13 Day Trips from Melbourne by Public Transport: reader-tested ideas
Skip the parking, skip the traffic — these day trips only need a myki and a bit of planning.
Every few weeks, someone in our Facebook group mentions a day trip they’ve done entirely by train and bus, and I always come away with a new idea to try. This time we’ve pulled together some of the best of those tips, along with a few of our own favourites, into one list. From wildlife at Healesville to a Dandenong Ranges bus loop through the hills, and a run of classic train towns, there’s a full year of outings here without needing the car keys once.
Prefer a road trip? Here’s what’s happening around regional Victoria for the Seniors Festival this October.
Day Trips from Melbourne by Public Transport
1. Healesville Sanctuary by train and bus
Take the train to Lilydale, then the 685 bus straight to Healesville Sanctuary. It’s a lovely way to spend a day among Australian wildlife — platypus, dingoes, koalas and a huge walk-through aviary — without the drive out through the Yarra Valley.
The 685 runs from Lilydale Station and terminates right at the sanctuary gates, though services thin out a little on weekends, so it’s worth checking the timetable on the PTV website before you head off, and again for your return trip.
Reader tip: bring a hat and comfortable shoes, as there’s a fair bit of walking once you’re inside.
Read our guide: Healesville Sanctuary: a local’s tips
2. A Dandenong Ranges bus loop through the hills
Two of our readers pointed us to different ways of seeing the Dandenongs without driving, and both are worth doing.
- The 688 bus runs from Croydon to Upper Ferntree Gully, cutting across the Dandenong Ranges. It’s a scenic route through the hills, with Puffing Billy country close by if you want to extend the day.
- The 663 bus runs from Belgrave to Lilydale, taking a different route across the ranges. Combine the two on a longer day out, or just pick whichever end suits your starting station.
Both buses connect easily to Belgrave, Croydon, Upper Ferntree Gully and Lilydale train stations, so you can build a loop that starts and ends on the Belgrave or Lilydale train lines. Villages like Olinda and Sassafras along the way are worth a coffee stop if your route passes through.
3. Warrandyte and the Yarra Valley fringe
For a gentler outing closer to town, take the 578 or 579 bus from Eltham to Warrandyte. Warrandyte itself is a favourite for its riverside setting, galleries and historic pubs, and it’s an easy few hours to wander before deciding what’s next.
From Warrandyte, you’ve got options: continue on the 364 bus to Ringwood, or pick up the 906 back towards the city. It means you can treat this as a there-and-back trip, or thread it into a longer loop depending on how much of the day you’ve got left.
4. Walk the Warburton Trail, one leg at a time
This is a nice one for anyone who likes to combine a bit of walking with their public transport day out. Take the train to Lilydale from Flinders Street Station, then the 683 bus towards Warburton.
The 683 largely follows the route of the Lilydale–Warburton Rail Trail, with stops at most of the towns along the way, including Mount Evelyn, Wandin, Seville, Woori Yallock, Yarra Junction and Warburton itself. That means you can walk a stretch of the trail from one town, then catch the bus onward or back from the next town’s stop, rather than needing to cover the whole 40-odd kilometres in one go. It’s a scheduled timetabled service, so check the Martyrs bus timetable for stop locations and times before you set off, and plan your walk around when the next bus is due.
5. Cranbourne Gardens by train and shuttle
This one’s entirely on the metro network, so no V/Line fare to worry about. Take the train to Cranbourne, the last stop on the Cranbourne line, then hop on the free shuttle bus that runs between the station and the gardens gate.
The shuttle needs to be booked ahead through the Cranbourne Gardens Visitor Centre, so it’s worth calling before you go. Call 03 5990 2262.
Once there, the Australian Garden is the highlight: a series of themed display gardens built entirely around native plants, including the striking Red Sand Garden.
Entry is free, the paths are flat and well formed, and there’s a café and gift shop at the Visitor Centre if you’d like to make a longer stop of it.
6. Craigieburn to Diamond Creek: a cross-town bus trip
This one’s a bit different — instead of heading out to the hills or the coast, it takes you across Melbourne’s north on two connecting buses, through areas most of us rarely see.
Start with the train to Craigieburn Station, then pick up the 390 bus towards Mernda. One thing worth knowing before you go: the 390 departs from the east side of the station, not the main bus stand on the west side, so it’s easy to end up waiting at the wrong stop if you’re not expecting it. The route passes through Wollert and other newer growth areas on the city’s fringe, which makes for an interesting look at how much Melbourne’s north has changed.
At Mernda Station, change onto the 381 towards Diamond Creek. This leg is a pleasant contrast, running through semi-rural country on the way. It terminates at Diamond Creek Station.
A couple of practical notes from a reader who’s done this trip:
- The Bridge Inn Hotel at Mernda makes a good lunch stop roughly midway. It’s one stop before Mernda Station on the 390, or about a 10-minute walk back from the station if you’d rather stretch your legs.
- At Diamond Creek, cafés are on the opposite side of the station from where the 381 arrives and departs, so allow a few minutes to cross over. There’s also a hotel there if you’d prefer a sit-down meal.
- It’s easy to do the trip from either direction, but starting at Craigieburn is the better option, since Diamond Creek has the stronger choice of food and refreshments to finish on.
Classic train town day trips
Some of the best day trips from Melbourne don’t need a bus connection at all — just a train and a pair of walking shoes. A few favourites, all reachable by V/Line from Southern Cross.
7. Ballarat
Ballarat makes an easy day trip, with much of its best sightseeing within a short stroll of the station. Coffee on gold-rush-era Lydiard Street is a good place to start, before wandering past Her Majesty’s Theatre (one of Australia’s oldest continuously operating theatres) and the Art Gallery of Ballarat, currently closed for upgrades but with a temporary exhibition space nearby.
Stay on the train one extra stop to Wendouree and you’re a short walk from the Ballarat Botanical Gardens on the shores of Lake Wendouree.
We’ve covered this trip in detail in Ballarat by Train: 11 Easy Things to Do.
8. Bendigo
Bendigo has trams running right through the streets, and one of the nicest ways to start a visit is breakfast at the Tram Café, set inside a restored 1916 tram near the station. From there, View Street is a rewarding area for a slow wander, and the Golden Dragon Museum tells the story of Bendigo’s Chinese community and goldfields history. Note that the Bendigo Art Gallery is currently closed for a major redevelopment, due to reopen in 2028.
Read our Bendigo Guide for more.
9. Geelong
Victoria’s second city has a walkable waterfront just a few minutes from the station. Stroll Johnstone Park to the Geelong Gallery, wander the Waterfront Bollard Trail with its colourful painted characters, and stop for a swim or a sit by the historic Eastern Beach promenade. The National Wool Museum is also only a short walk from the platform if you’d like something under cover.
Related reading: Bellarine Peninsula: A Two-Day Escape from Melbourne
10. Frankston
The end of the line on Melbourne’s own metro network, so no V/Line fare needed. The beach is about a 10-minute walk from the station, and from there you can follow the boardwalk out to the historic pier, with Oliver’s Hill lookout a further stroll along if you’re up for the views over the bay.
11. Kyneton
On the Bendigo line, and one for those who enjoy a browse. Piper Street is the heart of it: bluestone buildings, antique shops, galleries and excellent cafés, all an easy walk from the station. Favourite stops include Grist Bakery on Piper Street and Monsieur Pierre on Mollison Street.
The Kyneton Botanic Gardens and the gentle Campaspe River Walk are close by if you’d like some green space to finish on.
If you’re making the most of free weekend travel, the Kyneton Farmers Market runs every second Saturday of the month and hosts 50+ local artisans at St Paul’s Park on Piper Street.
12. Castlemaine
Also on the Bendigo line, and a favourite for art lovers. The Castlemaine Art Museum is about a five-minute walk from the station, with the historic Market Building, antique shops and cafés close by in the town centre. It’s a good option if you’d like a slower, less crowded alternative to Bendigo or Ballarat.
If you haven’t used your Seniors myki for regional trips in a while, it’s worth reading our guide on free weekend travel for Seniors Card holders first.
13. Beaufort
A smaller, quieter option on the Ararat line, worth knowing about if you’d like a slower-paced country town without the crowds of Ballarat or Bendigo. The old station building has been converted into a community arts centre, and the former goods shed next door now houses a steam-era museum.
From there it’s an easy wander down the main street, taking in the 1908 Band Rotunda, historic buildings dating back to the 1850s, and a handful of cafés for a coffee stop.
Beaufort is also home to the Cyril Callister Museum, celebrating the local scientist who invented Vegemite.
Lake Beaufort is a further stroll from the town centre, at around 1.5 kilometres each way, and makes for a pleasant spot to sit if you don’t mind the extra walk.
One thing to note: Beaufort is further out than our other train towns, with the trip from Southern Cross taking a little over two hours each way, so it makes for a longer day out than Ballarat, Bendigo or Castlemaine.
Feeling more adventurous?
Everything above can be done there and back in a day. If you’d like to read about a bigger public transport adventure, Nadine’s account of reaching remote Lake Tyrrell using trains and coaches alone is a wonderful read — though it’s a multi-day undertaking rather than a day trip, involving an overnight stay and a fair walk once you arrive.
Read Lake Tyrell via Public Transport & it was a Success! for the full story.
A quick refresher on the Seniors myki
If it’s been a while since you’ve used yours, or you’re not sure how the discounts work, it’s worth a refresher before you set off on any of these trips.
Free weekend travel, half-price weekday fares, and how the Seniors myki differs from a regular Victorian Seniors Card are all covered in our guide, Using Your Seniors myki on Public Transport in Melbourne. It’s worth a quick read even if you’ve had the card for years, since the discounts and conditions have shifted a few times recently.
A few planning notes
Regional and outer bus timetables can be sparse, especially on weekends, so always check both your outward and return times before you leave — nothing ends a good day out like discovering the last bus went an hour ago.
If you’d like a hand navigating a station or connection, Travellers Aid has support hubs at Southern Cross, Flinders Street and Parkville stations in Melbourne, and at Geelong, Ballarat and Seymour stations in regional Victoria.
Do you have a public transport day trip we haven’t covered? We’d love to hear it — pop it in the Facebook group and it might make the next instalment of this list.
Heading off on your own Melbourne adventures? Join our Facebook Group and share your stories, ask questions and connect with others for further inspiration.
