How to travel from Ballarat to Parkes, Australia

The distance between Ballarat and Parkes is around 794km (493 miles) and the quickest way to get there is to take the train and then fly which takes around 5h 45m.

5 routes found

We've found 5 different ways to get from Ballarat to Parkes by train, bus, car and plane. The recommended routes, which include information on duration, ticket price, and level of difficulty, can be found below.

👋 Also check out ParkesBallarat if you're planning a return trip.

🚀 Fastest
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train
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plane
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Train and Plane

Take the train to Southern Cross then fly from Melbourne Essendon Apt (MEB) to Orange (OAG) then take the train to Parkes Station.

  • Duration5h 45m
  • Flight time1h 35m
  • Typical cost
    A$430($290)
Operated by

Multiple operators

2
4 x bus
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Bus

Take the bus to Southern Cross Coach Terminal, Gundagai then Cootamundra Station Coach Bay 1 and then to Parkes Station Coach Stop.

  • Duration10h 50m
  • Departs4 times a week
  • Typical cost
    A$115($77)
Operated by

Multiple bus operators

3
train
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train
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Train to Southern Cross, bus

Take the train to Southern Cross and then to Cootamundra Station then take the bus to Parkes Station Coach Stop.

  • Duration9h 45m
  • Departs6 times a week
  • Typical cost
    A$105($69)
Operated by

Multiple operators

1 similiar route

We’ve grouped similar routes together, click the arrows to see the other options.

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car
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Drive

Drive to Parkes.

  • Duration8h 50m
  • Distance794km (493 miles)
Get turn-by-turn directions

Frequently asked questionsabout travel between Ballarat and Parkes

There are several options for getting from Ballarat to Parkes by train, bus, car and plane. The cheapest option is to take the train and then take the bus which costs around A$105 ($69) and will take around 10h 10m. If you need to get there more quickly, you can take the train and then fly and arrive in approximately 5h 45m, though it is a bit more costly at approximately A$430 ($290).

The distance between Ballarat and Parkes is around 794km (493 miles). In a direct line (as the crow flies), the distance is 629km (391 miles)

It takes around 10h 10m to get from Ballarat and Parkes by train and bus. If you are travelling by car it will take around 8h 50m to drive there.

The quickest way to get from Ballarat to Parkes is to take the train and then fly which takes around 5h 45m and will set you back approx A$430 ($290).

The cheapest way to travel between Ballarat and Parkes, if you exclude driving, is to take the train and then take the bus which will typically cost around A$105 ($69) for a standard one-way ticket.

Train travel

There is no train service that runs between Ballarat and Parkes. We recommend that you take the train to Southern Cross then fly from Melbourne Essendon Apt (MEB) to Orange (OAG) then take the train to Parkes Station. instead which will take 5h 45m.

Bus travel

Yes there is a bus that runs regularly from Ballarat and Parkes. It typically takes around 10h 50m and departs 4 times a week.

There are no direct bus services that runs from Ballarat to Parkes. However, you can instead can take several connecting buses with changeovers in Southern Cross Coach Terminal, Gundagai and Cootamundra Station Coach Bay 1. These services run 4 times a week and will take a minimum of 10h 50m.

V-Line, Firefly Express and NSW TrainLink run regular bus services between Ballarat and Parkes. Buses run 4 times a week and take around 10h 50m on average but will vary depending on you book with.

Flights and Airlines

It doesn't look like you can fly directly from Ballarat to Parkes. We recommend that you take the train to Southern Cross then fly from Melbourne Essendon Apt (MEB) to Orange (OAG) then take the train to Parkes Station. instead which will take 5h 45m.

The closest major airport to Parkes is Parkes Airport (PKE) (PKE) which is approximately 5km (3 miles) from Parkes. Canberra International Airport (CBR) (CBR) and Sydney Airport (SYD) (SYD) are also nearby and might be a better alternative airport depending on where you are flying from.

Drive yourself

Yes it is possible to drive from Ballarat and Parkes. The distance is around 794km (493 miles) by road and it will take around 8h 50m in normal traffic conditons.

If you don't have a car, the easiest way to get from Ballarat to Parkes is to take the train and then take the bus which takes, on average, 10h 10m and will usually cost around A$105 ($69).

How do I get from Ballarat to Parkes

Compare travel optionsbetween Ballarat and Parkes

Transport options from Ballarat to Parkes
Transport optionDurationCostFrequencyDistance
Train and Plane
5h 45m
A$430($290)
twice a week877km (545 miles)
Bus
10h 50m
A$115($77)
4 times a week875km (544 miles)
Train to Southern Cross, bus + 1 similar
9h 45m
A$105($69)
6 times a week831km (516 miles)
Train and Bus10h 10m
A$105($69)
6 times a week831km (516 miles)
Drive
8h 50m
A$105($71)
on demand794km (493 miles)

Top Carriersoperating between Ballarat and Parkes

Airlines

Train operators

Bus companies

Airports near Parkes

The following major airports near Parkes offer regular flights to various popular destinations within Australia and internationally.

PKE
Parkes Airport (PKE)
Domestic Airport
Distance
5km (3 miles) from Parkes
CBR
Canberra International Airport (CBR)
International Airport
Distance
259km (161 miles) from Parkes
SYD
Sydney Airport (SYD)
International Airport
Distance
292km (182 miles) from Parkes