What Is Melbourne Airport’s Value North Car Park and Who Is It Best For?

Want to leave your car close by without paying a premium to keep it onsite? That’s Melbourne Airport’s Value North Car Park in a nutshell. Like the Value South Car Park, it’s an open-air parking option right in the airport precinct, and both have the lowest daily rate of any onsite option. The free 24/7 shuttle service that loops through the Value North Car Park serves all four terminals, with stops near Terminal 1 and Terminal 4.

The Value North Car Park is one of our two Value Car Parks, and it’s the all-rounder of the pair. Whether you’re flying Qantas domestic (T1), heading overseas (T2), flying Virgin Australia (T3) or off with Jetstar, Rex or Link Airways (T4), you’ll step off the free bus a short walk from the door.

Melbourne Airport’s Value North Car Park is an onsite parking option that offers affordable short-term and long-term parking. It runs on a flat daily rate, so each day costs the same whether you’re gone two nights or two weeks. Book online up to 12 months ahead, and you’ll get access to the best available rate.

Getting into the Value North Car Park is easy. There are two entrances, one off Airport Drive and one off Mercer Drive. The car park is just off Exit 18 of the Tullamarine Freeway, with the Mercer Drive entrance the quicker turn-in from the freeway.

Bringing something bigger than the family hatchback? The 3.3-metre clearance here means SUVs and 4WDs slot in without any fuss. Before you set off, check Google Maps for live traffic and give yourself a buffer on top of your usual drive time. Traffic can be unpredictable, and arriving with time up your sleeve beats the alternative.

The Value North Car Park is the right pick for just about anyone flying out of Melbourne Airport. It comes into its own when keeping the parking costs low is a priority. Getting around Melbourne Airport is simple from here too, since the free 24/7 bus stops near Terminals 1 and 4, putting all terminals within a short walk.

It’s an especially good fit in a few situations:

• You’re away for more than a couple of days and want a flat daily rate that keeps costs low.
• You’re flying out of one terminal and back through another, since the free bus picks you up near Terminal 1 or Terminal 4 either way.
• You’d rather leave the car onsite and skip the extra leg to an off-airport car park at either end.

The free 24/7 bus stops near Terminal 1 and Terminal 4. Between those two points, every terminal is just a short walk away. Step off at the Terminal 1 stop, and check-in is right there, with the international terminal next door at Terminal 2. Step off at the Terminal 4 stop, and Terminal 3 is a short walk away.

The Value North Car Park shuttle bus runs 24 hours a day, every 15 minutes. It doesn’t matter if your flight’s at 5 AM or you’re touching down well after midnight. There’ll be one along before long. There are 7 bus shelters dotted through the car park, so wherever you end up parking, one is close by.

• On the way out? Park the car, grab your bags and walk to the nearest bus shelter. The free bus stops near Terminal 1 and Terminal 4. Between them, they reach all four terminals. Get off at the Terminal 1 stop for domestic Qantas flights and the International terminal at Terminal 2, or at the Terminal 4 stop for Terminal 3 (domestic Virgin Australia) and Terminal 4 (domestic Jetstar, Rex and Link Airways).
• Coming home? Where you catch the bus depends on where you land. Through Terminal 1 or Terminal 2? Head out the front of Terminal 1 and look for the orange Value North Car Park signs. In through Terminal 3 or Terminal 4? The pick-up is outside Terminal 4.

Landed and hopped on the Value South Car Park bus by mistake? Don’t panic. That bus runs between the T4 Transport Hub and the Value South Car Park. Stay aboard until it loops back to the hub, step off and walk towards Terminal 4. The Value North Car Park pick-up is right outside Terminal 4.

If you’re stuck at any point or can’t remember where you left the car, there are HELP buttons at every bus shelter and at both the entry and exit boom gates. Press one, and you’re straight through to our customer service team, any hour of the day.

Yes. All onsite car parks have Accessible Parking bays. The Value North Car Park has 89 Accessible Parking bays, all sitting closest to Bus Shelter A, so you’re not crossing the car park to reach the bus.

These Accessible Parking bays work on a ‘first-come, first-in’ basis, and you’ll need to display a valid Accessible Parking Permit on the day. Taking your original permit overseas or interstate? You can display a clear photocopy in your car instead, as long as it’s easy to read through the front windscreen.

The free courtesy buses are wheelchair-friendly, so a wheelchair or mobility aid is no barrier to boarding. You’ll get to your terminal and back to your car the same as any other traveller.

Booking Melbourne Airport parking online before you fly is the simplest way to have it sorted well before you leave home. Because you’re parked onsite, the car stays right within the precinct waiting for you when you land.

• Online rates may be lower than the drive-up rates. You can book up to 12 months before your flight and lock in the best available rate for your trip.
• Once you’ve paid, we’ll send you a QR code by email. Save it to your phone and scan it at the boom gate on the way in, then again on the way out.
• Pay your way by credit card, Apple Pay or Google Pay, with no booking or card fees added on top.
• Every booking includes a grace period, so a slightly late arrival or a delayed flight home won’t tip you straight into an extra charge. That’s a one-hour buffer on either side for stays under 4 hours and 2 hours on either side for longer ones.
• You can add the optional Overstay Guarantee during booking. For things you can’t plan for, like a cancelled flight your airline can’t replace, a border closure or an illness that leaves you unable to fly home, this add-on refunds your overstay parking charges if any of these keep you parked longer than planned.

Plans have a way of shifting. If yours ever does, you can change or cancel your parking booking through the My Bookings page up to 2 hours before you’re due to arrive. If you’re already parked and end up needing to stay longer, you can extend your parking booking online through the same page at any time before your booked exit.

Plenty. The Value North Car Park is the budget pick, but it’s one of several onsite car parks at Melbourne Airport. The right one for you depends on your terminal and how close to check-in you want to be. Check our car park maps to know where each one sits in the precinct.

• After another budget option? The Value South Car Park also has a flat daily rate and its own free 24/7 bus running directly to the T4 Transport Hub every 15 minutes. It’s the better fit if you’re flying Virgin Australia from Terminal 3 or out of Terminal 4 and want a low-cost parking option.
• Want to be closer to the terminals? Our Terminal Car Parks put you within walking distance of the terminals and offer a mix of open-air and undercover bays. The T123 Terminal Car Park connects to Terminals 1, 2 and 3 via a covered bridge, while the T4 Terminal Car Park is located about 100 metres from Terminal 4.
• Want the closest undercover bays? Our Premium Car Parks are the nearest self-park option to the terminal entrances, and every bay is undercover. The T123 Premium Car Park is on Level 1 of the T123 Car Park, ideal for Qantas, international and Virgin Australia passengers. For Jetstar, Rex, Link Airways and Virgin Australia flights out of Terminal 4, the T4 Premium Car Park is on Level 1 of the T4 Car Park.
• Rather hand over the keys? Both valet options let you drive up and leave the parking to the valet team, with optional car cleaning while you’re away. Melbourne Airport Valet is open to every traveller and runs 24/7 from Level 1 of the T123 Car Park. Qantas Valet sits right by the Terminal 1 entrance and earns you Qantas Frequent Flyer points.

Got your flight booked? Good. Head to the Melbourne Airport Parking & Transport page, enter your travel details, and you’ll see the Value North Car Park rate sitting alongside our other onsite options. Bookings open up to 12 months ahead, so you can lock yours in the moment your plans are set.

Want to keep your parking spend down on the next trip? Subscribe to our Parking Deals newsletter for offers, tips and updates sent straight to your inbox. You can also follow Melbourne Airport on social media for the latest news from across the precinct.