Getting Around Ballarat
Ballarat is a compact regional city with a well-preserved colonial-era centre, and most of the places a visitor wants to see sit close to the middle of town. That makes it easy to mix walking with short bus or taxi hops, and the public transport network is straightforward once you understand how it connects to the railway station.
Arriving by Train
The main rail gateway is Ballarat Railway Station on Lydiard Street in the centre of the city. Lydiard Street itself is worth a look, as it has one of the best examples of Victorian-era streetscapes in Australia. Frequent V/Line trains run from Southern Cross Station in Melbourne, with a usual frequency of roughly one service every forty minutes off-peak in each direction. More frequent services run during weekday peak times, though they can occasionally be crowded.
Most V/Line trains continue on to Wendouree Railway Station on Gillies Street, which serves western Ballarat. Between the two stations, most of the city's tourist destinations are within reach. Note that waiting times between trains make it impractical to use the train just to hop between Ballarat and Wendouree stations — take the bus instead.
Buses and Local Public Transport
CDC Victoria runs the local bus network, and all parts of Ballarat are served by it. Most buses stop at the Ballarat Train Station on Lydiard Street, which acts as the natural hub for onward travel. The standard frequency on almost all routes is one bus every half hour, with a couple of routes running only hourly. In the evenings and on Sundays, services on most routes are infrequent, and less important routes have no services at all — so plan evening and Sunday trips with care.
As with public transport in Melbourne, passengers need a Myki card to use the buses in Ballarat. Pick one up and top it up before you rely on the network.
Taxis and Ride-Hailing
The source material does not describe taxi ranks or ride-hailing availability in Ballarat, so it is best to arrange these locally — ask at your accommodation or the railway station for the current options.
Walking
Ballarat's central streets, including the Lydiard Street area around the railway station, are laid out on a generous grid with wide streets, which makes the core of the city pleasant and practical to explore on foot. Many of the main sights cluster near the two railway stations, so a car is not essential if you are basing yourself centrally.
By Car
Most visitors rent a car from Melbourne to travel in and around Ballarat, and car rental is also available in Ballarat through Budget and Thrifty. Driving gives you the most flexibility for reaching sights beyond the centre. Ballarat is an easy 90-minute drive from Melbourne on the Western Freeway (M8). From Geelong, take the southern section of the A300; from Bendigo and Castlemaine, take the northern section of the same highway.
By Bicycle
You can also get around Ballarat by bicycle, and there are two options for bicycle hire:
- Bicycle Centre Ballarat, 24 Armstrong Street Nth
- Welcome Nugget – Bicycles for Hire, 128 Lydiard Street Nth
Getting There from the Airport
Ballarat is not served directly by commercial passenger flights, so you will need to fly into Melbourne. An Airport Shuttle Bus connects Ballarat with Melbourne's main domestic and international airport, Melbourne Airport (MEL), also known as Tullamarine on some booking sites. The shuttle costs $30 for adults, $76 for families, and $16 for children aged 3 to 16, while children under 3 travel free.
There is no direct connection between Melbourne's secondary Avalon Airport (AVV) and Ballarat. From Avalon, your options are to hire a car, or take the SkyBus into Melbourne's Southern Cross train station and then catch the train to Ballarat — a journey of roughly 3 to 4 hours in total.