Melbourne to Mildura – by Car, Train, Bus, and Plane

Mildura, located in northern Victoria, is a popular getaway and short-escape destination from Melbourne offering access to the majestic Murray River for boating, fishing, water-skiing, houseboat holidays, along with the peaceful country charm of the city and its amazing regional produce.

Getting to Mildura from Melbourne by Car

The fastest route is to take the Calder Hwy. Being a long drive it, fortunately, offers several interesting places to stop and explore.

Journey Time: 5 h 49 min (542 km) via Calder Hwy/A79

Fun things to see along the way could include Hanging Rock at Macedon, Kyneton Botanic Gardens, Malmsbury viaduct and Botanical gardens, detour into Bendigo for loads of historic sites, Eucalyptus Distillery Museum at Inglewood, Coach House Gallery & Museum at Weddeburn, and the Lake Tyrrell Viewing Platform near Sea lake.

 

 

Alternative routes include the Sunraysia Hwy heading past Ballarat: 6 h 14 min (560 km) via Sunraysia Hwy/B220 or on the Murray Valley Hwy past Echuca: 6 h 57 min (628 km) via Murray Valley Hwy/B400 and Calder Hwy/A79

 

Melbourne to Mildura by Train

 

Standard seating on the N-Set Mel-Swan Hill Train

 

There is a regular daily train service that departs Southern Cross Station to Swan Hill Station (4H 36MIN) transferring to coach and carrying on to Mildura Station (2H 35MIN). The total journey time is 7h 25min. On the Melbourne to Swan Hill leg, there are first-class seating options available and the train offers Café and snack facilities, toilets, and water fountains. The coach service is modern, air-conditioned, with toilet, luggage storage and often a coach lift for wheelchairs and mobility aids. Adult full fare tickets are $56.40. There is also a service that goes to Bendigo by train and Bendigo to Mildura by coach.

  • See timetables and buy tickets at V/line

 

First Class seating on the Melbourne to Swan Hill train

 

Coach from Melbourne to Mildura

 

V/Line Coach

 

V/Line also offer an overnight coach from Melbourne to Mildura. it leaves from Southern Cross Station and terminates in Mildura with the journey time taking 9H 40MIN. Adult full fare tickets are $56.40.

  • See timetables and buy tickets at V/line

 

Flights from Melbourne to Mildura

Qantas and Rex Airlines offer flights from MEL (Tullamarine) to MQL (Mildura). Flight times on average take 1h 15m. Ticket prices range between $200-400. Rex is usually cheaper.

  • Qantas has two departures weekly (Tues and Thurs) – flying a Bombardier Q400 (DH4) twin-engine turboprop
  • Rex Airlines has two departures weekly (Mon – Fri) –  flying a Saab 340 twin-engine turboprop