Australian Open 2027: Group Movements to Melbourne Park
Melbourne Park hosts the Australian Open from 11 to 31 January 2027, with Opening Week from 11 to 16 January and the singles finals on 30 and 31 January. Hospitality groups, sponsors and visiting teams all need to be moved between hotels and the precinct on a session timetable.
Plan the set-down with the operator
There are no published coach set-down rules for Melbourne Park, so the stop for a coach or minibus is planned by the operator, based on the vehicle, the session and the gate the guests are using. What the precinct does publish: an accessible drop-off close to the Eastern Plaza Car Park (Olympic Boulevard, Entrance D), where a vehicle gets 20 minutes for the stop before it is charged as parking.
Executive cars suit small hosting groups. Rideshare pick-up and drop-off is outside John Cain Arena, and taxis rank beside Grand Slam Oval, also on Olympic Boulevard, so a chauffeured car arranged to a named point avoids joining those queues.
Timing sessions and departures
Evening sessions can run late, and every guest leaves at once. Book the return for a fixed time after the match is expected to end, and give the host a fallback point if play runs over. For day sessions, allow for the walk from any set-down to the gate.
From the CBD it is roughly a ten-minute walk, via Birrarung Marr or over Tanderrum Bridge. Hotel groups in the city sometimes walk in and ride back.
Operating notes
- In 2026, Australian Open ticket holders rode route 70 and 70a trams free on the day of their ticket, direct to the Garden Square and Grand Slam Oval entrances.
- An accessible drop-off point is near the Eastern Plaza Car Park (Entrance D, Olympic Boulevard); Melbourne Park allows 20 minutes to drop off or pick up before parking charges apply.
- Melbourne Park is about a 10-minute walk from the CBD via Birrarung Marr or Tanderrum Bridge; Richmond and Jolimont stations are a short walk via Olympic Boulevard and Yarra Park.
- The taxi rank is next to Grand Slam Oval on Olympic Boulevard, and the rideshare pick-up and drop-off point is outside John Cain Arena.
- Limited paid parking is available at Yarra Park (MCG) on a first-come, first-served basis; the organisers recommend public transport.
Brief the group on the 2026 arrangements
Ticket holders in 2026 travelled free on the day of their ticket on route 70 and 70a trams, which stop right at the Garden Square and Grand Slam Oval gates. Confirm the 2027 set-up before briefing guests. Yarra Park has a small amount of paid parking, allocated as cars arrive, and the organisers steer people to public transport.
Questions
Where does a coach drop our group at Melbourne Park?
No coach set-down point is published. The operator plans it for the vehicle and session; the accessible drop-off is at Entrance D, Olympic Boulevard.
Are Richmond and Jolimont stations close?
Both are a short walk via Olympic Boulevard and Yarra Park.
When should we book for finals weekend?
As soon as the hosting plan is set. Finals weekend is 30-31 January 2027, and a long match pushes the return later.