V/Lline is the way to travel to Bendigo

Last weekend I flew from my home town in rural NSW down to Melbourne and caught a V/Line train to Bendigo. My early life was spent growing up on the NSW/Victoria border. After leaving school I moved to Melbourne for my tertiary study, them moved to Bendigo for my first steps into the working world. Since then I have been living and working in rural NSW

I explored the various options of travelling to Bendigo from Melbourne, and concluded that the best was was to go by train. Trains depart regularly from the Southern Cross Station to Bendigo, with some travelling further on to Swan Hill or Echuca. On weekdays there are about 20 trains that go to Bendigo, so there is a wide variety of times available to suit the travelling needs of passengers.

The Southern Cross Station is the major railway station and transportation hub for Melbourne, located on the western edge of the CBD. The station is one of the five stations on the City Loop, and is the terminus of the state's V/Line regional network of trains.

It is one of the new landmark buildings that have popped up in Melbourne since I was last there all those years ago. I remember with fondness the old Spencer Street Station that it replaced. (Yes, the station is located on Spencer Street, between Collins and La Trobe Streets.) Redevelopment of Spencer Street Station commenced in 2002 and was completed in 2006, and the name changed in 2005 to Southern Cross Station. The station features a dramatic wave-shaped roof, a new entrance and concourse on Collins Street, a new bus interchange, food outlets, bars, restaurants and retail shops.

The weekend that I chose to travel to Bendigo trackworks meant that part of the train journey was replace by a coach service.  This was no hassle, as the coach departed from the bus interchange located under the station. I boarded the 4.54pm coach which ended its journey at the Sunbury Station, and after a short wait I boarded the V/Line train to Bendigo, which arrived 6.55pm. Helpful V/line staff helped show the way for boardings and answered any questions I had about the revised timetable. Both the coach and train provided a comfortable journey with a smooth ride. I was impressed with the cleanliness of the floors, seats and windows. I enjoyed looking out the window at the passing scenery.

My time in Bendigo was limited, so I did not have time to see all that I had wanted to see. Many of the famous old buildings that were built in the prosperous gold rush era were still there, even though some had new uses since I was last living there. I stayed with friends whom I had not seen for many years on the Friday and Saturday nights, even though there is a wide variety of accommodation for holiday makers including motesl, caravan parks, modern and heritage hotels and B&B's and apartments. Saturday morning was spent exploring the many shops in the central shopping area, and on Saturday afternoon I was taken on an impromptu tour by car to see how Bendigo, Eaglehawk and Kangaroo Flat had grown and changed over the years. The highlight was driving past my old home, now lovingly restored, in Eagelhawk Road.

Another time I will have to go back to Bendigo to explore the new Golden Dragon Museum and Chinese Gardens, take a Bendigo Tramways Vintage "Talking" Tram ride, go underground at the Central Deborah Gold Mine, explore the Discovery Science & Technology Centre and visit the Bendigo Art Gallery.

Sunday morning arrived all too quickly and it was time to go back to Melbourne. I boarded the V/Line train at the historic Bendigo Station at 10.30am, which due to track works terminated at Sunbury. I then boarded the coach to Southern Cross Station arriving at 12.45. These were again pleasant journeys, with helpful staff assisting with boardings. The time passed quickly as I sat on the comfortable seats. After grabbing something to eat at one of the many food outlets at Southern Cross I hopped on a tram and went to my hotel where I stayed before flying back home.

I would thoroughly recommend using V/Line to travel around regional Victoria. It is the far more cost effective and stress free alternative to driving.

Further Information

Phone: 1800 800 007 +61 3 8608 5021, call 6am-midnight, 7 days
Web site:  http://www.vline.com.au/home/ This gives information about timetables; fares & tickets; maps, stations & stops; your journey and holiday trips