Arrival Information
Arriving at the airport
Immigration and customs
Australia has strict rules on what you can and cannot bring in to Australia. You should have already received the Customs and Immigration booklet that outlines prohibited items and other information. The Australian Quarantine website contains further information on what you cannot bring into Australia e.g. food items. Please ensure you read this website carefully before travelling to Australia as there are heavy fines for carrying prohibited items into Australia.
On the aircraft, you will be given an Incoming Passenger Card to complete. Make sure you complete this card correctly (instructions will be given to you) and declare all goods as requested. Declare any items you are unsure about on your way through customs after you arrive at the airport, and seek the advice of the customs official if unsure. There are bins in the baggage collection area where you can discard prohibited items before going through Customs.
4 stages to follow when you arrive
| IMMIGRATION | In the International Terminal there are queues for holders of Australian passports and holders of other passports. An Immigration Officer will welcome you and examine your passport and the completed Incoming Passenger Card. The Immigration Officer may ask you questions before stamping your passport. It is illegal to use a camera, video camera or mobile phone in these areas of the airport. |
|---|---|
| BAGGAGE | After passing through immigration, check the computer screens for the carousel number from which to collect your luggage. Luggage trolleys are available in the baggage collection area. |
| QUARANTINE | If you are unsure whether an item you are carrying is permitted or prohibited, declare it on the Incoming Passenger Card when you arrive in Australia and discuss it with a quarantine official. Be prepared to throw away prohibited items |
| CUSTOMS | The next stage is Australian Customs. If you have goods to declare you should enter the red route. If you have nothing to declare, you may enter the green route. The green route takes you immediately through customs to the public section of the terminal. The Customs and Quarantine areas are regularly patrolled by staff with detector dogs. Should you be selected for a random check, you will be asked questions about what you have brought with you and your luggage may be opened, x-rayed and inspected. You may ask for an interpreter if you feel this is necessary and if there are any problems, you may ask officials to contact the Institute’s emergency 24-hour number 0411245800 |
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION VISIT THE CUSTOMS WEBSITE
Changing money
You are advised to bring the equivalent of at least AUD$500 in cash with you into Australia. The best option is to change money into Australian currency while still in your home country – this will make your arrival process much smoother.
Airport Terminals have foreign currency outlets where money and travellers cheques can be exchanged. However, if you are arriving late at night or early in the morning, the counter may be closed.
Major Banks also provides money exchange services, however they are closed on weekends. You can find money exchange booths that are open 7 days a week in the Melbourne & Adelaide CBD.
MELBOURNE – SKYBUS
SkyBus offers an express bus service from the airport to the city centre. This service operates 24/7, including all public holidays. Buses run from every 10 minutes throughout the day
- $19 Adult – one way – Return $37
Tickets can be purchased on arrival at the bus stop or purchased online at www.skybus.com.au.
On arrival at Southern Cross Station in the city, SkyBus provides a complimentary hotel transfer service, subject to availability, during the following hours:
- 0600-2200 Monday to Friday; 0730-1730 Saturday and Sunday, (excluding Christmas day).
FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT www.skybus.com.au.
TAXIS – MELBOURNE
Taxis are available from the ground floor level of Melbourne Airport, outside Terminal 2 (T2 – International) and both domestic terminals (Terminal 1 – T1 and Terminal 3 – T3). Expect a taxi fare of around A$80 to A$85 for a return trip between the CBD and Melbourne Airport.
A $2.00 taxi parking fee applies at Melbourne Airport. This $2.00 per vehicle fee only applies to passengers leaving Melbourne Airport from a taxi rank. A $3.00 per vehicle pre-booked taxi fee also applies for passengers catching a limousine or taxi from the premium parking area opposite T2.
The Victorian Government urges travellers to be aware of unlicensed or illegal taxi and chauffeur drivers, also known as touters, operating at Melbourne Airport. If you are approached by someone offering to assist you with transport needs, you should decline the invitation and report the incident to the Victorian Taxi Directorate on +61 3 9320 4300 or (toll free) 1800 638 802.
Chauffeur services from Melbourne Airport must be pre-booked before your arrival.
ADELAIDE METRO BUS
If you wish to use public transport to/ from Adelaide Airport, Adelaide Metro offers an express double decker bus service called JetExpress between the airport and the city. For more information please visit https://www.adelaide-airport.com/bus.php
Adelaide Metro also offers a convenient JetBus service to Glenelg, West Beach and the City, servicing all stops en route. https://www.adelaideairport.com.au/travellers-guide/finding-your-way-around/
Both JetExpress and JetBus are Metroticket services. Single trip and daytrip tickets can be purchased from bus drivers.
Click the links above for more information to find your closest service stop. Alternatively call Adelaide Metro Infoline 08 8210 1000.
Pick up and drop off is from the bus stop located on the left hand side of the plaza as you leave the Terminal. Click here for Adelaide Airport grounds map.
SHUTTLE BUS
Airport City Shuttle offers a Door to Door service from Adelaide Airport to Adelaide Hotels and Businesses and return.
BOOKINGS ARE NOT NEEDED FROM THE AIRPORT, PLEASE FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS BELOW:
On arrival please make your way to the Information and Tourism Bookings Booth located on the ground floor of the terminal opposite the bottom of the escalator. The friendly staff will help you with your booking and inform you of the next shuttle time (approximately every half hour).
CITY SHUTTLE BUS OPERATING HOURS ARE AS FOLLOWS:
MONDAY – FRIDAY from 6.30am – 7.30pm
SATURDAYS from 6.30am – 5.30pm
SUNDAYS from 6.30am – 5.30pm
The cost is $10 per person each way. Contact City Shuttle on 0433 533 718. For more information on Group bookings (08) 8385 9967.
TAXIS – ADELAIDE
As of Monday 21 October, 2019 at 9:00 am the Taxi drop off will now be located at Atura Circuit, between the terminal and Atura Hotel. Access to the terminal is via the northern doors. The lifts or escalators will take you to Level 2 for departures.
To exit the airport, there is a designated taxi rank located to the left (western side) of the pedestrian plaza as you walk out of the terminal. Concierges provide a safe environment and allocate taxis to passengers. They can also organise taxis with wheelchair access, five-seaters and maxi taxis for larger groups or station wagons for large amounts of baggage.
There is a $3 levy added to all fares for taxis leaving the airport.
Taxi drivers must be accredited in order to pick up passengers at Adelaide Airport. If you are a driver and wish to access Adelaide Airport’s designated Taxi Area click here to apply.
PLEASE NOTE PROCESSING OF ACCESS CARD APPLICATIONS MAY TAKE UP TO 30 BUSINESS DAYS.
ON ARRIVAL CHECKLIST
- Contact home
- Attend orientation
- Establishing accommodation
- Information on how to establish your accommodation, including connecting utilities such as telephone, gas and electricity, and places to buy furniture and other household goods.
SETTLING IN
What to expect
There may be valuable learning in experiencing and understanding a way of life different from yours. It may surprise you to discover that you will learn things about your own culture that you may not have thought about before. Your travels to Australia may not only broaden your viewpoint, but also to mature personally and to understand yourself better. As time goes on you will become more familiar with your new environment and you will feel more confident, develop new friends and manage social and professional interactions more comfortably. Your study will be more effective and you will gain a sense of really benefiting from the experience. Some students get to this phase quite quickly but for some it takes longer. Don’t worry! Use the strategies suggested and the services provided to assist you to make the necessary adjustments.
The following comments may help you to further understand some of the things that you may be experiencing:
- When you first arrive in Australia, you will probably feel excited and keen to learn.
- A little later on, you may start to feel homesick and stressed. This can happen because of language and communication barriers, workload and being away from familiar support networks such as friends and family.
- You may also feel frustrated and confused about your new cultural setting and your own cultural identity.
- Eventually you will feel more comfortable in your new environment, more confident and relaxed about handling life as you begin to become familiar with Australian customs.
- Finally, you will feel back to your old self – confident and able to enjoy and understand Australian culture while also valuing your own culture.
- If you find that the process of cultural adjustment is adversely affecting you., come and speak with Student Support Officer.