Arriving at Tullamarine: Finding Your Taxi and Getting Home Without Fuss

Landing at Melbourne Airport after a long flight, the last thing anyone wants is to work out which door leads to the taxis, whether the queue is the right queue, and what the fare will come to. Tullamarine has changed a fair bit lately, with ranks moved closer to baggage claim and a new hub for private pick ups, so even regular travellers can get turned around.

This guide covers where the taxi ranks are at each terminal, how a booked taxi differs from joining the queue, what goes into a fare from the airport, and how to choose a car that fits your luggage.

Start With Your Terminal

Your terminal decides which rank you walk to, so check it on your booking or in the airline app before you land:

• Terminal 1: Qantas domestic flights.
• Terminal 2: international flights.
• Terminal 3: Virgin Australia.
• Terminal 4: Jetstar and Rex.

Terminals 1, 2 and 3 are joined together in one precinct. Terminal 4 is separate, next to its own transport hub.

Where the Taxi Ranks Are

Melbourne Airport now runs combined ranks, with taxis and rideshare picking up in the same place, and each rank sits closer to the baggage carousels than the old ones did.

• Terminal 1: the rank is opposite the Qantas domestic arrivals area.
• Terminal 2: the rank is directly outside international arrivals.
• Terminal 4: the rank is on the ground level of the T4 transport hub.
• Terminal 3: follow the taxi signs from baggage claim to the rank in the shared Terminal 1, 2 and 3 precinct.

Each rank has accessible bays and entry lanes. If you are travelling with a wheelchair or mobility aid, head for those lanes.

What Changed in October 2026

On 6 October 2026 the airport moved general public pick up and drop off for Terminals 1, 2 and 3 into the new T123 Transport Hub, reached by its own freeway exit. That change is for friends and family collecting you in a private car. Taxi pick up stayed at the terminal ranks, so if you are taking a taxi, nothing about where you walk has changed.

Only Use an Official Rank

Melbourne Airport warns travellers not to accept a ride from anyone offering one inside the terminal. A legitimate taxi either waits at the rank or has been booked by you in advance. If someone approaches you near the carousels offering a car, decline and walk to the rank.

Booking Ahead or Joining the Queue

For a solo traveller with a small bag on a weekday afternoon, the rank is fine. Walk out, join the queue, and take the next cab. Booking ahead makes more sense when any of these apply:

• You need a particular car: a maxi taxi for a group, an SUV for big suitcases, or a silver service car for a client.
• A child seat is needed. Taxis at the rank are not required to carry one.
• You land late at night or very early in the morning, when the rank can be thin.
• You are collecting someone else and want the car sorted before they land.

When you book, add the flight number. The pickup is then timed against the actual landing, so a delay on the tarmac does not leave a car waiting or leave you without one. Our airport taxi page explains how airport bookings work and shows estimates from a range of suburbs.

What Makes Up a Fare From the Airport

A taxi fare from Tullamarine is built from a handful of parts, and knowing them makes the number easier to check:

• The metered fare: a flag fall at the start, then a charge for distance, or for time when the car is crawling in traffic.
• The tariff: the rate per kilometre rises in the evening and overnight, and again late on Friday and Saturday nights and on public holidays.
• The airport fee: charged on taxi pickups at the airport. It applies on the way out of Tullamarine, not on the way in.
• Tolls: added when the route uses CityLink, as many trips towards the city do.
• The car: a surcharge applies for silver service, an SUV or a maxi.
• A child seat: a fixed charge if one is fitted.

Our fare calculator adds all of these up for your trip before you book, and the fares page lists each tariff and the hours it applies. The online figure is an estimate and the meter on the day is the final word. If you would rather have a fixed price for a booked trip, ask for a quote by phone before you travel.

For a feel of common runs, our route pages price the trip between the airport and suburbs such as the Melbourne CBD, Point Cook, Box Hill, Dandenong and Sunbury, in both directions.

Choosing a Car for Your Luggage

Pick the car on the bags, not just the head count. Four adults each with a large suitcase will not fit a sedan boot, however the seats add up.

• Sedan: up to four passengers with two large and two small bags. Right for one or two travellers, or a small family travelling light.
• SUV or wagon: up to four passengers with four large and three small bags. The pick for a long holiday with real suitcases.
• Maxi: up to eleven passengers with room for eight large bags. Keeps a group and its luggage in one car.
• Silver service: sedan sized, with a premium car and a suited driver. The one to book when you are collecting someone you want to look after.

Travelling With Children

Taxis in Victoria do not have to carry child seats, so a family arriving with a baby or a toddler should not count on finding one at the rank. When no suitable restraint is available, children under seven must sit in the back. A seat fitted to the child’s size is far safer, and we fit one when it is requested at booking. Our child seat page explains which restraint suits which age. You can also bring your own capsule or seat and the driver will help fit it.

Heading Out to the Airport Instead

The same rules work in reverse. Allow two hours between pickup and a domestic departure and three for an international one, plus a buffer on weekday mornings when the Tullamarine Freeway slows. For an early flight, book the night before rather than calling at four in the morning. On the way out there is no airport fee, though the toll still applies if the route uses one.

Questions People Ask

Where do I catch a taxi at Melbourne Airport?

At the rank for your terminal: opposite Qantas domestic arrivals at Terminal 1, directly outside international arrivals at Terminal 2, and on the ground level of the transport hub at Terminal 4. From Terminal 3, follow the taxi signs from baggage claim.

Is there a fee for a taxi from the airport?

Yes. An airport fee applies to taxi pickups at Tullamarine and is added to the fare. It does not apply when you are travelling to the airport. The current amount is listed on our fares page.

Can I book a maxi or a child seat for an airport pickup?

Yes, and booking is the reliable way to get either. Choose the car and tick the child seat option on the booking form, then add your flight number.

Did taxi pick up move to the new T123 Transport Hub?

No. The hub opened in October 2026 for private cars picking up and dropping off. Taxis still pick up from the ranks at each terminal.