Puffing Billy & Rainforest Tour from Melbourne
Recommended by 91% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Melbourne, Australia
+3
- 6 hours (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
See a side of Melbourne that way too many tourists don’t get to see, and immerse yourself in a side of Australia’s history that you don’t want to miss. Ride the Puffing Billy Railway, which first opened back in 1900, with your legs dangling over the open carriages and soak up the lush rainforest views that you don’t get anywhere else.
- Keep your eyes peeled for wildlife like birds
- Explore the Lakeside Visitor Center to learn more about the railway
- Let a driver handle the traffic to and from Melbourne city
- Your guide knows more about the local area than you’d ever learn alone
What's Included
- 1 hour train journey on Puffing Billy
- Return transfers to/from Melbourne in modern vehicle
- Friendly & informative guide
- LunchLunch is available to purchase from a local cafe
- Coffee and/or TeaBeverages are available to purchase from a local cafe
Meeting and Pickup
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
Pickup details
Your pickup time may differ from the time shown on your voucher. Explore Australia Tours will contact you via email shortly after booking to confirm your exact pickup time. Pickup locations are selected at the time of booking: 7:25am – Mercure Melbourne Southbank, 9 Riverside Quay, Southbank 7:35am – Regent Theatre, 191 Collins Street, Melbourne 7:45am – Her Majesty's Theatre, 219 Exhibition Street, Melbourne 8:00am - Mail Exchange Hotel, 688 Bourke Street, Melbourne All tours are conducted in English. Guests can access pre-recorded audio and written tour information in 16 languages by downloading the free Explore Australia Language Translation App from Google Play or the App Store prior to departure. Your guide will provide a code on the day to unlock the content. Please bring your own headphones. Tours operate rain or shine. Estimated return time for the Puffing Billy & Rainforest is between 13:30 and 14:00.
Start time.8:00 am
Itinerary
1
Grants Picnic Ground
1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
2
Puffing Billy Railway
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
3
Puffing Billy Railway
1 hour • Admission Ticket Included
4
Puffing Billy Railway Lakeside Visitor Centre
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
5
Melbourne
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Infant seats available
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- Most travelers can participate
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 27 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.7
based on 150 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
Jeannie_L, Aug 2026
Loved the tour! Our tour guide Nathan was very welcoming and thoughtful - it was a very worthwhile experience.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you so much for your wonderful feedback! 🌟🚂 We’re delighted to hear you loved the Puffing Billy & Rainforest Tour. Nathan will be thrilled to hear your kind words, and we’re so glad his welcoming and thoughtful approach helped make your experience worthwhile. We truly appreciate your support! 💜
MOHIT_M, Aug 2026
It was a great experience, the guide (Stuart) was very friendly and informative, best part was him taking photos and videos along the train ride.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you so much for your wonderful feedback! 🌟🚂 We’re delighted you had such a great experience on the Puffing Billy & Rainforest Tour. Stuart will be thrilled to hear your kind words, and we’re glad he helped capture some special memories with photos and videos along the train ride. Thank you for travelling with us! 💜
Francis_O, Aug 2026
We truly enjoyed our stops along the way to the train ride. Our driver, Anthony made sure we stopped at a park to see kangaroos up close. The experience was fun, and well organized. Anthony also made a stop to see the beautiful Mountsin Ash trees up close.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you so much for your wonderful feedback! 🌟🚂 We’re thrilled you enjoyed the stops along the way and the Puffing Billy experience. Anthony will be delighted to hear your kind words, and we’re glad he could help you spot kangaroos and experience the beautiful Mountain Ash trees up close. We truly appreciate your support! 💜
Evelina_S, Aug 2026
Adam was great, told us stories and showed wild animals on the way! It was a fun train ride, could see a lot of great views
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you so much for your wonderful feedback! 🌟🚂 We’re thrilled to hear Adam made the journey fun with his stories and helped you spot some wildlife along the way. It’s fantastic to know you enjoyed the Puffing Billy ride and beautiful views. Thank you for your recommendation, and we hope to welcome you again soon! 💜
John_F, Aug 2026
This was an amazing experience. There is a little hike beforehand and then the train takes about an hour. Lots of fun pictures and our guide was incredible!
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you so much for your wonderful feedback! 🌟🚂 We’re thrilled to hear you had such an amazing experience on the Puffing Billy & Rainforest Tour. It’s great to know you enjoyed the rainforest walk, train ride and capturing plenty of fun memories along the way. We’re also delighted your guide helped make the day so special. Thank you for recommending us! 💜
Byron_S, Aug 2026
The Puffing Billy train is a unique and thrilling experience! We were picked up by Margaret, our guide, in front of Her Majesty’s Theatre in a 20-passenger bus. We rode about an hour to the east of Melbourne to our first stop which was in the rain forest. After a quick 20-minutes in the forest, we were taken to the train station at Belgrave. Our group was lucky in that we got our own carriage and thus, everyone had the opportunity to sit along the rail, which we highly recommend (FYI: small children and pregnant women are not allowed to sit on the sill). The train rolls along at about 15 mph. The thrilling part comes along when the train crosses the bridge and there is no longer ground directly beneath your feet! We made a short stop at Menzies Creek to allow some passengers off. Then, we continued onwards to Lakeside. The total train ride lasted about an hour. Our group had about an hour at the Lakeside train station which houses a gift shop and small café. Afterwards, the drive back into town was about an hour and Margaret provided several convenient drop-off points.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you so much for sharing such a detailed review! 🌟🚂 We’re delighted you enjoyed the Puffing Billy experience, rainforest walk and time at Lakeside. Margaret will be thrilled to hear your kind words and that she helped make the day enjoyable and well organised. We really appreciate your helpful tips and recommendation, and hope to welcome you again soon! 💜
Muath_M, Aug 2026
Nathen was great and very supportive and enthusiastic and made the trip really enjoyable for us. We really enjoyed this experience and highly recommend it to everyone!!
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you so much for your wonderful feedback! 🌟🚂 We’re thrilled to hear Nathan made your Puffing Billy & Rainforest Tour so enjoyable with his enthusiasm and support. It’s fantastic to know you had such a great experience. Thank you for your kind recommendation, and we hope to welcome you again soon! 💜
Brianna_B, Aug 2026
Fantastic family activity.
Timing was perfect for a half day activity, price was fair, tour guide was great.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you so much for your wonderful feedback! 🌟🚂 We’re delighted to hear you enjoyed the Puffing Billy & Rainforest Tour as a family and found the timing and value just right. It’s fantastic to know your guide helped make the experience so enjoyable. Thank you for recommending us! 💜
Iftekhar_A, Jul 2026
Scenic pleasant trip with informative and polite guide/driver. Guide named Michael was punctual and helpful. Would recommend to friends and family
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you so much for your wonderful feedback! 🌟🚂 We’re delighted you enjoyed the scenic Puffing Billy & Rainforest Tour. Michael will be thrilled to hear your kind words about his punctuality, helpfulness and informative approach. Thank you for recommending us to your friends and family! 💜
Monica_V, Jul 2026
Our tour guide was Nathan, he was very nice and knowledgeable went out of his way to take pictures of us upon request, had a nice stop at the rainforest.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you so much for your lovely feedback! 🌟🚂 We’re delighted to hear Nathan made your Puffing Billy & Rainforest Tour so enjoyable. It’s wonderful to know he was friendly, knowledgeable and happy to help capture some special memories for you. We’re also glad you enjoyed the rainforest stop. Thank you for sharing your experience! 💜
Edna_B, Jul 2026
Make sure you book it online as it always sold out. Puffing Billy train is very nice experience, I will definitely come back again.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you so much for your wonderful feedback! 🌟🚂 We’re delighted to hear you enjoyed the Puffing Billy & Rainforest Tour and had such a memorable train experience. We truly appreciate your recommendation and would love to welcome you back again! 💜
Leo_L, Jul 2026
Amazing guide in Nathan, very friendly and took us on some lovely walks prior to the journey. Definitely an experience I will never forget. Thank you 🙏
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you so much for your wonderful feedback! 🌟🚂 We’re delighted to hear Nathan made your day so memorable with his friendly approach and the lovely walks. It’s fantastic to know the experience left such a lasting impression. We truly appreciate your kind words and hope to welcome you again soon! 💜
Nichelle_B, Jul 2026
The tour guide was amazing. We had some really good views. It was very educational. I would highly recommend the tour guy that we had. He was amazing.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you so much for your wonderful feedback! 🌟🚂 We are delighted to hear you enjoyed the Puffing Billy & Rainforest Tour and the beautiful views along the way. It is fantastic to know your guide made the experience both enjoyable and educational. We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you again soon! 💜
Jacob_S, Jul 2026
Definitely worth getting this tour. Having a driver is great, and there was enough time to enjoy a meal, go through the gift shop, and walk through the rainforest. We had Lachlan as our tour guide and he was so good. From the very beginning he was super friendly getting us all on the bus, and he had lots of cool stories and interesting facts to tell us. Also, he was super clear with instructions about where to go.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Hi Jacob, Thanks for sharing your experience. I will pass this onto Lachy. He is a great freindly tour guide and deserves the amazing feedback.
Glad to hear your had time to take it all in and enjoy the Puffing Billy Train as well.
Thanks
Explore Australia Tours Team
Annie_J, Jul 2026
Great experience even on a cold Melbourne day! Lochie the tour guide was friendly, knowledgeable and the day ran really smoothly.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you so much 🌟🚂 We are really glad you enjoyed the Puffing Billy & Rainforest Tour, even on a chilly Melbourne day 😊 Lachie will be so happy to hear your kind words about his friendly and knowledgeable guiding. We truly appreciate your feedback and hope to welcome you back again soon! 💜
Elena_S, Jul 2026
Great experience! Tour guide was amazing, the scenery was incredible and overall had lots of fun with everybody
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you so much for your lovely feedback 🌟🚂 We are really glad you had a great time on the Puffing Billy & Rainforest Tour 😊 It is wonderful to hear you enjoyed the scenery, had fun throughout the day, and that your guide helped make the experience special. We truly appreciate your kind words and hope to see you again soon! 💜
Cathymberes, Jun 2026
We were fortunate to have great weather, cool and clear. This made for nice photos. Van picked up and dropped off on time and driver/guide Margaret was cheerful and informative. Lunch in the café was better than expected.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you so much 🌟 We are really glad you enjoyed the Puffing Billy Railway & Rainforest Tour 😊 It is wonderful to hear you had a pleasant day out of the city, enjoyed the scenic views, and found everything well organised, including your guide and transport 💜 We truly appreciate your kind feedback and hope to see you again soon!
Terrell_J, Jun 2026
Amazing experience! Fun time! Staff was great atmosphere was amazing. People waved in excitement as we cruised through the town. Must see!
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you so much 🌟🚂 We are really glad you had an amazing experience on the Puffing Billy & Rainforest Tour 😊 It is wonderful to hear you enjoyed the fun atmosphere, great staff, and the excitement from people waving along the journey 💜 We truly appreciate your kind feedback and hope to see you again soon!
Al_C, Jun 2026
It is not the rain forest feeling I thought I would experience with lots of animals. Train is cool but basically in people’s backyards.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you for your feedback 🌿 We are glad you experienced the Puffing Billy & Rainforest Tour and enjoyed the train journey 🚂
We are sorry to hear the experience did not fully match your expectations of a rainforest setting with wildlife. Grants Picnic Ground is a bird-focused area, where guests can often see native species such as lyrebirds, Crimson Rosellas and Rainbow Lorikeets. As these are wild animals, sightings can vary on the day.
The Puffing Billy railway itself travels through a mix of forested areas and local residential sections, offering a scenic journey through the Dandenong Ranges rather than a remote wilderness rainforest experience.
Thank you again for sharing your thoughts, as feedback like yours helps future guests know what to expect and helps us continue to improve 💜
Karen_L, Jun 2026
Thoroughly enjoyed Puffing Billy and the tour and our guide Margaret was knowledgeable and funny . Definitely would do that tour again 😊
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you so much 🌟🚂 We are really glad you thoroughly enjoyed the Puffing Billy & Rainforest Tour 😊 It is wonderful to hear Margaret made the day even better with her knowledge and humour 💜 We truly appreciate your kind feedback and would love to welcome you again in the future!
Gillian_W, Jun 2026
This tour is exactly what i needed as a solo travel: tickets to puffing billy train ride as well as pick up and drop off services from the CBD. Guide was informative and extremely helpful too
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Hi Gillian, Thanks for the great review. Glad to hear you enjoyed your tour and the hassle free day that came along with it. I will pass your kids words onto your guide.
Enjoy the rest of your travels.
The Explore Australia Tours Team.
Jessica_L, May 2026
It was an amazing experience. Highly recommended! Dangling my legs on the Puffing Billy was definitely one of my most memorable moments.
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you so much for your lovely feedback 🌟🚂 We are thrilled to hear you had such an amazing experience on the Puffing Billy & Rainforest Tour 😊 Having your legs dangling from the Puffing Billy is certainly a memorable and iconic experience! 💜 We truly appreciate your recommendation and are so glad you enjoyed your day.
Nicole_M, May 2026
It was nice to visit the beautiful region and the train was a unique experience. Nice for adults but I think a very fun activity for children.
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you so much for your feedback 🌟🚂 We are glad you enjoyed visiting the beautiful region and experiencing the unique Puffing Billy train ride 😊 It is wonderful to hear you found it enjoyable, and we agree it is especially exciting for children 💜 We appreciate you taking the time to share your experience!
Lionel_C, May 2026
Very well organised by Explore Australia. Pick up and the tour was on time. The driver was very friendly and knowledgeable.
Response from Host, May 2026
Hi Lionel, Thanks for the 5 star review. Glad to hear the guide was knowledgeable and freindly. We love the Puffing Billy train such a nice view as well.
Thanks for traveling with Explore Australia Tours.
Thanks Marnie
Josephine_B, May 2026
It was absolutely worth it. Our tour guide, Nathan was an awesome bloke. Friendly and quite knowledgeable on the area. The mini bus was comfortable, neat and tidy.
Loved the small hike st the beginning before riding the train.
Train ride was great! Did this nearing winter and the air was crisp - love the views! Would definitely recommend for anyone planning to do something in Melbourne. Shouldn't miss this!
Response from Host, May 2026
Hi Josephine,
Thanks for the 5 Star review.
Sounds like you had a great time on the tour. The views from the Puffing Billy are spectacular.
I will pass this onto Nathan, he will love to hear this great feedback.
Thanks for traveling with Explore Australia Tours.
Kiara_I, May 2026
Our guide Matt was very knowledgeable and accommodated to everyone’s vibes- if you wanted to chat you could, but you could also relax in silence which was nice. He also communicated very clearly about the schedule and places we were going, and he still gave us an hour to explore after the Puffing Billy even though the boarding was delayed. Matt also got some really nice videos of the group on the train, so that was a very nice bonus and showed real professional care. The experience on the Puffing Billy was probably the highlight of our trip, the views were very pretty and the experience was unique. I would recommend having some wriggle time for any plans you might make after the guide, as in our experience, the Puffing Billy was almost an hour delayed due to a safety concern, although typically you wouldn’t have to wait that long. The staff at the Puffing Billy communicated very clearly and were very polite.
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you so much for your thoughtful feedback 🌟🚂 We are thrilled to hear the Puffing Billy & Rainforest Tour was one of the highlights of your trip 😊 Matt will be so happy to hear your kind words about his communication, care, and professionalism, especially capturing those special train videos 📸💜 We are also glad you enjoyed the unique Puffing Billy experience and beautiful scenery. Thank you for sharing your helpful advice for future travellers as well!
sue_u, May 2026
This tour I would recommend if travelling with children, great experience I had with my grandson . I enjoyed it as well being a nanna.
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you so much! 🌟🚂 We are thrilled you had such an awesome day on the Puffing Billy & Rainforest Tour. It is wonderful to hear you and your grandson enjoyed the experience together, those shared moments are what make it so special 😊 We really appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you again soon 💜
Keegan_M, May 2026
The was an awesome tour!
Matt was our guide. He was on time for his pick up from an easy pick up location. Comfortable ride that took about an hour. Then got us to the train easily. The rain forest walk was great. Matt took videos of us on the train and shared them with us.
He was very knowledgeable younger guy. It’s nice to go on a tour and not have someone old and boring. Also Matt explained the timeline and it was accurate. Gave great heads up when restrooms would be available.
Highly recommend! Matt is the best!
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you so much for the amazing review! 🌿🚂
We are thrilled you had such an awesome time on the Puffing Billy & Rainforest Tour with Matt. He will love hearing your kind words! Great to know you enjoyed the rainforest walk, smooth itinerary, and the extra videos he captured for you 🎥✨
Thanks again for the recommendation, and we hope to see you on another adventure soon 😊
Dawn_M, Apr 2026
This was a great day out, first walking in a rainforest and then an hour on the Puffing Billy steam train. The views from the train were spectacular and when we arrived at Lakeside we found the cafe and had a lovely lunch.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thanks so much for your kind words Dawn 😊
We are really glad you enjoyed your day, especially the rainforest walk and the Puffing Billy train — those Lakeside views are always a highlight.
We hope to see you back on tour again soon 🚂
BiChi_H, Apr 2026
The meeting time by tour operator was changed but not highlighted in the notification by the them. We’d appreciate if there is a reminder to us, maybe a day or two before the tour, while we were busy traveling. The operator was not all that helpful by threatening to drop us or we needed to rush to another meeting location. We stayed 7 minutes away and told her we would leave immediately and she just sounded like she did not believe us. Eventually we got there without causing any issues ( you can check with the. Driver).
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thank you for your feedback BiChi_H!
We are sorry to hear you felt the communication around your pickup time was unclear. For clarity, the updated time was sent via the Viator/Tripadvisor portal and this was acknowledged by you. We also send a pre-travel email and SMS reminder ahead of the tour which is recorded in your in booking having being sent.
On the morning of departure, our team contacted you when you had not arrived. While we understand travel can be stressful, our staff were met with aggressive language, which is not something we accept. Our team always aims to remain calm and supportive, and on this occasion the guide waited an additional 20 minutes to ensure you were able to join the tour.
Our goal is to create positive and memorable experiences for all guests visiting Melbourne, and we are proud of the care our team shows every day. We do, however, ask that this is met with mutual respect.
We appreciate you still joining the tour and hope you were able to enjoy the experience overall.
Likely to Sell Out
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