Saturday, October 1, 2011

How to Enjoy One of Oz's Priciest Cities, Melbourne, on a Budget

The average cost of taking a taxi from the airport to your hotel in Brisbane or Melbourne is between $50.00 and $53.35. A hamburger and chips runs you $20.34 in Brissie, plus another $10.00 for a minibar spirit. Learning to sight see on a budget is becoming increasingly more important.

These results have been developed through online travel company Expedia.com.au's Travel Value Tracker. This index averages the cost of ten commonly purchased items in hotels, such as taxis, Internet time, pop, booze, food, and so on.

Worldwide, the total of the items is highest in London and Paris respectively. In Australia, Brisbane proves to be the priciest, costing $116.05, followed by Melbourne at $112.60.

However, we are concerned Melbourne may be slightly misrepresented by this total. If its nights of drinking you're after, Melbourne is the best choice; according to the Travel Value Tracker, it is home to the cheapest beer at $5.70 and the cheapest minibar spirit at $8.20.

In fact, Melbourne is below the price averages for all of the items except one-it has the highest taxi fares in the country, fares that also rank among the highest in the world.

So, the keys to a budget holiday in Melbourne? Rent a car. Take a bus. Ride a bike.

For a more affordable options to get from the airport to your hotel, arrange for a shuttle bus pick-up. It won't be a private drive, but it will be a fraction of the price. Once settled in, there are many options for getting around. As it is a fairly flat and dense city, it is easy to walk or cycle to most spots. Rent a bike from Bonanza Bike Rental at the Melbourne Aquarium or from Rent-a-Bike at Federation Square.

For anything a little further, hope on a tram, bus, or train. Melbourne's public transit system connects throughout the city and is reliable. Call 13 16 38 to get more information. Alternatively, you can rent a car and enjoy the flexibility of driving yourself anywhere you'd like, whenever you'd like.

You may also choose to take a guided sightseeing tour, enabling you to see the city's highlights without worrying about transportation. See 26 of the city's sights, including, for example, Federation Square, Fitzroy Gardens, Southbank, Docklands, and the Royal Botanic Gardens, in one day with a Melbourne Sighseeing Tour.

While the taxis seem to be what will put a hole in your pocket, it is also a good idea to keep your eye out for deals on tours and attractions. It is often cost-effective to purchase packages that include more than one activity.

The Melbourne 5 in 1 Pack, for example, allows you to chose and enter 5 of area's 20 best attractions for $125.00. You may also purchase a See Melbourne & Beyond Attraction Pass. This pass, worth over $1000 of admission fees, provides you with unlimited access to over 40 of Melbourne's attractions for the length of time you chose (2, 3, or 7 days) for a small fraction of the price. To look more into getting discounts tickets on tours and attractions, visit the Australian travel experience website, Experience Oz.

Of course, be sure to enjoy the free attractions of the city known as the culture capital of Australia. Spend hours playing games and learning about the evolution of interesting technologies at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image, a conveniently located free museum; try to catch of the frequent free events at Federation Square; and take in the outdoor artwork while walking along the Yarra River.

The average cost of taking a taxi from the airport to your hotel in Brisbane or Melbourne is between $50.00 and $53.35. A hamburger and chips runs you $20.34 in Brissie, plus another $10.00 for a minibar spirit. Learning to sight see on a budget is becoming increasingly more important.

These results have been developed through online travel company Expedia.com.au's Travel Value Tracker. This index averages the cost of ten commonly purchased items in hotels, such as taxis, Internet time, pop, booze, food, and so on.

Worldwide, the total of the items is highest in London and Paris respectively. In Australia, Brisbane proves to be the priciest, costing $116.05, followed by Melbourne at $112.60.

However, we are concerned Melbourne may be slightly misrepresented by this total. If its nights of drinking you're after, Melbourne is the best choice; according to the Travel Value Tracker, it is home to the cheapest beer at $5.70 and the cheapest minibar spirit at $8.20.

In fact, Melbourne is below the price averages for all of the items except one-it has the highest taxi fares in the country, fares that also rank among the highest in the world.

So, the keys to a budget holiday in Melbourne? Rent a car. Take a bus. Ride a bike.

For a more affordable options to get from the airport to your hotel, arrange for a shuttle bus pick-up. It won't be a private drive, but it will be a fraction of the price. Once settled in, there are many options for getting around. As it is a fairly flat and dense city, it is easy to walk or cycle to most spots. Rent a bike from Bonanza Bike Rental at the Melbourne Aquarium or from Rent-a-Bike at Federation Square.

For anything a little further, hope on a tram, bus, or train. Melbourne's public transit system connects throughout the city and is reliable. Call 13 16 38 to get more information. Alternatively, you can rent a car and enjoy the flexibility of driving yourself anywhere you'd like, whenever you'd like.

You may also choose to take a guided sightseeing tour, enabling you to see the city's highlights without worrying about transportation. See 26 of the city's sights, including, for example, Federation Square, Fitzroy Gardens, Southbank, Docklands, and the Royal Botanic Gardens, in one day with a Melbourne Sighseeing Tour.

While the taxis seem to be what will put a hole in your pocket, it is also a good idea to keep your eye out for deals on tours and attractions. It is often cost-effective to purchase packages that include more than one activity.

The Melbourne 5 in 1 Pack, for example, allows you to chose and enter 5 of area's 20 best attractions for $125.00. You may also purchase a See Melbourne & Beyond Attraction Pass. This pass, worth over $1000 of admission fees, provides you with unlimited access to over 40 of Melbourne's attractions for the length of time you chose (2, 3, or 7 days) for a small fraction of the price. To look more into getting discounts tickets on tours and attractions, visit the Australian travel experience website, Experience Oz.

Of course, be sure to enjoy the free attractions of the city known as the culture capital of Australia. Spend hours playing games and learning about the evolution of interesting technologies at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image, a conveniently located free museum; try to catch of the frequent free events at Federation Square; and take in the outdoor artwork while walking along the Yarra River.

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