Australia’s second largest city, Melbourne has a lot to offer. Situated on the banks of the Yarra River and along the coast, the city boasts a rich mix of cultures and attractions. It boasts art, museums, parks, historic buildings, fantastic places to eat and drink, and great beaches. In contrast, the capital of Australia, Canberra, is much calmer. Founded as the seat of government in 1913, this planned city has an open structure and features various monuments, impressive government buildings, museums and parks. All this makes it resemble the US capital, Washington DC. Read on to find out what transport options are available from Melbourne to Canberra.
Travel options from Melbourne to Canberra
As the crow flies, it’s 290 miles (467 kilometers) from Melbourne to Canberra, but you’ll only travel direct if you choose to fly. If you want to get from one city to another in the shortest possible time, there are flights that serve this route. Otherwise, you will have to make a rather long journey by car or bus. By road, the journey takes a considerable amount of time as the main motorway to Canberra, the M31, runs from north Melbourne north west of Canberra to the A25 which leads to the capital. The route is like this because the road has to adapt to the terrain of the Brindabella National Park. In total, 660 kilometers (412 mi) are covered by road. Even if you decide to go by car and drive at a reasonable speed, the journey will not take less than 7 hours. Buses are slower, and there is also the option of taking part of the journey by train and part by bus, which may be cheaper but not faster.
Melbourne to Canberra flights
Qantas passenger plane landing at Melbourne Airport ©ymgerman / Shutterstock.com
Anyone looking to get from Melbourne to Canberra as quickly as possible will have to think about using a plane. The flight takes about an hour. Even when you add up the waiting and connecting times, flying from Melbourne to Canberra is still faster than other travel options.
There are many flights to choose from. Therefore, although the plane is the most expensive option, competition between airlines keeps prices more or less low. Qantas, QantasLink, Tigerair Australia and Virgin Australia operate the route from Melbourne to Canberra. Tigerair is a low-cost company, so it’s easier to find low prices on their flights. Even so, it is possible to find special offers on all airlines, especially if you book your flight in advance.
If you’re thinking of flying, you should know that Melbourne Airport is located 23 kilometers northwest of the city centre. There are many ways to get from the city center to the airport by public transport. The route is served by both buses and shuttle services, and you always have the option of taking a taxi. At your destination, Canberra Airport is just 8 kilometers from the center and buses and taxis will take you to your accommodation.
By bus from Melbourne to Canberra
Bus Greyhound Australia © ArliftAtoz2205 / Shutterstock.com
To save money, you can take a bus from Melbourne to Canberra. There are daily buses between the two cities from Greyhound Australia. There is a service that departs Melbourne at 9am and arrives in Canberra at 5pm, and another that departs at 10pm and travels overnight to reach Canberra at 6am.
The buses are comfortable but basic: they have good seats and air conditioning, as well as glasses fountains. It is allowed to bring cold food, such as a snack, on board, but not hot food. You can also bring your own drinks on the bus as long as they have a cap.
The advantage of traveling at night is that it’s not as hot outside, so traveling can be more comfortable. Still, the seats don’t recline, meaning you’ll have to sit all the way through and it can be hard to fall asleep. The night bus is usually more expensive than the day bus. If you are going from Melbourne to Canberra as a tourist and want to see different places in Australia, you will be able to enjoy more scenery in a day, which is something to consider when choosing a bus.
In Melbourne, buses depart from the Southern Cross Terminal, a large bus station located underneath the Spencer Outlet shopping complex. It is part of Southern Cross railway station. Upon arrival in Canberra, the bus stops at the Jolimont Center in the north of the city, where there is a long-distance bus station.
Greyhound Australia buses can be booked online via the website 12Go.asia. You will receive an instant booking confirmation.
Melbourne to Canberra by train and bus
Albury Train Station © ArliftAtoz2205 / Shutterstock.com
It would be great if there was a direct train from Melbourne to Canberra, but unfortunately there is no such service. You can do about half the journey by train, but then you have to change buses. There are two daily buses from Southern Cross in Melbourne and the journey time to Albury is 3 hours and 15 minutes. In Albury you will have to wait about an hour to catch the bus which departs from the bus stop next to the train station. The bus journey takes approximately 3 hours and 40 minutes to Canberra when traveling with Greyhound.
You need to consider whether traveling by train or bus from Melbourne to Canberra will save you money or time. By adding two trip segments together, it can end up being more expensive than any other transportation option. Everything will depend on the class you choose on the train, as you can travel in Economy, First and Sleeper. For such a short trip, traveling in economy class will be comfortable enough.
Since the train and bus option is not that simple, buses are a good option to get from Melbourne to Canberra. If you need to get from one city to another in the shortest possible time, consider flying.