How Long from Sydney to Melbourne?
Compare all ways to travel: fly (1 hours 30 minutes), drive (8 hours 30 minutes), train (11 hours), bus (11 hours)
Time Comparison
Australia's busiest route. Fly in 90 minutes or drive the coastal Princes Highway for one of Australia's great road trips.
Flight
SYD → MEL
1h 30m
MEL → SYD
1h 30m
Distance
440 mi
Time Zone Diff
0h
One of the world's busiest air routes. Flights every 15 minutes at peak.
Arrival Time Planner
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Drive
Hume Highway (M31/M8)
8h 30mThe fast inland route. 8.5 hours of Australian countryside. Stop at the Dog on the Tuckerbox.
Princes Highway (coastal)
11h11 hours along the coast through Wollongong, Batemans Bay, Lakes Entrance. Stunning but long.
Fuel Cost Estimator
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Train
Duration
11h
Frequency
Twice daily
Price Range
A$50–$200
NSW TrainLink XPT
11 hours overnight. Sleeper cabins available. Departs Sydney Central, arrives Southern Cross Station.
Bus
Duration
11h
Frequency
Multiple daily
Price Range
A$40–$80
Greyhound Australia
11 hours. Similar to the train but less comfortable.
Should You Fly or Drive?
✈️ Fly if...
- • You're traveling solo (no car rental savings to split)
- • Time is more valuable than money
- • The drive is 6+ hours
- • You don't need a car at your destination
🚗 Drive if...
- • You have 2+ passengers (split gas costs)
- • You need a car at your destination
- • You have lots of luggage
- • The journey itself is part of the fun
That Travel Time Is Equivalent To...
- ✈️ Flight: Watching 1 movie · Listening to 26 songs
- 🚗 Drive: 11 podcast episodes · 9 audiobook chapters
- 🚂 Train: Reading 22 chapters of a novel · 26 email replies