Your journey starts at Belgrave station, the headquarters of the Railway. The station is only a short walk from Belgrave Township which has an abundance of shopping and dining options.
Setting out from Belgrave, Puffing Billy passes the southern reaches of the beautiful Sherbrooke Forest, a superb example of rainforest noted for its native 'Mountain Ash' trees, a form of eucalypt and the tallest flowering plant in the world.
Within minutes you will travel over Puffing Billy's most famous landmark - the iconic Trestle Bridge. Make sure you have your camera ready!
Your journey continues over the hill, down the valley and into the forest, with eucalyptus leaves (almost) close enough to touch!
Experience the time-honoured tradition of sitting on the carriage sill – a true thrill for young and old!
After a leisurely 1 hour journey you will arrive at Lakeside station, situated within the picturesque Emerald Lake Park. The park is home to the beautiful Lake Treganowan, Lake Nobelius, gardens, natural bushland, as well as both native and exotic plants, with many fern gullies and open eucalypt forests.
From Lakeside, the journey continues towards Gembrook through Wright Forest, before the landscape opens up to rolling hills and farmland.
Afterwards, your journey back to Belgrave finishes off a day full of shared memories.
-
OPERATES FRIDAY - SUNDAY
-
TIME
1 hour 50 mins each way
ALLOW 5.5 HOURS -
DIRECTIONS AND PARKING
EXPLORE GEMBROOK TOWNSHIP
Gembrook is a quaint town with ample opportunities for play, walks and exploring. View our map of Gembrook to find out where to eat, retail opportunities and local parks to relax in during your visit.
EATERIES
1. THE INDEPENDENT (Argentinian cuisine)
Address: 79 Main Street, Gembrook
Visit website
2. THE STATION HOUSE PIZZERIA
Address: 66 Main Street, Gembrook
Visit website
3. MAIN STREET FISH & CHIPS
Address: 66B Main Street, Gembrook
Phone: 03 5968 1889
4. HAIRY DOG CAFÉ
Address: 68 Main Street, Gembrook
Visit website
5. THE LOCAL GEMBROOK (Pub)
Address: 81 Main Street, Gembrook
Phone: 0439 635 197
6. GEMBROOK BAKERY
Address: 2/83 Main Street, Gembrook
Phone: 03 5919 2333
7. SPENCERS STORE
Address: 97 Main Street, Gembrook
Visit website
8. WINGEN IT (Charcoal Chicken)
Address: 3/83 Main Street, Gembrook
Phone: 03 5968 3852
RETAIL
9. PANDORA’S BOX ANTIQUES & COLLECTABLES
Address: 77 Main Street, Gembrook
Visit website
10. THE MOTORIST MUSEUM
Address: 77 Main Street, Gembrook
Visit website
11. GEMBROOK IGA
Address: 85 Main Street, Gembrook
Phone: 03 5968 1878
12. K A ELEMENTS (Gems & Jewellery)
Address: 70 Main Street, Gembrook
Phone: 0477 117 398
13. AUSTRALIA POST
Address: 72 Main Street, Gembrook
Phone: 03 5968 1209
14. EARTHWISE CULTURE (Indigenous Art)
Address: 87 Main Street, Gembrook (by appointment only)
Phone: 0491 346 090
15. GEMBROOK COMMUNITY OP SHOP
Address: 89 Main Street, Gembrook
Phone: 03 5968 1689
16. GEMBROOK CRAFT GROUP
Address: 3 Redwood Road, Gembrook
PARKS & PLAYGROUNDS
17. J.A.C. RUSSELL PARK
Address: 4 Station Street
18. GEMBROOK LEISURE PARK
(skate park and playground)
Address: Corner Beenak East Road and Gembrook Road
19. REDWOOD ROAD RESERVE PLAYGROUND
Address: Redwood Road, Gembrook.
20. GEMBROOK COUNTRY MARKET
(4th Sunday of the month)
Address: 4 Gembrook Road, Gembrook
Phone: 0437 664 121
21. GEMBROOK PARK
Address: Redwood Road, Gembrook.
Buy tickets
All visitors are required to book tickets online.
Accessibility
Reduced Mobility
-
Wheelchair Accessible Carriages Available
We cater for wheelchair users! Read on to find more specific information related to booking process, access, parking and boarding.
Booking tickets for an accessible carriage
We require advice of any accessibility requirements prior to travelling so we can appropriately accommodate your needs and booking. There are accessible carriages where a ramp can be used to assist passengers with access requirements (including wheelchair users). To pre-book these carriages, please contact our customer service centre via email info@pbr.org.au or phone 03 9757 0700.
If you have any questions, please contact us so we can provide more details specific to your circumstances.
Car Parking and Arrival
PATHWAYS | There are paved pathways to Belgrave and Lakeside stations and the Lakeside Visitor Centre from the car parks as well as the Metro Train Station in Belgrave. Please note that due to the topography of the area, the pathways are steep and/or narrow in places. Please find more detailed information and photos specific to each station below.
BELGRAVE STATION
ACCESSIBLE CAR PARKING SPACES | There are two designated accessible car spaces at Gate 3 at Belgrave Station in Old Monbulk Road, Belgrave (view map here). From there, access to the station platform is via a ramp (the bottom of the "zig-zag path"). Wheelchair users should please note that this ramp is steep (refer photo). If you require further assistance getting from here to the platform, please contact us on 9757 0700 or 9757 0721.
DROP OFF AREA | To assist passengers with reduced mobility and to avoid our steep pathway entrance to Belgrave Station, passengers may be dropped off at Gate 4 (view map here) which is in front of our Belgrave Station building in Old Monbulk Road. The area from the station to the platform is on one level.
There is also a paved walkway from the Belgrave Metro Train Station. Please note that this path is narrow in places.
Lakeside Station & Lakeside Visitor Centre
ACCESSIBLE CAR PARKING SPACES | The Lakeside Visitor Centre has accessible car parking spots in two different locations, both located within the Emerald Lake Park Precinct, Emerald Lake Road Emerald (view map here):
- Lakeside Visitor Centre Main Car Park: Three accessible car spaces. From there, access to the station platform is via a ramp. Please note that this ramp has a moderate gradient (see photos below).
- Lakeside Visitor Centre Loading Dock: Two accessible car spaces. From there, you can access the Centre via a short wig wag pathway and step-free access to the alfresco deck entrance (see photos).
LAKESIDE VISITOR CENTRE ACCESSIBILITY | The Lakeside Visitor Centre has step-free access throughout and features one of the Dandenong Ranges' few Changing Places Adult Change Facilities.
EMERALD LAKE PARK PRECINCT ACCESSIBILITY | Emerald Lake Park features many pathways to explore the precinct. The pathways around the lake have some paved and some gravel sections. Please note that due to the topography of the area, the pathways are steep and/or narrow in places.
Boarding and travelling onboard the train
Our station platforms are not at the same height as our carriage doors. Please note that between the platform and the carriage there is a gap that will require passengers to step up/step down when boarding or disembarking the train.
ACCESSIBLE CARRIAGES WITH RAMPS FOR WHEELCHAIR USERS
Ramps are available for wheelchair users to board our accessible carriages. Our friendly volunteers on the day of travel will operate the wheelchair ramp. Please note that the width of the wheelchair ramp is 75cm.
Carriage Dimensions
Our heritage open side carriages are narrow and have limited space. As a result, you may find the space restrictive, depending on your circumstances. Below, you will find a set of measurements and images that provide further information about our carriage dimensions. Kindly note that due to differences in height between platforms and carriages, some measurements may vary and the below is to be seen as a guide only.
External dimensions
List of external dimensions
- Height of carriage door: 1,750 mm
- Width of carriage door: 600 mm
- Height from platform to step into the carriage (approximate only): 150 mm
- Space from platform to step up into carriage (approximate only): 250 mm
- Height from step to the floor in the carriage: 300 mm
Internal dimensions
List of internal dimensions
- Height of carriage door: 1,750 mm
- Width of carriage door: 600 mm
- Depth of bench seat: 400 mm
- Height underneath bench seat: 500 mm
- Width from bench seat to wall: 400-450 mm
Families with Children
SMALL STROLLERS RECOMMENDED
Due to the narrow carriage doors, we highly recommend that you bring a small, folding-type stroller or pram for your trip onboard Puffing Billy Railway. For you to have the pram with you in your carriage, it must fit underneath the seats. Prams that don't fit underneath the seats of the carriages will be stored in a different carriage and will be available for you when the train stops at your destination.
BABY CHANGE FACILITIES
Baby change facilities are available at Belgrave, Menzies Creek, Lakeside and Gembrook station platforms, along with a second baby change room inside the Lakeside Visitor Centre, which also has a feeding chair if you are looking for a quiet place to feed your little one.
BOTTLE WARMING
A microwave is available in the baby change room at Belgrave station and in the Lakeside Visitor Centre. Alternatively, please approach the staff at our refreshment rooms or the Railway Café, and they will be able to assist.
HIGHCHAIRS
Highchairs are available in Lakeside Visitor Centre's family friendly Railway Café, along with a kids menu for the little ones to enjoy. Find out more about dining at the Lakeside Visitor Centre here.
To help the little ones prepare for their day out at Puffing Billy Railway, a social story is available below.
Social Story
Use this social story to plan a visit to Puffing Billy Railway with children. Read it online or download the PDF document to print.
We have developed social stories for journeys departing from Belgrave station as well as journeys departing from Lakeside station, as the arrival between these two stations differ. Below, you will find both these social stories.
Journeys starting at Belgrave
- View the Puffing Billy Social Story for journeys departing BELGRAVE here (HTML version)
- Download the Puffing Billy Social Story for journeys departing BELGRAVE (PDF 2.1 mb)
Journeys starting at Lakeside
- View the Puffing Billy Social Story for journeys departing LAKESIDE here (HTML version)
- Download the Puffing Billy Social Story for journeys departing LAKESIDE (PDF 2.5 mb)
Sensory
A MULTI-SENSORY EXPERIENCE
At Puffing Billy Railway, some areas are busy with a mix of multimedia, loud noises, low light, indoor exhibits, loud trains and/or strong smells. However, there are also quiet, light areas that are further from the train and with fewer people.
If you or anyone in your travel party experience sensitivity to sound, we recommend that you bring headphones or ear plugs along for your visit to Puffing Billy Railway.
Listen to Puffing Billy's Whistle
Ever wondered what Puffing Billy's train whistle and engine sound like? Have a listen here!
SOMETHING TO CONSIDER
You will be travelling on board a century old steam train that uses coal to fuel the fire and get the locomotive moving! This coal turns into soot and smut and occasionally when sitting in our open carriages can travel through the air and land on your lap or sometimes in your eyes. We want you to enjoy a scenic ride through the magnificent Dandenong Ranges, so please consider this part of the experience before embarking on your journey. To best avoid the soot and marvel at Puffing Billy’s steam, passengers can bring along a pair of sunglasses or, if preferred, goggles, or bring along a hat.
SENSORY MAP
We have a Sensory Map available for the Lakeside station and Lakeside Visitor Centre precinct.
Assistance Dogs
Puffing Billy Railway welcomes visitors who use assistance dogs certified by a registered authority.
Assistance dogs must be restrained by a harness or leash at all times.
Please note: Assistance dogs are the only dogs allowed aboard Puffing Billy Railway, except onboard the Dog Express event.
BOOKING TICKETS | When booking online, please advise us in the "Notes" section of the booking that you will have an assistance dog accompanying you on the day. If you have any questions, please contact our friendly Customer Service Centre team on info@pbr.org.au or (03) 9757 0700 during their opening hours: 9.00 am - 4.00 pm Monday - Friday and 8.30 am - 12.30 pm Saturday - Sunday.
Audio Guide
A Puffing Billy Railway audio guide is available.
The player includes transcripts and is compatible with screen readers.
Puffing Billy Railway’s Story and History
Australia’s favourite historic steam train, Puffing Billy, is found in the heart of the Dandenong Ranges just one hour east of Melbourne.
Built-in 1900 to serve the local communities that lived in the hills, the famous Puffing Billy Railway provided transportation for a wide variety of cargo ranging from passengers to timber, livestock, potatoes and plants. It’s an iconic survivor of a turn-of-the-century initiative that included the development of four low-cost, narrow-gauge lines constructed in Victoria to open up remote areas, providing a lifeline to people living in the hills. Along with its passengers, Puffing Billy Railway would depart Melbourne laden with all manner of parcels, goods and supplies, and return from the hills with timber and farm produce.
But the line’s journey through time was not without its challenges. In 1953, a major landslide closed the tracks, and continued economic losses resulted in the closure of the line in 1954. Thanks to the strong public interest and the determined efforts of the Puffing Billy Preservation Society, the line was eventually cleared and reopened for train travel to Menzies Creek in 1962, Emerald in 1965, Lakeside in 1975 and Gembrook in 1998.
From its earliest days, the scenic track to Gembrook attracted tourists and day trippers seeking to escape the city and take a leisurely ride through the picturesque countryside. Today, Puffing Billy Railway continues to invite visitors to experience this century-old tradition every day of the year, except Christmas Day, thanks to the tireless efforts of more than 300 dedicated volunteers.
Embark on a journey back in time and indulge your nostalgia for yesteryear by taking a trip aboard this living piece of history!
Introduction to the Steam Train Experience
Feel the magic of steam train travel from the moment you arrive, as you become captivated by the aromatic mist of steam swirling around the locomotive’s chimney and are greeted by the evocative sound of the train’s whistle.
Climb aboard the open-side carriages for a peaceful journey through the magnificent Dandenong Ranges. Relax and inhale the fresh air of the surrounding temperate rainforest, brushing past lush fern gullies and under towering mountain ash trees.
Be lulled by the gentle rhythm of the engine as it meanders over the hills. Feel the rumbles and bumps of the track below and be invigorated by the wind rushing across your face as the train rumbles over trestle bridges, down the valley and into the fresh crisp forest on the original mountain track between Belgrave and Gembrook.
Enhance the Steam Train Experience
Puffing Billy Railway proudly hosts a diverse lineup of exciting events that guarantee unforgettable experiences for visitors of all ages. From enchanting seasonal celebrations such as the captivating Train of Lights and the intrigue of Murder Mystery dinners to family-friendly fun like Day Out with Thomas™ or the adrenaline of the Puffing Billy Running Festival, each event invites guests into the rich heritage of steam train travel and the scenic wonders of the Dandenong Ranges.
Getting to Puffing Billy Railway
Puffing Billy Railway is located in the picturesque Dandenong Ranges, only 40 kilometres (or one hour drive) east of Melbourne. Puffing Billy Railway’s Belgrave Station is accessible via public transport, either via the Belgrave Metro Train line from Melbourne CBD, or bus from Melbourne’s eastern suburbs. To find your way from the Metro Train Station in Belgrave to Puffing Billy Railway's Belgrave station, follow the blue line painted on the platform for a short 2-minute walk along an accessible pathway to Puffing Billy Railway. If you require verbal directions, please ask the station attendant. For public transport journey planning information please visit the Public Transport Victoria website at ptv.vic.gov.au/journey.
If driving to Puffing Billy Railway, there is parking available near both Belgrave and Lakeside stations, including accessible car parking spots. In Belgrave, there are two accessible car parks adjacent to the station. The nearby Metro Multilevel car park has 640 car spots and 16 accessible car spots. Lakeside has two main parking areas, including the Lakeside Visitor Centre Car Park with 3 accessible car spots.
If you are travelling on an experience departing from Lakeside Station, please note that public transport, taxi and Uber services are limited in the area, so self-drive is the main option.
Guests are required to check-in at the ticket window 60 minutes prior to the departure of their train, with check-in closing 30 minutes prior to the scheduled departure time.
Accessibility
Puffing Billy Railway is committed to offering an enjoyable experience for everyone and has a range of accessible facilities available to help ensure a comfortable, safe and enjoyable journey.
Puffing Billy Railway is an affiliate of the national Companion Card Program, offering free or reduced cost travel to carers assisting registered Companion Card holders with disability. To make a booking using a Companion Card, or for any other accessibility enquiries, please contact the friendly Customer Service Centre team on info@pbr.org.au or (03) 9757 0700 during their opening hours: 9.00 am - 4.00 pm Monday to Friday and 9.00 am to 12.00 pm Saturday and Sunday.
Puffing Billy Railway welcomes visitors who use assistance dogs certified by a registered authority. When booking online, please advise in the "Notes" section of the booking that you will have an assistance dog accompanying you. Tactile ground surface indicators are installed at both the Belgrave and Lakeside Station platforms.
Guests with mobility-related access needs must contact Puffing Billy Railway directly to ensure they can accommodate your needs and booking appropriately. Accessible carriages are available, where ramps can be used to assist passengers with access requirements (including wheelchair users), but these must be pre-booked. The ramp width is 75 centimetres. All other carriages require passengers to step up or down over a gap between the platform and the carriage when boarding or alighting the train.
Pathways to Belgrave, Lakeside and Gembrook stations as well as the Lakeside Visitor Centre are all wheelchair accessible. Designated accessible parking is available at both Belgrave and the Lakeside Visitor Centre. The Lakeside Visitor Centre, located within the Emerald Lake Park precinct is an accessible destination with ramp access throughout, and a Changing Places Adult Change Facility. Accessible toilets are located at Belgrave, Lakeside and Gembrook stations.
Puffing Billy Railway is a rich, sensory experience. A sensory map for Lakeside Station and the Lakeside Visitor Centre precinct, and a social story about the Puffing Billy Railway experience are available online. For these and other detailed information about accessibility, please visit puffingbilly.com.au and navigate to the dedicated Accessibility page in the ‘Visit’ tab.
Tactile Ground Surface Indicators
Both Belgrave and Lakeside station platforms have tactile ground surface indicators installed.
Companion Card Holders
DAILY EXCURSION TRAIN
Companions travel Free Of Charge onboard Puffing Billy Railway's daily, open side Excursion Trains and their client (who holds an Australian Government issued concession/health care card) pays a concession fare.
Events
Companions receive a 50% discount off the adult fare. Please note that there are no Concession fares available for events, so their client pays an Adult fare.
BOOKING TICKETS
To book tickets with a Companion Card, please contact our friendly Customer Service Centre team on info@pbr.org.au or (03) 9757 0700 during their opening hours: 9.00 am - 4.00 pm Monday - Friday and 8.30 am - 12.30 pm Saturday - Sunday. Companion card must be presented at the Booking Office on the day of travel.
Other journeys
Belgrave to Lakeside return
OPERATES DAILY
1 hour each way | Allow 4 hours
Explore the Lakeside Visitor Centre, which combines its natural surroundings with the authentic sights, smells, and sounds of Puffing Billy Railway. Dine in at the modern café, or pre-order a Grazing Box to bring outside to the adjacent Emerald Lake Park Precinct.
Lakeside to Gembrook return
OPERATES FRIDAY - SUNDAY
45 mins each way
Allow 3 hours
Explore the Lakeside Visitor Centre and Emerald Lake Park before boarding the train to Gembrook township, home to a selection of eateries and a lovely playground.