When a child needs hospital care, the journey affects the whole family. Parents may be managing appointment times, mobility equipment, siblings, school routines and the understandable emotions that come with a hospital visit. Accessible transport should remove one of those pressures rather than add to them.
Wheelchair Taxi Service provides family-focused wheelchair transport to the Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH) in Melbourne for children and young people with mobility requirements. Our service gives families a practical way to organise door-to-door travel with space for suitable wheelchairs, mobility aids and accompanying parents or carers.
Whether the visit is for a specialist clinic, ongoing treatment, rehabilitation, planned surgery or follow-up care, we focus on a comfortable, patient and respectful journey.
One Less Thing for Families to Organise
The Royal Children’s Hospital is located at 50 Flemington Road, Parkville VIC 3052. It is a major specialist paediatric hospital with hundreds of specialist clinics and a wide range of departments and services for children and young people.
For families arriving by vehicle, restricted pickup and drop-off areas are available outside the Emergency Department and in the circular driveway at the main entrance. The hospital also has underground parking, with disability parking bays on each level for eligible permit holders.
When arranging your taxi, tell us whether you are travelling to the main entrance, Emergency or another relevant arrival point shown in your hospital information. Providing your appointment time and clinic details helps the trip be planned more effectively.
Families attending other Melbourne hospitals can also explore our Wheelchair Taxi for Hospital Appointments service.
From Specialist Clinics to Planned Surgery
Children use wheelchairs for many different reasons. Some have long-term mobility requirements, while others may temporarily need accessible transport following an injury, surgery or treatment.
A wheelchair-accessible taxi can be useful for journeys involving:
- Specialist clinic appointments
- Cardiology and neurology visits
- Oncology appointments
- Rehabilitation and allied health
- Diagnostic and imaging appointments
- Pre-admission and planned surgery visits
- Disability-related appointments
- Suitable post-discharge journeys
- Follow-up consultations
RCH Specialist Clinics—also known as Outpatients—see more than 1,000 patients each day across more than 350 clinics.
For planned surgery, families should follow the hospital’s discharge and travel instructions carefully. If a child requires clinical monitoring, medical intervention or emergency care while travelling, a wheelchair taxi is not an appropriate substitute for an ambulance or specialised medical transport.
Accessible Vehicles for Younger Wheelchair Users
Children’s wheelchairs and mobility equipment vary considerably in size and configuration. That makes it important to provide accurate information when booking.
Depending on the accessible vehicle arranged, boarding is provided through an appropriate ramp or lift. The wheelchair is positioned in its designated area and secured using suitable wheelchair restraint equipment, with appropriate passenger restraints used for travel.
If your child uses a powered wheelchair, specialised seating system or larger mobility device, tell us when booking so vehicle compatibility can be considered before pickup.
Families requiring accessible transport for other journeys can learn more through our Wheelchair Accessible Taxi Melbourne page.
What About Child Restraints?
A child’s restraint requirements depend on factors including their age, size, seating arrangement, mobility equipment and applicable Victorian road-safety requirements.
Parents or guardians should explain relevant requirements during booking. Do not assume that every accessible taxi or wheelchair configuration is compatible with every child restraint.
If specialised positioning or medically prescribed equipment is required, discuss transport requirements with the child’s healthcare team before travelling.
Parents, Carers and Siblings Can Be Part of the Journey
Paediatric hospital visits often involve more than one passenger.
A parent or carer may need to accompany the child throughout the appointment. Sometimes another parent, support worker or sibling also needs transport.
Additional passengers can generally be accommodated subject to the seating capacity of the vehicle. Tell us the total number of people travelling when making the booking so an appropriately sized accessible vehicle can be considered.
This is particularly useful when the child travels with a wheelchair plus additional mobility equipment or personal belongings.
Keeping the Journey Calm
Children can respond very differently to hospital visits. Some may be tired or uncomfortable, while others may feel anxious about an unfamiliar environment.
A calm journey begins with patience.
Drivers focus on respectful communication and avoid unnecessarily rushing passengers during wheelchair boarding and exiting. Parents and carers remain the people who best understand how to communicate with and support their child.
For children with autism, sensory sensitivities, developmental disabilities or behavioural support needs, parents can mention relevant transport-related preferences when booking—for example, if reducing unnecessary conversation or allowing additional boarding time would make the journey easier.
Drivers do not replace trained carers or healthcare professionals, so children requiring continuous specialist supervision should travel with an appropriate parent, guardian, support worker or medical professional as required.
Planning Around School, Work and Family Routines
Hospital appointments do not happen in isolation from everyday family life.
A morning appointment may need to fit around school drop-offs. A parent may need to organise work commitments. Another child may have school or childcare arrangements. Treatment can also finish later than expected.
Advance booking can help families organise transport around these competing responsibilities.
Our service operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, allowing families to request accessible transport for early appointments, daytime visits and later pickups, subject to suitable vehicle availability.
If an appointment time changes, contact us as early as possible so the booking can be adjusted where availability allows.
Returning Home After Treatment or Surgery
The journey home can require additional consideration when a child has undergone a procedure or treatment.
Parents should always follow the discharge instructions provided by the treating healthcare team. If wheelchair taxi transport is considered suitable, a pickup can be arranged once hospital staff can provide a realistic discharge time.
For planned surgery, the RCH notes that one parent can stay with a child during an overnight ward admission, while sibling arrangements are subject to hospital rules.
Because hospital discharge times can change, keeping the booking team updated can make return transport easier to coordinate.
Making a Booking Is Simple
Call +61 452 385 144 and provide:
Pickup location • appointment time • RCH destination • wheelchair type • number of passengers • relevant mobility requirements • return-trip requirements
Advance booking is recommended for planned hospital appointments, particularly during busy weekday periods. Same-day requests may also be possible depending on wheelchair-accessible vehicle availability.
Families arranging regular trips can ask about scheduling multiple journeys ahead of time rather than making a separate booking for every appointment.
For broader accessible transport across the city, visit our Wheelchair Taxi Melbourne page. Families travelling to or from Melbourne Airport can also explore Wheelchair Airport Transfer options.
Fares, NDIS and Travel Assistance
Trip costs can vary according to pickup location, distance, journey requirements and waiting time. Families can ask about the expected fare when booking to better understand the likely transport cost.
Children who are NDIS participants may have transport supports depending on their individual plan and circumstances. Parents should confirm eligibility with the NDIA, plan manager or support coordinator rather than assuming a particular taxi journey will be funded.
Families travelling significant distances to the RCH may also wish to investigate the Victorian Patient Transport Assistance Scheme (VPTAS). The RCH states that patients living more than 100 km from the hospital may be eligible for travel and accommodation assistance, subject to the scheme’s requirements.
Ask us what trip receipts or documentation can be supplied if records are required for a claim or funding arrangement.
A Family-Focused Way to Reach the RCH
Every family’s hospital journey is different. Some children visit once for a consultation; others return regularly for specialist care. What should remain consistent is access to transport that respects the child, their mobility needs and the people supporting them.
Wheelchair Taxi Service can help families organise wheelchair-accessible journeys to and from the Royal Children’s Hospital with 24/7 booking availability.
Arrange Your RCH Journey
Call +61 452 385 144
Book a Wheelchair Taxi | Arrange a Return Trip | Request a Fare Estimate | Organise Recurring Transport
For a life-threatening or urgent medical emergency, call +61 452 385 144. A wheelchair taxi provides accessible passenger transport and is not an ambulance or emergency medical service.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can my child remain in their wheelchair during the journey?
Yes, where the wheelchair and accessible vehicle are compatible, the child can remain seated in their wheelchair while travelling. Appropriate wheelchair and passenger restraint systems are used. Tell us the wheelchair type and any relevant dimensions or specialised features when booking.
2. Can parents and siblings travel in the same wheelchair taxi?
Usually, additional family members can travel subject to the seating capacity of the booked vehicle. Provide the total passenger number when booking so the appropriate vehicle can be considered.
3. Can I pre-book taxis for several RCH appointments?
Yes. If your child has recurring appointments with confirmed dates and times, ask about arranging multiple journeys in advance. This can reduce the amount of transport administration required for repeated hospital visits.
4. What if my child’s appointment or discharge time changes?
Contact us as soon as you receive the revised timing. We can review the pickup arrangements and adjust the booking where vehicle availability permits. For uncertain discharge times, it is useful to update us once hospital staff can provide a more reliable collection window.
5. Is wheelchair taxi transport to the Royal Children’s Hospital available 24/7?
Yes. You can call +61 452 385 144 for wheelchair taxi bookings 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Advance reservations are recommended for scheduled appointments to help arrange a suitable accessible vehicle at your preferred time.
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