20 AUD for a taxi between the circuit and the city centre, or approximately $20 AUD for routes between the circuit and St Kilda. Reputable taxi companies in Melbourne include Silvertop (tel: 131 008) and 13cabs (tel: 132 227).

Melbourne Public Transport

Melbourne has an extensive public transport network consisting of trains, trams and buses. In the city centre, the main train station for suburban services is Flinders Street Station, on the corner of Swanston and Flinders Streets. It is possible to catch either a FREE train or tram from Flinders Street Station to the circuit on race days and stewards are on hand to guide lost F1 fans in the right direction. There’s also a free CBD tram zone in the center of the city. To travel on public transport in Melbourne, you will need to purchase a ‘myki’ card. This is a reusable smart card which can be both purchased and topped up at a variety of locations including via machines at train stations and tram stops and at 7-eleven stores. Each time you get on and off public transport, you need to swipe the reader to record your journey. Click here for more information about using public transport in Melbourne.

Hiring a Car in Australia

If you are staying in the city for the Grand Prix and not planning to go further afield, you won’t benefit from hiring a car –  public transport and taxis will be more effective. Driving to the track each day is not a good idea, as parking and local road access is  severely restricted during the event. If you get the opportunity to spend more time in Australia, hiring a car to see more of the country can be a great option. A mid-size car should cost around $50-100 AUD per day. Petrol is relatively cheap by international standards at around $1.80-2.00 AUD per litre.