Puffing Billy Tours from Melbourne

Puffing Billy is a steam train from the early 1900s that runs through the rainforest and fern gullies of the Dandenong Ranges, east of Melbourne. Most of the tours we describe pair the ride with a second stop, and the most common length is about 10 hours; the train is one part of a full day. We list 11 Puffing Billy tours from Melbourne. Together, the tours on this page gather more than 2,968 reviews and average 4.7 out of 5. Counting our whole list, the shortest takes 5 hours and the longest 13.

Steam train and the Phillip Island Penguin Parade

Three of the tours we describe pair the train with the Penguin Parade on Phillip Island, a long day of 10 to 12 hours. "Puffing Billy train ticket for Belgrave - Lakeside", one listing notes, alongside return transfers from the Melbourne CBD and the parade ticket. Another of them adds handcrafted chocolates and an optional wine pairing at your own expense.

Cherry picking and the shorter train days

A day of about 9 hours pairs a one-way train ticket with admission to a cherry-picking stop and a live guide. The shortest of the tours we describe is a train ride to Emerald Lake Park of about 5 hours, which starts with hotel pickup and a bus to the train station.

Yarra Valley and a redwood forest

A third pairing adds the Yarra Valley and a redwood forest to the train, in a day of about 10 hours. It collects you at your hotel and brings you back there, by bus or minibus with an English-speaking guide.

Table data is indicative and comes from the GuruWalk catalogue. Each activity's current details, including availability, are the ones shown on its listing when you book.

Among the pairings with a second stop, the cherry-picking day is the shortest at about 9 hours; the Phillip Island pairing runs longest, because the Penguin Parade takes place at sunset. Among the tours on this page, "From Melbourne: Puffing Billy and Penguin Parade Combo Tour" leads on reviews: more than 1,459 of them, at 4.6 out of 5.

Dark clothes for the open carriages

Soot and cinders from the steam engine drift into the open carriages and can stain light-coloured fabric, so wear something dark. Passengers can sit on the carriage sills with their legs over the edge, even on the timber trestle bridges of the Dandenong Ranges.

Fire-ban days and wheelchair access

On summer days with a total fire ban, a vintage diesel locomotive may pull Puffing Billy instead of the steam engine. Wheelchair access needs to be booked in advance; check it with the tour before you choose one.