Destinations & ItinerariesBy Clever Tourists · Published · Last updated
The Australian Open 2027 runs from 11 to 31 January at Melbourne Park, according to the tournament, with the main draw from 17 January. East Melbourne and Richmond are the closest bases, roughly a 10 to 15 minute walk away, and the east end of the CBD is the easiest choice for a first visit. The hotel search above opens on the final weekend, Friday 29 January to Monday 1 February 2027. We were in Melbourne from 21 to 25 January 2023. Our route records the city and those dates, so the tournament and transport detail below comes from the organisers and the sources we name.
Official dates: 11 to 31 January 2027, from ausopen.com. The tournament splits this into Opening Week (11 to 16 January), Main Draw Week 1 (17 to 24 January) and Week 2 (25 to 31 January). Searches for the start date can turn up either 11 or 17 January for that reason.
Ticketmaster's guide puts the women's final on the night of Saturday 30 January and the men's final on Sunday 31 January. Session start times for 2027 were unannounced when we checked, and the daily schedule is published progressively. Play is across Rod Laver Arena, Margaret Court Arena and John Cain Arena plus the outside courts.
General sale opened at 12pm on 13 August 2026 through Ticketmaster, earlier than in past years. Tickets are digital only, and official resale runs through Ticketmaster.
• Ground passes: from A$49 for 2027, per the tournament. The tournament set the end of its early-bird price at 12:59pm on 30 November 2026, so readers after that date should check the current price on ausopen.com. Daily ground-pass allocations are capped for the first time, especially in main draw week one.
• Opening Week: adults A$10 and kids A$5, with free entry on day one, according to Time Out Melbourne. The AO 1 Point Slam on 13 January is from A$59.
• Arena seats: we could not load the official 2027 price list. As a guide only, gameplan.travel's 2026 figures are about A$80 for early-round Rod Laver day sessions, A$300 and up for quarter-finals, and A$200 to A$500 and up for finals. Check Ticketmaster for 2027 prices.
• Finals nights: these are the first sessions to sell out, according to Ticketmaster's help page. Packages through Events Travel may still include them.
Melbourne Park's own visitor page gives the basics. Tram 70 runs from Flinders Street or Richmond, with stops 7B Rod Laver Arena, 7C John Cain Arena and 7D AAMI Park. The nearest stations are Richmond, Jolimont, Flinders Street and Town Hall. Trams 48 and 75 stop at the MCG, and the park is 10 minutes on foot from the CBD.
A third-party guide, One Stop Adventures, gives the walks as about 10 minutes from Flinders Street, about 10 from Richmond and about 11 from Jolimont.
Free tram: ticket holders rode Route 70 free in a past year, according to the same guide. We could not open the official Australian Open or Transport Victoria pages, so the 2027 arrangement is unconfirmed. Budget for a fare until you see it confirmed.
From the airport: there is no rail link. SkyBus runs to Southern Cross, then take a tram. Our Melbourne airport guide has fares and taxi costs; check skybus.com.au before you land.
The ranking is our judgement, based on time to the venue. All five times are our own estimates, so check them in a journey planner against your exact address.
1. East Melbourne (roughly 10 to 15 minute walk). The closest quiet base, with Jolimont station on hand. The catch: limited restaurants at night.
2. Richmond (roughly 10 to 15 minute walk from the station). Good value, with pubs and Vietnamese food on Victoria Street. The catch: crowds at Richmond station after sessions, and full trams.
3. CBD, east end (roughly 10 to 20 minutes on foot or by tram). The top pick for first-timers, with the whole city on your doorstep. The catch: the priciest of these areas in the second week.
4. Southbank (roughly 15 to 25 minute walk along the Yarra). Dining, nightlife and a flat riverside walk. The catch: no direct Route 70 tram, and a hot walk on a bad day.
5. St Kilda (roughly 30 to 40 minutes by tram). The beach, usually at lower rates. The catch: a long ride back after night sessions.
Hotels near Melbourne Park fill fast, and January is peak summer pricing, according to Tripwis and hotel marketing pages. Book a refundable room early.
Gameplan.travel gives rough nightly ranges, and it says they are approximate rather than hotel quotes: A$150 to A$350 for East Melbourne and Richmond, A$200 to A$450 for the CBD, A$220 to A$500 for Southbank, and A$140 to A$300 for St Kilda. Treat them as a starting point and check live rates in the search above.
Opening Week is the cheapest way into the grounds. If you only want finals weekend, Friday to Monday covers the women's final on Saturday night and the men's on Sunday.
Kooyong Classic: an exhibition at Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club, 489 Glenferrie Road, on 12 to 14 January 2027, official from kooyongclassic.com.au. It falls during Opening Week. Tickets went on sale on 17 August 2026 through Ticketek, as single, two-day and three-day passes; prices were not listed. Kooyong station on the Glen Waverley line is a short walk away, by our estimate.
Adelaide International: 11 to 16 January 2027, with free qualifying on 9 and 10 January, so a Melbourne and Adelaide trip works. Coming from further north, the United Cup in Sydney ends on 10 January, the day before Opening Week starts.
Gameplan.travel gives average highs of 26 to 27C, but spells of 35C and above are common in late January and can suspend outdoor play. Our Melbourne in January guide covers the weather. Plan a shaded break for a full ground-pass day, and pick a base you can reach easily after a late finish.
Visitors from abroad should check entry rules early: see do I need a visa to visit Australia.
11 to 31 January 2027, according to the tournament. Opening Week is 11 to 16 January and the main draw runs from 17 January.
Ticketmaster's guide gives the women's final on the night of Saturday 30 January and the men's final on Sunday 31 January.
East Melbourne and Richmond are the closest, roughly a 10 to 15 minute walk by our estimate. The east end of the CBD is the top pick for a first visit.
Unconfirmed. Ticket holders rode Route 70 free in a past year, according to a third-party guide, but we could not verify the 2027 arrangement.
From A$49, per the tournament. The early-bird price was set to end at 12:59pm on 30 November 2026, so check ausopen.com for the current price.
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