The Victorian towns to visit now that free public transport continues

Until the end of May, these regional escapes won’t cost a cent to reach. From June, you’ll be able to get there at half price.

In recent weeks, fuel prices across Australia have skyrocketed as the global oil supply crisis continues. To help ease the strain, select state governments have introduced free public transport periods.

Victoria was the second state to offer its residents some much-needed relief, following Tasmania’s lead back in March. Now, the Victorian government is extending its free public transport period until 31 May, and will halve all passenger fares from June until the end of the year.

So if there was ever a time to swap the road for the railway tracks, it’s now. Next stop? A spontaneous weekend getaway.

How it works

Melbourne trains — Victoria’s metropolitan and V/Line networks will be free of charge throughout April.

The Victorian government has extended the duration of its free public transport initiative, now ending on 31 May 2026. In addition, public transport fares will be half price for all passengers until 1 January 2027.

“With fuel prices rising, free public transport for a month takes pressure off the pump," says Victorian Premier, Jacinta Allan. “This won’t solve every problem, but it is an immediate step to help Victorians right now."

The initiative covers all metropolitan and V/Line services, including trains, trams and coaches. Barrier gates at stations will remain open throughout the month, so passengers no longer need to tap their Myki card or buy a ticket for V/Line trains. However, this does mean seat reservations will be unavailable during the free travel period. From 1 June, passengers can book seats on V/Line as usual, at the half price fare.

Myki Card, Melbourne — Those using public transport will no longer need to tap on with a Myki card.

All yearly Myki passes have also been paused, with some cardholders eligible to request a refund through Transport Victoria. Tickets are still required for V/Line coach services to secure a seat before boarding, but are free to obtain.

Passengers with accessibility needs are encouraged to arrive early for their service and reach out prior to travelling. Staff will be on hand to assist and support priority passengers, ensuring everyone has a safe and comfortable journey.

Where should you go in Victoria to make the most of free train travel?

Melbourne train — Skip the fuel bill and jump on a V/Line train or coach for free.

While restricted to the state border, Victorians are spoilt for choice. From coast to country, Victoria is brimming with beautiful destinations – and the V/Line connects to many of them. If you’re one to look for silver linings, this is it.

So instead of fuelling up the car or splashing cash on train tickets, consider this your sign to escape the city – without spending a cent on travel. We’ve even done the hard work for you, so all that’s left to do is pick a train line, pack a bag and hop on board*.

Need tips, more detail or itinerary ideas tailored to you? Ask AT.

Gippsland Line (East)

Bairnsdale, Victoria — Bairnsdale is tucked into the rolling hills of Gippsland Lakes.

Your stop: Bairnsdale
Travel time: 4 hours
Best for: Nature enthusiasts

Stretching east from the city, this line quickly opens up to the Gippsland region’s verdant rolling landscapes. Those seeking an outdoor escape should disembark at the end of the line in Bairnsdale.

Mitchell River silt jetties, Victoria — The region is home to the longest silt jetties in the Southern Hemisphere.

The historic town acts as a gateway to the Gippsland Lakes, home to the longest silt jetties in the Southern Hemisphere. Whether you cosy up at a cafe on the main strip or opt to explore the surrounding forests, it’s an easy way to swap city life for country living.

Geelong Line (South West)

Geelong, Victoria — For lovers of the ocean, Geelong is a natural playground.

Your stop: Geelong
Travel time: 1 hour
Best for: Beach lovers

Tracing Victoria’s picturesque south-west coast, this line is great for a seaside escape. Jump off in Geelong, around an hour from Melbourne, where days are shaped around the tides and life follows the rhythm of the waves.

Quest Geelong, Victoria — Quest Geelong is a short stroll from the train station.

Spend your weekend hopping between the city’s bountiful beaches, hiking scenic coastal trails or hanging ten at famous surf spot, Bells Beach. Base yourself at Quest Geelong, just a 10-minute walk from the station, so the waterfront is always just a moment away.

Ballarat Line (West)

Ballarat, Victoria — The streets of Ballarat are alive with colour and creativity.

Your stop: Ballarat
Travel time: 90 minutes
Best for: Culture vultures

Don’t let its gold-rush heritage and grand architecture fool you. The regional hub of Ballarat is home to a thriving arts scene – hidden in plain sight just 90 minutes out of Melbourne.

While its history is undoubtedly rich, the city’s creative community has sparked a contemporary buzz that’s hard to ignore. Spend the weekend browsing local galleries, artisan workshops, record stores and antique emporiums to meet the makers behind Ballarat’s artistic boom.

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Bendigo Line (North)

Echuca, Victoria — Wander the vibrant laneways of Echuca’s historic port.

Your stop: Echuca
Travel time: 3 hours
Best for: History buffs

Echuca may mark the end of the Bendigo Line, but it is definitely worth the journey. Just below the NSW border on the banks of the Murray, life here matches the rhythm of the river, which has moved at its own quiet pace for centuries.

At Echuca’s core is its historic port, the beating heart of the settlement since its establishment in 1850. Today, visitors can either step back in time on board a restored Echuca Paddlesteamers vessel or embrace modern river life with a houseboat stay.

Seymour/North East Line

Albury, Victoria — Albury is surrounded by cellar doors pouring local drops.

Your stop: Albury
Travel time: 3.5 hours
Best for: Foodies

Cutting a path north-east from Melbourne, this line is all about enjoying the journey and the destination. Spend the morning watching pastoral scenes pass you by before arriving in Albury, which shares twin-city status with nearby Wodonga.

Described as a gourmet goldmine, it delivers a masterclass in food and flavour, with long lunches and local wines setting the tone. Base yourself at Quest Albury so you can fully lean into the dining scene – and an easy stroll to bed at the end of it, too.

*All outbound V/Line services listed depart from Melbourne’s Southern Cross Station. Travel times are approximate – check Transport Victoria for the latest timetables.

Winding down in the Yarra Valley, where ‘work from home’ becomes ‘work from wine country’.

Steam from my morning coffee curls gently into the cool valley air, mist-veiled vineyards stretch out in neat rows below me. Magpies warble from trees, and the morning’s quiet carries the soft bleating of lambs from a nearby paddock. Midweek in the Yarra Valley has its own rhythm. It’s slower, quieter, with more empty tables at cafes and cellar doors, and walking trails I can claim all to myself. It’s as if the entire region takes a deep breath once the weekend crowd leaves.

walking trails in the Yarra Valley — You’ll find walking trails are less crowded during the week. (Image: Visit Victoria)

I haven’t come here for a holiday, but to do a little work somewhere other than my home office, where I spend too much time hunched over my desk. Deadlines still loom, meetings still happen, but with flexible work evolving from ‘work from home’ to ‘work from anywhere’, I’m swapping the view of my front yard to the vineyards.

A quiet afternoon at Yarra Valley Dairy

holding a glass of wine at Yarra Valley Dairy — Wine time at Yarra Valley Dairy, where you can enjoy a toastie or bagel in the cafe. (Image: Visit Victoria)

With the Yarra Valley just over an hour from the CBD, many Melburnians could drive here in their lunch break. I arrive late in the afternoon and am delighted to discover the Yarra Valley Dairy still open. On weekends, I’ve seen queues spilling out the door, but today there’s only one other couple inside. There’s no need to rush to secure a table; instead I browse the little store, shelves stacked with chutneys, spices, artisan biscuits and gorgeous crockery that would look right at home in my kitchen. It’s hard not to buy the lot.

a cheese tasting plate atYarra Valley Dairy — A cheese tasting plate at Yarra Valley Dairy.

I order a coffee and a small cheese platter, though the dairy has a full menu, and choose a wooden table with bentwood chairs by a wide window. The space feels part farm shed, part cosy café: corrugated iron ceiling, walls painted in muted tones and rustic furniture.

Outside, cows meander toward milking sheds. If pressed for time, there’s the option of quick cheese tastings – four samples for five dollars in five minutes – but today, I’m in no rush. I sip slowly, watching a grey sky settle over the paddock. Less than an hour ago I was hunched over my home-office desk, and now my racing mind has slowed to match the valley’s pace.

Checking in for vineyard views at Balgownie Estate

Restaurant 1309 at Balgownie Estate has views across the vines.

As my car rolls to a stop at Balgownie Estate, I’m quietly excited, and curious to see if my plan to work and play comes off. I’ve chosen a suite with a spacious living area and a separate bedroom so I can keep work away from a good night’s sleep. I could have booked a cosy cottage, complete with open fireplace, a comfy couch and a kettle for endless cups of tea, but as I am still here to get some work done, I opt for a place that takes care of everything. Dinner is served in Restaurant 1309, as is breakfast.

oysters at Restaurant 1309, Balgownie Estate — Oysters pair perfectly with a crisp white at Restaurant 1309.

On my first evening, instead of the usual walk about my neighbourhood, I stroll through the estate at an unhurried pace. There’s no need to rush – someone else is preparing my dinner after all. The walking trails offer beautiful sunsets, and it seems mobs of kangaroos enjoy the view, too. Many appear, grazing lazily on the hillside.

I wake to the call of birds and, after breakfast, with the mist still lingering over the vineyards, I watch two hot-air balloons silently drift above clouds. Perched on a hill, Balgownie Estate sits above the mist, leaving the valley below veiled white.

kangaroos in Yarra Valley — Spotting the locals on an evening walk. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Exploring the Yarra Valley on two wheels

the Yarra Valley vineyards — Swap your home office for a view of the vineyards. (Image: Visit Victoria/Cormac Hanrahan)

Perhaps because the Yarra Valley is relatively close to where I live, I’ve never considered exploring the area any way other than by car or on foot. And with a fear of heights, a hot-air balloon is firmly off the table. But when I discover I can hop on two wheels from the estate and cycle into Yarra Glen, I quickly realise it’s the perfect way to step away from my laptop and experience a different side of the region.

COG Bike offers pedal-assist e-bikes, and while the bike trail and paths into town aren’t particularly hilly, having an extra bit of ‘oomph’ means I can soak up the surroundings. Those lambs I heard calling early in the morning? I now find them at the paddock fence, sniffing my hands, perhaps hoping for food. Cows idle nearby, and at a fork in the bike path I turn left toward town.

It’s still morning, and the perfect time for a coffee break at The Vallie Store. If it were the afternoon, I’d likely turn right, in the direction of four wineries with cellar doors. The ride is about 15 kilometres return, but don’t let that put you off. Staying off the highway, the route takes you along quiet backroads where you catch glimpses of local life – farmers on tractors, weathered sheds, rows of vines and the kind of peaceful countryside you don’t see from the main road.

A detour to the Dandenong Ranges

legs hanging over the sides of the train, Puffing Billy Railway — The iconic Puffing Billy runs every day except Christmas Day.

The beauty of basing myself in the Yarra Valley is how close everything feels. In barely half an hour I’m in the Dandenong Ranges, swapping vineyards for towering mountain ash and fern-filled gullies. The small villages of Olinda and Sassafras burst with cosy teahouses, antique stores and boutiques selling clothing and handmade body care items.

I’m drawn to RJ Hamer Arboretum – Latin for ‘a place for trees’. Having grown up among tall trees, I’ve always taken comfort in their presence, so this visit feels like a return of sorts. A stroll along the trails offers a choice: wide open views across patchwork paddocks below, or shaded paths that lead you deeper into the quiet hush of the peaceful forest.

The following day, I settle into a quiet corner on the balcony of Paradise Valley Hotel in Clematis and soon hear Puffing Billy’s whistle and steady chuff as the steam train climbs towards town. Puffing Billy is one of Australia’s most beloved steam trains, running through the Dandenong Ranges on a narrow-gauge track. It’s famous for its open carriages where passengers can sit with their legs hanging over the sides as the train chugs through the forest. This is the perfect spot to wave to those on the train.

After my midweek break, I find my inbox still full and my to-do list not in the least shrunken, just shifted from one task to another. But I return to my home office feeling lighter, clearer and with a smug satisfaction I’d stolen back a little time for myself. A midweek wind-down made all the difference.

A traveller’s checklist

Staying there

Balgownie Estate offers everything from cellar door tastings to spa treatments and fine dining – all without leaving the property.

Playing there

the TarraWarra Museum of Art, Yarra Valley — Visit the TarraWarra Museum of Art. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Wander through Alowyn Gardens, including a stunning wisteria tunnel, then explore the collection of contemporary artworks at TarraWarra Museum of Art. Cycle the Yarra Valley with COG Bike to visit local wineries and cellar doors.

Eating and drinking there

Olinda Tea House offers an Asian-inspired high tea. Paradise Valley Hotel, Clematis has classic pub fare, while the iconic Yering Station offers wine tastings and a restaurant with seasonal dishes.

seasonal dishes at the restaurant inside Yering Station — The restaurant at Yering Station showcases the best produce of the Yarra Valley. (Image: Visit Victoria)

The Victorian towns to visit now that free public transport has been extended

Until the end of May, these regional escapes won’t cost a cent to reach. From June, you’ll be able to get there at half price.

How it works