I am placed at the Alfred Hospital for Year 3B medicine, and so have had to consider my transport options to the facility where I am undertaking placement and lectures.

The commute to university (at the hospital) is one of the considerating factors on where I would prefer, especially since I am living at home. The Alfred Hospital is around 50-60 mins away by public transport during peak hour. Driving takes around 45-50 minutes mid-week and 35-45 minutes on Mondays and Fridays.

Pros and Cons of the mode of transport

Pros of Driving

  • Faster whatever time I go to the hospital
    • possible exception at 7:30am on a Wednesday morning during the middle of Winter
    • in the morning peak, 45-50 minutes compared to 50-55 minutes by PT
    • in the afternoon peak, 40-45 minutes compared to 60 minutes+ by PT
  • More comfortable, can take more stuff
  • can usually find free parking

Pros of PT

  • compared to fuel, is $1 cheaper per day
  • might have to pay for driving parking, and might have to walk further
  • can do things on the buses

You can probably tell which mode I prefer.

Where to Park at the Alfred
There are a number of options for parking at or near the Alfred.

Paid Parking

  • $15 Student Fare in the Underground / Multi level Car park, located on the hospital grounds. This carpark fills up at around 9am, after which you will need to wait 15 minutes for a spot. By 3pm, it should start clearing out.
  • around $1.10 an hour P parking on the road behind the hospital (near Wesley College)
  • around $7.70 daily parking (Wilson’s) near the tennis courts, slightly further south along Punt Road

Free Parking If you don’t want to pay for parking, there is free parking on either Commercial Rd, Greville St or Charles St.

  • Commercial Road / High St (after 9am/9:30am city-bound, get in at 8:55am/9:25am to bag a spot, and before 4:30pm suburb-bound). Lots of 2P for short stays
  • Grattan St and Charles St (mix of 2P and P)
  • Parsley St South (P, difficult to find, only got it once)

The times when it is easiest to get free parking here are

  • before 7am
  • right after 9am when the clearway ends (or 9:30am on High St)
  • after 2pm

However, from my experience, if you look for long enough or go for enough, there will be free parking. However, if you are in a rush it may be preferable to sacrifice the money and pay for parking at the hospital.

Special parking news
My friend told me the best place near the city to park, but it’s a secret - there is a road about a 5 minute walk from Flinders St which has unlimited parking after 3pm on Weekdays.