About this route
The Melbourne–Hobart corridor.
Hobart sits right at the south of Tasmania, so the trip from Melbourne involves changes whichever way you go. By air it is a short hop of about an hour and a quarter. On the surface, you sail the Spirit of Tasmania from its Geelong terminal across to Devonport, then ride a coach the length of northern and central Tasmania down to Hobart, a road leg of close to four hours. No operator sells the whole thing as one coach ticket, because the middle of the journey is a sea crossing. AusBus handles the coach side; the sailing is booked with Spirit of Tasmania and flights with the airlines.
Travel tips
What to know before you go.
The Devonport to Hobart coach is the longest land leg in this cluster, so if you take the ferry, choose a sailing that lands with enough daylight and connection time to make the run south comfortable. Overnight sailings pair well with an early coach. If the journey itself is not the point, the flight wins easily on time and usually on price once you add the ferry and two coach legs together.
Frequently asked
Melbourne to Hobart, answered.
- No. The route crosses Bass Strait, so no single coach covers it. You travel by sea on the Spirit of Tasmania ferry from Geelong to Devonport, then by coach south to Hobart, or you fly.
- The road leg from the Devonport ferry port down to Hobart is close to four hours, the longest land leg of any mainland to Tasmania trip. Factor it in on top of the eleven to twelve hour sailing.
- For speed, fly: Melbourne to Hobart is about an hour and a quarter in the air. The ferry and coach combination mainly suits travellers bringing a vehicle or wanting the Bass Strait crossing as part of the trip.