Puffing Billy Scenic Railway Tickets

Puffing Billy from Melbourne is a heritage steam train ride through the Dandenong Ranges, boarding at Belgrave Station. You can book train tickets on their own and make your own way there, or join a day tour that picks up from Melbourne and adds the Redwood Forest, a rainforest walk or a Yarra Valley winery.

Puffing Billy train tickets from Belgrave, Lakeside and Gembrook

Puffing Billy has been running since 1900, and the carriages are still the open-sided heritage kind, so you can dangle your legs out the side. Volunteers help run the railway and you can chat to them about its history.

The Belgrave to Lakeside return ride suits a shorter outing. Lakeside Station sits at Emerald Lake Park, where you can stroll the lake, hire a bike or pre-book a picnic pack and wine at the Railway Cafe, and there are steam exhibits at the Lakeside Visitor Centre.

For a longer day on the rails, the Belgrave to Gembrook return and Lakeside to Gembrook return tickets carry on through Wright Forest to the Gembrook farmlands, crossing four historic timber trestle bridges on the way. Timetables change by season and by day of the week, so check the departure times on the product page before you lock in a date.

Puffing Billy tours from Melbourne with transfers

If you'd rather not sort out the getting there, the Puffing Billy Railway and Rainforest Tour includes a return transfer by bus from outside the Mail Exchange Hotel on Bourke Street. It pairs a 1-hour steam train ride with a self-guided walk through Grants Picnic Ground rainforest, with time at Lakeside Station and Lakeside Hall, and a guide along for the day.

The Puffing Billy, Yarra Valley and Redwood Forest Trails Day Tour with Go West Tours is the big-day option, a 10-hour tour that picks up from select Melbourne City hotels. It takes a heritage steam train from Belgrave to Menzies Creek, wanders among the towering trees at Redwood Forest, and stops at a Yarra Valley winery where a glass of wine is included. The coach returns to Melbourne City at 5pm.

Choosing between a train ticket and a tour

Book a train ticket if you already have a car or want the ride to be the main event. You choose your own date and meet at Belgrave Station on Old Monbulk Road, or at Lakeside Station if that's where your ticket starts. Some of these tickets can't be cancelled, so confirm your date first.

Book a tour if you want transport sorted and more than the train ride in the one day. Steam trains and the Dandenong Ranges go well with animal experiences and snow day trips from Melbourne, and some of those tours include a Puffing Billy ride.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get to Puffing Billy from Melbourne?

You can travel to Belgrave Station at 1 Old Monbulk Road yourself, or join a tour with transfers. The Puffing Billy Railway and Rainforest Tour departs from outside the Mail Exchange Hotel on Bourke Street, and the Puffing Billy, Yarra Valley and Redwood Forest Trails Day Tour picks up from select Melbourne City hotels.

Is Puffing Billy a steam train?

Yes. Puffing Billy is a heritage steam railway in the Dandenong Ranges that has operated since 1900, with open-sided carriages that let passengers sit with their legs hanging out the side.

How long is the Puffing Billy train ride?

The Belgrave to Lakeside return is a 1 to 2.5-hour outing depending on the session you pick, and the Puffing Billy Railway and Rainforest Tour includes a 1-hour steam train ride. Gembrook trips run longer, and timetables change by season.

Can kids ride Puffing Billy?

Yes. Puffing Billy sells child tickets for ages 4 to 15, toddler tickets for ages 1 to 3 and infant tickets, plus a family ticket for 2 adults and 2 children on the return fares. Only folding or narrow prams fit through the heritage carriage doors.

What should I bring on a Puffing Billy ride?

Bring warm clothing, because the Puffing Billy carriages are open-air, and a bank card, because the railway has gone cashless and takes contactless payments only. A camera is worthwhile for the trestle bridges and the Dandenong Ranges.

Compare the Puffing Billy tickets and tours above, and book the steam train day out from Melbourne that suits how you want to get there.