Located 147km from Melbourne, getting to Bendigo is an easy 90 minutes by car on the Calder Freeway. Situated in Victoria’s geographical centre, Bendigo also enjoys a number of excellent rail services. Situated at the junction of the Calder, McIvor, Midland and Loddon Valley Highways, driving to Bendigo is easy, not just from Melbourne but from a number of surrounding destinations as well.
For visitors driving from Melbourne, the four-lane Calder Highway is the fastest and most direct route taking just an hour and a half. If you’re visiting from further afield and will be arriving at Melbourne’s Tullamarine Airport, follow the signs to Sunbury and then enter the Calder Freeway to Bendigo. If you’re travelling from Sydney take the Hume Highway to Bendigo.
Visitors from Horsham need only follow the Wimmera Highway while those travelling from Euchuca or Central New South Wales can take the Midland Highway. There are also a number of excellent connections to interstate highways nearby, making it an easy and enjoyable drive no matter where you’re visiting from.
However, if you don’t have access to a car or would prefer to enjoy the scenery on the way rather than concentrating on the road, the new VLocity train services are ideal. A far more affordable option than car hire or private transfers, these rail services are a modern and comfortable way to make your way to the beautiful town of Bendigo.
Departing Melbourne, these regular services pass through Gisborne, Macedon, Woodend, Kyneton, Malmsbury and Castlemaine and offer connecting services from Mildura, Echuca, Swan Hill, Maryborough and Daylesford. If you take the express service from Melbourne to Bendigo it should only take you 90 minutes.
However this can be a challenge given how enticing all these towns can be and you may choose to take the scenic route and stop in a few places along the way. The Bendigo Railway Station is conveniently located just a short stroll from the city centre, meaning you’ll be ready to make yourself at home within minutes of arriving.