Melbourne (port)

About Melbourne Port

Station Pier in Port Melbourne is the city’s main cruise and ferry terminal, jutting 580 metres into Port Phillip Bay at the southern end of Beach Street. The pier has been Melbourne’s principal sea gateway since 1854 and handles cruise ships from Princess, P&O Australia, Royal Caribbean, Carnival and Cunard during the November to April Australian cruise season.

The pier is unusual in that it also hosts year-round daily ferry services. The Spirit of Tasmania operates overnight crossings to Devonport from the western berths, with two departures daily during peak season. Together cruise and ferry traffic moves more than 600,000 passengers a year through Station Pier.

Getting from Melbourne Port to Melbourne

Station Pier is 5 km south of the Melbourne CBD, a 12-minute drive via St Kilda Road or a 25-minute tram ride on Route 109. Most CBD hotels are well within a 15-minute drive of the pier. St Kilda beach is 3 km south-east, about 10 minutes by car.

Melbourne Airport (MEL) sits 27 km north-west of Station Pier. The drive takes around 30 minutes outside peak via CityLink, stretching to 50 minutes during weekday morning and evening rush. Avalon Airport (AVV) is further, about 75 km south-west and around 60 minutes by car.

Berths and pickup points

Station Pier has four cruise berths and two Spirit of Tasmania ferry berths along its eastern and western edges. All berths share a single landside terminal building with separate arrivals halls for cruise and ferry passengers. Pickup happens on the Waterfront Place forecourt at the landside end of the pier.

Drivers meet passengers as they exit the terminal building holding a name sign. The first 60 minutes after scheduled disembarkation are free, which absorbs the typical 20 to 40 minutes for biosecurity, customs and baggage on a turnaround morning.

Common transfer routes from Melbourne Port

• Station Pier to Melbourne CBD hotels: 5 km, about 12 minutes
• Station Pier to Melbourne Airport (MEL): 27 km, about 30 minutes
• Station Pier to Avalon Airport (AVV): 75 km, about 60 minutes
• Station Pier to St Kilda: 3 km, about 10 minutes
• Station Pier to South Yarra: 6 km, about 15 minutes
• Station Pier to Geelong: 80 km, about 70 minutes
• Station Pier to Yarra Valley (Healesville): 70 km, about 80 minutes
• Station Pier to Mornington Peninsula: 75 km, about 75 minutes

Booking your Melbourne Port transfer

Pre-book a private transfer with a fixed all-in fare, ship arrival tracking, meet-and-greet at the terminal forecourt and 60 minutes of free wait time. Drivers are licensed Victorian operators. Free cancellation applies up to 24 hours before pickup, and payment is accepted via Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Alipay, iDEAL, Wero or PayPal.