Hire A Private Driver In Melbourne (2024 Guide)
Are you planning to hire a private driver in Melbourne? If so, this article will help you find the best personal driver in Melbourne.
Melbourne is a beautiful city to explore. It is one of the best-known cities in Australia. Melbourne is spread out with over 9,993 km area.
There are plenty of things to do and see in Melbourne. Melbourne has the famous Eureka Tower, Queen Victoria Markets, spend the day at St Kilda Beach, visit the famous Melbourne Cricket Ground and explore the many laneways offering some of the best coffee and food in Melbourne.
Whether you are planning your trip with friends and family or you are visiting Melbourne for your business trip, this city will not disappoint you.
In this article, we will go through why you should hire a personal driver with a car or a chauffeur service in Melbourne.
Hiring a driver in Melbourne with a car will give you the flexibility of doing things at your own pace.
So, let’s get started and take a look below at why hiring a driver is the best way to travel around Melbourne and where to hire a private driver in Melbourne.
1) Should you hire a private driver in Melbourne?
Whether you are traveling with family, friends or you are on a business trip, hiring a driver will provide you with the flexibility to create your own itinerary and explore Melbourne at your own pace.
There is no better way to travel in Melbourne than to hire a personal driver who knows the city.
You may have to spend a long time in the car hence it is good to plan ahead to make sure you hire a good driver who communicates well and who you can get along with.
If you are thinking about whether you should travel in public transportation, taxis, ride-sharing or hire a private driver in Melbourne, it is worth thinking about the flexibility and comfort you want when you are on vacation or a business trip.
Especially if you are in a group, it may work out better if you hire a private driver for a day and explore a few places where is it difficult to go by public transportation.
The amount you would have to pay in a taxi, public transportation, ride-sharing would most likely be not much more than hiring a driver for a day.
For example, if you catch a taxi and public transportation to go to 4 places in Melbourne, it may be a similar price as you would hire a driver for half a day.
2) Where can you go with a private driver?
When you hire a private driver, you can plan your day the way you want.
You can hire a driver for a day and you can create your itinerary. One day you can just go to different beaches and another day you can go visit wineries.
Most drivers will work with you when you book them for a day and they can also recommend some of the must-see places to visit in Melbourne.
Below are some of the things you can do in Melbourne and some places to visit.
Eureka Tower:
Eureka Skydeck is located in Eureka Tower (Southbank district, Melbourne) which is a couple of minutes from central Melbourne. The tower is almost 300 meters high and is one of the highest buildings in Australia.
Eureka Skydeck is on the 88th floor that can be reached in 40 seconds by a lift. It offers a majestic view of Melbourne and the bravest ones can step into ‘The Edge’ – a glass cube with a 360 view of the Melbourne skyline.
The Skydeck is open from 10 AM to 10 PM. It is the most famous between couples and families.
Queen Victoria Markets:
Queen Victoria Market is the most famous market in Melbourne. During summer on Wednesdays, the market hosts a summer night market that is very popular between tourists and locals.
The night market offers about 60 food stalls, more than 100 shopping stalls, live music, and other entertainment such as various games. The market is not only good for a late-night snack and shopping but also for having fun with locals while playing various games.
Even if you aren’t interested in socialising with locals, we highly recommend visiting this mid-week market for the best street food in Melbourne and authentic handmade souvenirs.
St Kilda Beach:
The closest beach to the Melbourne city center is St. Kilda beach that is just 6 km away from the center and can be easily reached by Melbourne tram. We recommend being at the beach around the sunset as it is the most beautiful.
There is a beautiful St. Kilda’s pier that offers a great walk, nice ice cream shops, and cafes. However, you can always walk on the sand along the shore.
If you are traveling with your friends or family, bring a ball and enjoy a relaxing evening on the beach.
When the sun completely sets, you can visit Luna Park that is a big park just a couple of minutes’ walk from the beach. You will find children’s play areas, nice trails and badminton courts there. Enjoy a relaxing walk before you head back to your accommodation.
3) How to find a driver in Melbourne?
One of the ways you can find a personal driver or a chauffeur in Melbourne is by searching on Google like “personal driver in Melbourne”, “private driver in Melbourne” or “chauffeur in Melbourne”.
You will find a few websites of businesses and you can check their review online before you approach them.
There are also marketplaces like Gumtree which is similar to Craigslist where you can search for drivers. It will be difficult to know if the drivers are experienced or how their service is on a platform like this as there are no reviews available.
The best thing is to ask your family or friends who may have visited Melbourne or who live in Melbourne to recommend a driver they trust.
4) Should you connect with random drivers using WhatsApp?
If you are thinking to connect with a total stranger through platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook then you have to keep in mind that once you contact them, they will know your phone number and they may know some personal information.
Giving out your phone number to a stranger can be risky. Once you give out your number to someone, they can save your phone number on their phone. They will then be able to see your pictures, profile details, and other information through WhatsApp/social media and other technologies.
To avoid this situation, it is best to stay anonymous when you contact drivers. You can perhaps use your email address which isn’t your main email address so even if someone has your email address, you can simply add an email address to a block list if you don’t want to hear from someone.
5) Should you connect with random drivers on Facebook or Facebook Groups?
It depends on who is recommending drivers to you on Facebook. Is it someone you trust or is it your friend on Facebook?
You will find that once you ask for a recommendation on Facebook Group, you will be overwhelmed with responses from drivers you do not know.
You may get some recommendations from group members as well. If you know them and trust their advice, then you can look into the details.
If you don’t want to share your Facebook profiles with strangers, then you should not post on public pages. You will find that taking advice from strangers on Facebook who you do not know and trust, is not the best idea.
6) How about Forums like TripAdvisor to connect with drivers in Melbourne?
You may have asked yourself, how about drivers in Melbourne recommended in Forums?
Well, if you search in google about fake reviews on TripAdvisor, you will come across a ton of articles like this from Travel Addicts and this from The Guardian, which talks about TripAdvisor’s fake review.
It is confusing and can be a major problem. Who do you trust, and which businesses are getting true reviews?
You don’t want to book a business based on just reviews. You should contact the driver, send them anonymous private messages with all your questions.
Only give your contact details if you truly think the driver understands your requirements and you would like to work with them.
This way it will minimize the risk of giving your contact details to several people.
7) Should you book drivers from your hotel?
Booking through a hotel can be an option but it will work out to be quite expensive, costing you extra.
You may find that if a private driver costs you $400 when you research yourself however some hotels may quote you around $500 for the same service.
It is always recommended to plan your trip in advance. Like anything in life, if you book or buy something last minute you may end up paying a bit more. We recommend that you plan your trip in advance.
8) Where else can you book a private driver for Melbourne?
When you arrive in Melbourne, you can look for Uber drivers. You can simply approach them and ask them if you can book them for a whole day.
Most of the drivers may be alright with it and some may not be as they may not want to work all day or may not be available on the day you like to book them.
However, you will be able to see plenty of Uber drivers especially in the Melbourne area so you can approach them and ask question.
9) What you should look for a driver in Melbourne?
We look for the below criteria in a driver when we register them on our website. We recommend you look below:
English speaking driver:
You should choose a driver who speaks English and who can communicate with you. It is important that they can be able to understand your requirements and you understand how they work.
An overall understanding, communication, and knowledge about the itinerary planned out for the day.
Humble:
They should be humble and should always not be aggressive in any situation and patient. They should be flexible about pickup and drop-off times and work with you to plan the trip that meets all your requirements.
Local Experience:
Ideally, your driver should be a Melbourne local and should have knowledge about the places you are visiting.
License and Insurance:
If they are driving a taxi or working for a ride-sharing company, they will have a license and insurance. However, you should ask them to show their license in case you can’t see it in the car.
All-inclusive package:
You should hire a driver in Melbourne who has included everything in their tour package. They should include any tolls, petrol, parking fees, etc.
Some places will have entrance fees that will not be included, you will need to pay for a ticket, however entrance fees do not apply for most drivers.
10) Do you have to pay for waiting time?
Most of the drivers do not charge for waiting time. For the private tour, you should arrange a pick-up time and a meeting point with your driver in advance to avoid any confusion.
If there are any changes to your plan, you should inform the driver and reschedule the pickup time.
For airport transfer, most of the drivers we work with understand that there may be some situation that is not under your control.
They are considerate/flexible that things can change, and it is beyond your control if flight time changes. Hence, they will not charge you extra. If possible, do inform the driver if there have been any changes or delays.
NOTE: Do inform your driver beforehand how many passengers and the number of luggage you will carry. That way the driver will be able to bring the vehicle that will fit everyone and the luggage.
11) How much does it cost to hire a driver in Melbourne?
Private driver cost in Melbourne depends on the time you would like to hire a car and the type of car. A luxury car price will vary from a standard car. A 7-seater car will be more expensive than a 5-seater car.
Also, in Melbourne full day will be more expensive than half-day trips however it will not be double the price. You will probably pay an extra 30% for the full day hence it’s worth paying for a full day rather than a half-day.
So, how much is a private driver in Melbourne?
Full-Day: A full day which is 8-10 hours service will cost around AUD $400 for a standard 5-seater car.
Half-Day: Half-day tours are around 4-6 hours, it will cost around AUD $280-$300 for a standard 5-seater car
Airport Transfer: Depending on where you need to go, Airport Transfers will typically start from AUD $70.
Tours in Melbourne: The price for fixed tours in Melbourne will depend on the length of the tour and the distance the driver needs to cover. You can expect to pay around AUD $400 a day plus any extra fees for entrance to certain attractions.
12) What happens if you go overtime for booking?
In case there is a situation where your trip may go over time, talk to the driver. You can make arrangements with the driver and check with the driver if there will be an extra fee for the overtime.
Most of the time the driver will charge per hour and cash payments can be made to the driver at the end of the trip.
13) When is the best time and day to book?
It is advised to book in advance so that you can plan your trip properly and have enough time to communicate with the driver. The drivers will be able to provide enough information in regards to your requirements and to make all the arrangements happen.
We suggest not to leave it too late for example on the day or the night before your trip and to allow a day before booking so that we can make proper arrangements for you with the driver. It is important that you provide as many details and to have clear communication with your driver.
14) Do you have to pay an extra fee for Airport Transfers or Trips?
No, fees are not applicable to most places. There may be situations where you will have to pay extra depending on the distance you are traveling.
It is advised to have clear communication with the driver and provide as much information on where you need to go.
Make arrangements with the driver on prices and pick up/drop off time and location beforehand so that everything is clear.
15) Is there an extra fee for an early morning pick up?
No, there is no extra fee for early pickups.
If your plan changes, you should provide enough notice and time for the driver to make arrangements.
16) Should you tip your driver in Melbourne?
Do you tip in Melbourne? How much do you tip a driver in Melbourne? These may be some of the questions you have thought about.
You do not need to tip in Melbourne, which includes drivers and other places you may visit like restaurants, bars, hotels.
17) Should you consider driving in Melbourne?
In every country you travel to, you will find that there is a slightly different way of driving. Melbourne is no different.
You may be used to driving in your country and you may be a good driver.
However, you shouldn’t risk driving in Melbourne if you are not comfortable driving especially if you are used to driving on the left side of the road.
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Conclusion
Melbourne is a big spread-out city. There are so many places you should see in Melbourne.
Plan ahead what are your priorities when you travel to Melbourne. What are some of the places you want to see and some of the things you don’t want to miss out?
Once you know what you want to see, look for how to get to these places. Whether you can get public transportation, ride-sharing or you are better off hiring a private driver for a day or two so you can explore places you may not be able to on public transportation.
Have a safe trip and happy travels!
