On 6 October 2026 Melbourne Airport closed kerbside pick up and drop off and opened the T123 Transport Hub. The departures ramp that had been there for 56 years is gone. Here is where to go now, how long you can stop, and how far you will walk.
The short version. Drop off is now on Level 3 of the short-term car park at the T123 Transport Hub — free, but only for one minute. Expect roughly a 170 metre walk to the terminal, or 285 metres coming the other way. Your vehicle must be under 2.2 metres tall. Terminal 4, Jetstar domestic and Rex are unchanged.
Follow the signs to the T123 Transport Hub and go up to Level 3 of the short-term car park. It is free, and it is a one minute stop — long enough to unload, not long enough for a goodbye. If you want more time, the airport asks you to park properly instead. There are 74 drop off spaces, close to double what the old ramp held.
From there it is about 170 metres to the terminal doors, with rest stops around every 60 metres. If anyone in your group needs help, Melbourne Airport Assist is free and worth booking ahead.
Pick up moved as well, and the walk is longer — around 285 metres from the terminal to the new zone, which has 115 spaces. The terminal forecourt is now commercial vehicles only for pick up, so Skybus, taxis and rideshare still collect from the kerb. A private car cannot.
If you are early, the 60 minute free waiting zone off Mercer Drive still works the way it always did. Wait there, and move when they have their bags.
This is the part that catches people out. Vehicles taller than 2.2 metres cannot use the new T123 pick up and drop off at all. Over-height vehicles take Exit 20 off the Tullamarine Freeway onto Terminal Drive, then turn right onto Centre Road, which leads to a separate ground-level bay reserved for them.
Most cars are well under the limit. A high-roof van, a minibus or a people mover with a roof box may not be. If you are hiring a van to take a group to the airport, check its height before you plan the run.
In our own experience running Sprinters through the airport daily since the change, the over-height bay sits closer to the terminal than the new hub does — so a larger vehicle can mean a shorter walk, not a longer one. That is our observation rather than published airport policy, and it does not apply at Terminal 4, which has no over-height access.
Nothing changed. If you are flying Jetstar domestic or Rex, drop off is still on Level 2 of the T4 Transport Hub, exactly as before. The changes above apply to Terminals 1, 2 and 3 only.
The T123 car park, car rental returns, and buses, shuttles and coaches all operate as they did. So does pick up for taxis and rideshare, which still happens at the forecourt.
Kerbside pick up and drop off at the terminal forecourt ended. The 56-year-old departures ramp closed, and pick up and drop off moved to the new T123 Transport Hub. Drop off is on Level 3 of the short-term car park. The terminal forecourt is now commercial vehicles only for pick up, so Skybus, taxis and rideshare still collect from there.
It is a free 1 minute drop off. If you need longer, Melbourne Airport asks you to use a car park instead. A 60 minute free waiting zone continues to operate off Mercer Drive for people arriving early to collect someone.
Around 170 metres from the drop off zone to the terminals, and around 285 metres from the pick up zone. There are rest stops roughly every 60 metres, and Melbourne Airport Assist is available free for passengers who need mobility support.
Yes. For pick up and drop off at Terminals 1, 2 and 3, vehicles need to be under 2.2 metres. Anything taller is directed to a separate ground-level bay for over-height vehicles, reached via Exit 20 off the Tullamarine Freeway onto Terminal Drive, then right onto Centre Road.
No. Pick up and drop off for Terminal 4 stays the same. Jetstar domestic and Rex passengers are dropped off on Level 2 of the T4 Transport Hub.
No. There is no change for buses, shuttles or coaches, or for the T123 car park and car rental returns. They continue under their existing arrangements.
If you are driving yourself, allow extra time to find the T123 Transport Hub and to walk to the terminal with your luggage. If you would rather not deal with the new layout at all, a pre-booked chauffeur drops you where your vehicle is permitted and takes the luggage for you.
The honest case for a chauffeur right now is simple: you do not have to learn any of this. We know which entry each vehicle is permitted to use, your driver handles the luggage, and you are not reading overhead signage with four bags and a flight to catch.
Melbourne Airport transfers start at $133 for a sedan from the CBD. Flight tracking is included, so if you land early or late the car moves with you.
Details confirmed against Melbourne Airport’s published guidance on 11 October 2026. Airport arrangements can change — check melbourneairport.com.au before you travel.