Cranbourne and Pakenham to Melbourne Airport Taxi: Times, Route and Fares

Cranbourne and Pakenham sit 70–85 km from Melbourne Airport, making this one of the longest airport runs in the metro area. Getting the departure time right matters more here than anywhere else — the same trip can take an hour or nearly two.

How long to allow

The route

• Pakenham: Princes Freeway to the Monash (M1), then EastLink or the M80 Western Ring Road, then the Tullamarine Freeway.
• Cranbourne: South Gippsland Highway or Thompsons Road to EastLink, then the M80 and Tullamarine Freeway.
• EastLink and CityLink tolls apply and are passed on at cost with no markup.
• In the morning peak, EastLink and the ring road are far more predictable than the inner Monash.

What the fare is based on

Regulated Victorian metered rates: a flag fall, a per-kilometre rate whenever the vehicle is travelling above 21 km/h, and a per-minute rate below that, plus tolls and the airport pickup fee on arrivals. On a long freeway run most of the fare is per-kilometre, which is why leaving outside peak keeps it lower. Enter your exact pickup address in our booking form for a live estimate before you commit.

Travelling as a group

• Premium sedan — 4 passengers, 3 large bags.
• Premium SUV — 6 passengers, 5 bags, good for families with prams.
• Maxi cab — 11 passengers with full luggage, usually cheaper per head than two cars.

We also run this route from Officer, Beaconsfield, Berwick, Clyde, Narre Warren and Lynbrook. Call SE Premium Cabs on 0493 100 265 or pre-book online — nothing to pay upfront.