There's no train to Daylesford any more (the line closed to regular passenger trains in the late 1970s), but a train and a coach will get you here in about two hours from the city. You arrive slower, and that's rather the point.
The usual way: train to Woodend, coach to Daylesford
From Southern Cross Station, take a V/Line train on the Bendigo line to Woodend, about an hour away. A V/Line coach meets selected trains at Woodend and runs to Daylesford through Tylden, Trentham, Lyonville, Bullarto and Musk; the coach leg takes about three-quarters of an hour.
- Coaches run several times a day on weekdays and less often on weekends, so plan around the coach, not the train
- Times change with each new timetable: check the current one on the PTV website or app the week you travel
- The coach doesn't run on days when a catastrophic fire danger rating is declared along its route
The other way: via Ballarat
Some Daylesford coaches connect with Ballarat line trains instead. It can suit better if you're coming from the west, or if the Woodend times don't fit. The same timetable covers both routes.
From the airport
From Melbourne Airport, the SkyBus runs to Southern Cross, where the V/Line trains leave from. Allow at least three and a half hours from landing to Daylesford, and more if you're arriving late in the day, when the last coaches have gone.
When you get here
Tell us your coach time and we'll meet you at the Daylesford stop: there's no charge for house guests. The house has four bikes to borrow, the springs reserve is an easy ride, and the Tipperary walking track starts at Lake Daylesford.
What to pack
- A bag you can carry up the coach steps
- Walking shoes and a warm layer, whatever the season
- An empty bottle for the mineral springs (or use the one in your room)
Written by Merrow House, a fictional hotel; the places are real and none of them has any relationship with us. Timetables, opening hours and festival dates change, so please check before you travel.
