travel sydney to canberra by train

Kate Abroad

How to get from Sydney to Canberra by train: review + guide

For a country that loves long-distance drives, Australia’s domestic train system is relatively good, at least along the east coast that is. We put this to the test by travelling from Sydney to Canberra by train.

The Sydney to Canberra run is a bit of an awkward distance. You can drive but not everyone has a car and rentals can be expensive.

Likewise, there are flights (Virgin, Qantas and Rex all fly this route) but they’re usually very expensive for what is a short trip. The solution is the train. 

Let’s start with a quick run-through of how the Sydney Canberra train works.

We took the train from Central station, in the middle of Sydney, to Kingston Station which is the closest station to Canberra’s CBD.

Kingston Station is actually in the Kingston suburb which is 6.5km or a 10ish minute drive from Canberra Centre. We then had to Uber to our hotel which did increase the cost of the trip.

Related: 2 Days in Canberra Itinerary

In Sydney, they leave from the aboveground lower-numbered platforms in Central Station’s Main Concourse.

The Sydney Canberra trains are run by NSW Trainlink, the state government agency, but you can’t use an Opal or Eftpos card, unlike the in-city services.

Sydney to Canberra by train vs bus or plane

Sydney to canberra train tickets.

Advance bookings are required for the Sydney Canberra train. The easiest way is to book online on the NSW Trainlink website .

There are no booking fees and you get a 10% discount for booking online. You don’t even need to print your ticket, just show the email confirmation on your phone.

You can also book over the phone and at the station (only in Sydney or Canberra, they don’t have ticket offices at the smaller stations in between).

Online bookings open 6 months in advance and remain up to an hour before departure.

These services don’t tend to book up, but I’d recommend buying a ticket a few days in advance just to be safe. If you book 5 or more days in advance you can get a 10% discount.

Sydney to Canberra train cost

As at June 2023, return Canberra to Sydney train tickets cost $82 for an adult Economy fare and $116 for a first-class fare.

If you book more than a week ahead you may be able to get ‘Saver’ tickets for $68 in Economy or $95 in first class.

As a comparison, a return flight from Sydney to Canberra, or vice versa typically costs $300-400 AUD (that’s around $200-250 USD).

Sydney to Canberra train schedule

At the time of writing, there are three services each day between Sydney and Canberra and three in the opposite direction.

Times vary slightly by day, but the first trains (in each direction) leave around 7 am the second around midday and the third between 5 and 6 pm.

The trains are scheduled to take 3.5 hours however they travel slower in bad weather and there may be other delays en route.

Stops along the Sydney Canberra train route

The Sydney Canberra train route runs through the Southern Highlands, some of the prettiest parts of Country NSW.

The full list of stops is:

• Campbelltown (far south-west Sydney)
• Queanbeyan.

These stops are generally very short and sometimes the train won’t even stop if no passengers have booked to get on or off there.

While you can’t get off along the way using your one ticket, this area is absolutely worth exploring.

If you have the time, I recommend booking sections of the Sydney-Canberra trip as individual tickets for separate dates/times.

For example, book Sydney to Bowral on one day and Bowral to Canberra a few days later.

Our review of the Sydney to Canberra train experience

We booked to travel on the Sydney Canberra train just before 6 pm on a Friday which was perfect timing for a weekend away.

I over planned so we ended up boarding the train nearly half an hour early which was absolutely unnecessary. You could easily jump on 5 minutes before departure.

We also weren’t aware of the food situation so had brought snacks from Woollies (the supermarket next to Central Station) which didn’t end up getting eaten.

The train was mostly empty on a Friday night except for what seemed to be a regular crowd of commuters. We had allocated seats but could easily have spread out more.

The whole setup is similar to a plane with tray tables, seat pockets and overhead compartments. The amount of space is a bit better than economy class on most planes but not much.

One thing I did miss was the lack of power outlets. The onboard wifi was also not great although you can get mobile service almost all of the way.

The actual travel experience is smooth, but we did end up seriously delayed (nearly an hour behind schedule) because of the rain which was frustrating as it made it a very long day.

The maximum speeds the trains can go is lowered in the rain so just be aware of that and don’t assume you’ll be perfectly on schedule.

Arriving in Canberra, we found the station basically deserted. Given it’s out in the suburbs it’s not the kind of place you really want to be hanging out in for a long time at night. In the absence of taxis, we called an Uber to get us to our hotel.

Overall, I thought the train to Canberra was a good option. The delays were no one’s fault and given how much cheaper it is than flying we would absolutely do it again.

In terms of taking the train vs driving, if we were going more for a holiday and had time to stop in the Southern Highlands for a meal and a break then we would probably do that instead but for a time-efficient and low-cost way of travelling the train still wins. Especially when you consider the cost of rental cars.

A quick note: on the way back, we ended up on a bus replacement. This was actually noted on the tickets and on the website when we booked so you will normally know in advance if your trip will be affected.

The bus is more cramped than the train and has no food but in our case, it ended up quicker because the bus didn’t have the same rain restrictions and didn’t stop along the way (they put the people not going all the way to Sydney on a separate bus).

Food service on the Sydney Canberra train

Shortly after departure, there was an announcement about the food service and an attendant came around to collect orders. Payment was by Eftpos or credit. There were about 5 options of hot meals that cost $10.50 and were delivered to your seat otherwise there was a buffet car you could go to with more takeaway options like sausage rolls and sandwiches. 

I don’t recall the main meals including any vegetarian, vegan or gluten free options but the buffet car does have items that cater to dietary requirements (no guarantees how good they are so you might still want to BYO snacks if that affects you).

The buffet car also serves alcohol, offering beer, red and white wine and gin and tonics. Trainlink makes an effort to use NSW food and drink companies which I think is pretty cool.

The food itself, when it arrived was basically the same as a microwave meal you’d buy at the supermarket (a mid-range one, not the $3 meal) and came with the same plastic covering. The serving size was decent and for $10.50 we weren’t mad about it.

First class vs economy class on the train

The difference between first class and economy class on the train is similar to premium economy vs economy on a plane.

You get more legroom, a slightly bigger seat and an extra 12 degrees of recline but it’s not a wildly different standard of service. Importantly for me, the food options are no different.

The price difference between economy and first class is about $10-20.

We travelled economy class as we didn’t think the extra benefits were worth it but if you are very tall or otherwise someone who likes to spread out more you might get value from first class.

FAQ about the Sydney to Canberra Train

The train to Canberra leaves from Central Station in Sydney but you can also board it at Campbelltown station.

The train to Sydney leaves from Kingston Station in Canberra

The train takes 3.5-5 hours depending on weather, traffic and other travel conditions.

Yes, by quite a lot. Based on typical prices in economy class a return trip by train is at least $200 cheaper than a return flight.

Yes, the train has a dining car serving basic hot meals and snacks, but food is not included in your ticket price.

There are usually 3 trains per day in each direction between Sydney and Canberra. One in the morning, one just after midday and one in the early evening.

Happy travelling!

Australia Travel Resources

• Find the best prices on hotels with flexible cancellation at Booking.com
• Find awesome day tours on Viator and Get Your Guide
• Save on Sydney attractions with a Go City Pass
• Compare prices on cars and campervans at RentalCars.com
• Sort your Australian dollars with a Wise currency card

Kate is the founder of Kate Abroad. She has travelled to nearly 40 countries from Austria to Vanuatu, and lived in 3. She's on a mission to empower other Gen Zs and Millenials travel affordably by sharing helpful travel guides, stories and tips to over 200,000 readers.

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Trips from Sydney

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Trips to Canberra

• Melbourne to Canberra
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Popular routes

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Getting to Canberra

Canberra is the capital city of Australia, situated inland between the cities of Sydney and Melbourne. You can fly, drive, catch a bus, jump on a train to Canberra.

Fly to the capital

Canberra is less than two hours flying from eastern Australian cities making it perfect for short breaks and weekend getaways.

Daily domestic services are available to Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne or fly direct from Adelaide, Hobart, and Newcastle with connecting flights to Ballina Byron, Port Macquarie, and the Gold Coast.

Accessing Australia’s capital from overseas is simpler than ever before. Fly from Los Angeles, San Francisco, or Vancouver to Canberra with Fiji Airways. Enjoy a tropical stopover in Fiji, adding a touch of paradise to your journey, and revel in the convenience of direct flights connecting Nadi in Fiji to Canberra.

Batik Air, a member of the Lion Air Group of Indonesia, will commence direct flights between Bali and Canberra three times weekly from June 2024. The new service from Denpasar to Australia’s capital will connect travelers throughout south-east Asia to Canberra. 

Canberra Airport is serviced by Qantas, Virgin, Jetstar, Rex Airlines, Fly Pelican, Link Airways, Fiji Airways and Batik Air.

Drive to Canberra

Driving to Canberra is a breeze. Australia’s capital is a three hour drive from Sydney and eight hours from Melbourne. There are plenty of scenic route alternatives if you like to get off the beaten track and visit one of the many country towns along the way.

Jump on a train

Canberra has a picturesque direct rail service from Sydney. Departing from Sydney Central Station, the daily service travels to Canberra via the Southern Highlands, Goulburn and Bungendore. Terminating at the Canberra Railway Station in Kingston, the trip takes a leisurely four-and-a-half hours. Check timetables and book online through  Transport NSW .

While there is no direct Canberra to Melbourne rail service, it’s possible to catch the train to Albury and then be transferred by coach. You can find timetables and booking information from  Public Transport Victoria  for Canberra to Melbourne (via Albury) route. Alternately, catch the Melbourne to Sydney train and transfer to the Canberra train from the Goulburn railway station.

Catch a bus, coach or hire a chauffeured car

Bus and coach services operate to and from Canberra from the Snowy Mountains, the South Coast, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane and beyond. See  Murrays Coaches, Buses & Limousines ,  Greyhound Australia  or  Road Jet  for routes, prices and timetables.  

Canberra to Sydney Train

Canberra to sydney railway route.

Travel time

Trains per day

Reverse route

• Trains: NSW TrainLink regional express trains.
• Ticket price: from 49 USD an economy class seat.
• Seat reservation: after booking a ticket, you will be assigned to one of the seats.
• Ticket delivery: you can download the PDF of the tickets to print them or show on your electronic device when boarding a train.

Book Train Tickets from Canberra to Sydney

Canberra to sydney train details, departing from.

Canberra Kingston Station

Canberra Railway Station, Wentworth Avenue, Burke Cres, Kingston ACT 2604, Australia

Arriving at

Sydney Central Railway Station

Railway Colonnade Dr, Haymarket NSW 2000, Australia

FAQ: What to Know About Canberra - Sydney Train

​IS THERE A DIRECT TRAIN FROM CANBERRA TO SYDNEY?

​HOW MUCH IS THE TRAIN FROM CANBERRA TO SYDNEY?

The price is from 49 USD an economy class seat.

​ARE TRAINS RUNNING BETWEEN CANBERRA AND SYDNEY?

There're pretty quick regional trains from Canberra to Sydney with every day departures. You'll get the destionation in about 4 hours.

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Sydney to canberra train, newcastle to sydney train, sydney to brisbane train.

Forward journey

Tuesday 18 June 2024

Online bookings require JavaScript to be enabled. To enable JavaScript, please refer to your browsers help function. Alternatively, you can call NSW TrainLink on 13 22 32 for fare enquiries or bookings.

Inaugural flights from Canberra to Bali take off, with some passengers expressing frustration over future cancellations

Canberrans are now able to fly direct to Indonesia for the first time, with flights between the capital and Bali starting on Friday — but it hasn't been smooth travelling for everyone.

The inaugural Batik Air flight carrying passengers direct from Denpasar touched down in Canberra an hour early, before the return flight took off a couple of hours later.

Ryan Hopping was one of the passengers on the flight to Bali, and said the chance to fly direct from Canberra was "super exciting".

"The direct flight was the game-changer for us. We could easily [travel] from Canberra instead of having to go through Sydney or Melbourne," he said.

University student Sayu Thanaya, who is from Bali, was also on the flight, and said she was "really happy".

"Being a university student here in Canberra, it is really convenient having a flight that can take me straight home," she said.

But not everyone's travel plans went as smoothly, with some passengers on future flights expressing frustration online after being given new travel dates.

Batik representative Ram Chabra said the airline had cancelled two upcoming flights, adding the airline had been working through "teething problems".

"Any new route, new flight, there is a bit of tweaking here and there," he said.

"All of those passengers have been contacted. They have either been given a date change to another departure date out of Canberra, or have been re-routed via Sydney or Melbourne."

Mr Chabra said the airline was committed to running three flights a week, but said if demand warranted it, more flights could be added.

"A lot of external factors will depend on the success of the flight. We really rely on local Canberrans to support this flight," he said.

"We hope to get more inbound support, and that would require the Indonesian tourists [to] come in to Canberra, so we hope Canberra can showcase what Canberra has to offer."

More international destinations in the works

Now that Batik has delivered the flight, Mr Chabra said the onus of responsibility was "on the ACT government, Canberra Airport, both Canberra and Bali tourism" to ensure the route was successful.

ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr said he hoped the flight was the start of a "strong and long-term relationship between Canberra Airport, Batik Air and Visit Canberra".

"Hopefully it moves from three, to four, to five times a week," he said.

It's the second international service flying from the capital, after Fiji Airways began operating flights between Canberra and Nadi last year.

Canberra Airport head of aviation Michael Thomson said new routes take time to get established.

"We've seen that with Fiji Airways. Their numbers are now really good and they are continuing to grow, and we'd expect a very similar sort of thing with Batik," he said.

Mr Thomson said the airport was "working hard" to have more international destinations.

"We'd like to think, in the next five years, we'll get up to about seven international destinations," he said.

"The success of any route comes down to having passengers on those flights."

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