The route at a glance
The Melbourne–Sydney corridor.
Melbourne to Sydney is the busiest long-distance coach corridor in Australia, with multiple operators running daily services along the Hume Highway. The 880-kilometre journey takes 11 to 13 hours depending on stops, with most travellers choosing overnight services that depart Southern Cross late evening and arrive at Central Station before peak hour. The route follows the Hume through the Victorian high country, crosses the Murray at Albury, and traces the Southern Highlands into Sydney, a faster, more direct corridor than the older Princes Highway coastal alternative.
Typical calling points
- MelbourneVIC
- CampbellfieldVIC
- SeymourVIC
- EuroaVIC
- GlenrowanVIC
- AlburyNSW
- TarcuttaNSW
- SydneyNSW
Typical stops on this corridor. Actual calling points vary by operator and service.
Journey essentials
- Onboard
- Wi-Fi · Toilet · USB charging · Wheelchair access
- Luggage
- 1 × 45kg checked bag
- Overnight option
- Available on this corridor
Compare operators
Who runs this route.
FlixBus Australia
Wi-FiToiletUSB chargingEco-friendly40kg luggageBookon FlixBus AustraliaFrom$57Services
Depart Arrive Runs 9:00 AM 8:50 PM Daily 9:00 AM 8:25 PM Daily 7:00 PM 5:50 AM+1 Daily 7:00 PM 6:10 AM+1 Daily 9:45 PM 9:45 AM+1 Daily 9:45 PM 9:20 AM+1 Daily - Bookon Firefly ExpressFrom$60
Services
Depart Arrive Runs 7:00 PM 6:00 AM+1 Daily 7:00 PM 6:10 AM+1 Daily NSW TrainLink
ToiletWheelchair access40kg luggageBookon NSW TrainLinkFrom$99Services
Depart Arrive Runs 7:30 AM 7:40 PM Mon, Sun 7:50 AM 7:50 PM Mon, Sun 6:30 PM 6:40 AM+1 Sun 6:50 PM 6:50 AM+1 Sun Greyhound Australia
Wi-FiToiletUSB chargingWheelchair accessEco-friendly40kg luggageBookon Greyhound AustraliaFrom$135Services
Depart Arrive Runs 10:00 PM 10:00 AM+1 Daily
Fares are indicative. Live pricing may vary by date and availability. AusBus earns a small commission on some bookings at no extra cost to you.
Spotted an error or a missing operator on this route? Let us know.
Day bus or night bus?
Choosing your departure.
Daytime coaches let you watch the country roll past and break the trip at meal stops. Greyhound Australia, NSW TrainLink and FlixBus Australia run daytime services on this route.
Board in the evening, sleep through the drive and arrive the next morning, saving a night's accommodation. Overnight services here are run by Firefly Express. Bring a neck pillow and layers, as the air-conditioning runs cool.
Travel tips
What to know before you go.
Overnight services leaving Southern Cross between 7pm and 10pm are the best value if you can sleep on a coach: they save you a hotel night and put you in Sydney with the morning. Firefly Express runs the most established overnight; Greyhound and FlixBus add daytime options for travellers who prefer to see the countryside. Book at least seven days ahead during school holidays, the Easter long weekend, and the Boxing Day–New Year period when Hume Highway services fill quickly. Bring a neck pillow and a refillable water bottle; rest stops between Wodonga and Goulburn are sparse and the on-board temperature can swing once you climb the Southern Highlands. Window seats on the left-hand side give you the best of the Murray crossing into NSW just after dawn on overnight services.
Worth timing your trip for
What's on in Sydney
OctoberSydney, NSWNRL Grand FinalFirst Sunday of October (typically)
OctoberSydney, NSWSculpture by the Sea, BondiLate October to early November (approx. 3 weeks)
DecemberSydney, NSWRolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race (start)26 December (Boxing Day) annually
Route FAQs
Melbourne to Sydney, answered.
- Most services take 11 to 13 hours, with overnight coaches at the lower end and daytime services with more rest stops at the upper end. Traffic on the Sydney approach in the morning peak can add another 30 to 45 minutes.
- Fares start from around $57 one-way booked a week ahead. Same-day fares typically run $79 to $129 depending on operator and seat availability. Firefly Express tends to be the cheapest fixed fare; Greyhound and FlixBus use dynamic pricing.
- Greyhound Australia, FlixBus Australia, Firefly Express, and NSW TrainLink all operate the corridor.
- Most operators run modern coaches with reclining seats, USB charging, on-board toilet and Wi-Fi. They are not sleeper buses; seats recline but do not lie flat. Pack a neck pillow and an eye mask if you want to sleep properly.
- Almost all services terminate at Sydney Coach Terminal next to Central Station on Eddy Avenue. From there you can connect to the Sydney Trains network or grab a taxi from the rank on Pitt Street.
Keep going
Onward from Sydney.
Continuing past Sydney? These coach corridors carry on from your arrival city.
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