COMPLETE GUIDE – How to get to Mornington Peninsula (and get around while here)
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In this post I’m going to explain all the different methods of transportation you can use to get to Mornington Peninsula, and how to travel around the Mornington Peninsula, while here.
The Mornington Peninsula is located approximately 75km from Melbourne’s CBD in a south easterly direction.
Plus, the coastline here is approximately 193km (120 miles) long and wraps itself around a narrow stretch of land giving the Mornington Peninsula an area of 722 sq km (448.6 sq m).
That’s a lot of distance and space to explore!
So, you’re definitely going to need to know the best way to get to Mornington Peninsula and the best way to get your excited little butts to all of Mornington’s best known attractions, and the more secret, hidden locations too.
So, let’s go…
1. MORNINGTON PENINSULA BY CAR (your best option)
In my opinion, driving your own car, or hiring one, is the best way to get to the Mornington Peninsula. It’s also the best travel option for touring around the peninsula and getting to and from all the Mornington attractions.
As stated earlier, there are 722 square kilometres to explore here, and the wineries, beaches, markets and numerous Mornington Peninsula attractions, are spread far and wide. Trust me, a car is a must!
While buses do operate on the Peninsula (detailed below), 82% of the Mornington Peninsula is inaccessible by bus. Plus, summer time can get manic here on the Peninsula, especially around the public holidays (i.e. Christmas, Australia Day) and bus trips get extremely sssslllloooowwww as traffic builds up.
Car Hire Mornington Peninsula
If you don’t have a car, then hiring a car is an absolute must.
🚙 Don’t miss out on any attraction, hire a car and explore everything the Morn Pen has to offer! 🚗
Melbourne to Mornington by Car – Directions
If you’re coming to the Peninsula from the city, there are two main routes you can take to get from Melbourne to the Mornington Peninsula – the long way, or the short way!
While the longer way can add anywhere from 20-40 minutes to your trip (depending on traffic), it does take you through some popular, and some might say, more exclusive Melbourne suburbs, such as Brighton, Sandringham and Black Rock. You can also choose to stop at any of these suburbs to shop, drink coffee or swim/walk at their beaches.
Let’s have a quick look at these two routes separately so you can choose which you’d like to use to travel from Melbourne to Mornington, or from Mornington to Melbourne.
1a. The Shortest Way to Mornington Peninsula
– From Melbourne City Via the M1 (Monash Freeway) and the M11 (Peninsula Link), avoiding Frankston
- Distance: Approximately 75-90 km, depending on the destination.
- Driving Time: Around 1-1.5 hours, traffic dependent.
Click on the top right square on the map below to open a larger view. Or use the ‘+’ or ‘-‘ to zoom in and out on map while viewing here. Drag in any direction to move around while viewing here. NOTE – for more accurate directions, type in your destination on your phone’s map app to get specific driving instructions.
This is the most direct and quickest route to the Mornington Peninsula from Melbourne, making it a popular choice for many travelers. Here’s how it works:
- Start by heading southeast on the M1 Monash Freeway from Melbourne’s CBD.
- After driving about 25-30 minutes, take the exit to the M11 Peninsula Link (or Frankston Freeway) at the EastLink interchange.
- Continue along the M11 which bypasses the suburban traffic of Frankston and runs all the way to the heart of the Mornington Peninsula.
- At any point along the M11, should you like a more scenic drive along the coast, take any exit and head to Point Nepean Road. Point Nepean Road will take you directly along the coast, through each of the bay side, coastal towns like Mornington, Dromana, McCrae, etc. This can be a slow drive, as the speed limit never goes above 60km and traffic does build up around holiday time, but by golly, it is such a pretty drive and definitely worth the extra driving time if you’ve never done it before.
- See option “b.” on the map above for this route
- Should you stay on the M11, it will take you all the way to Jetty Road in Rosebud.
- From Jetty Road in Rosebud, to get to the southern most towns – Rye, Blairgowrie, Sorrento, Portsea – follow the directions to Point Nepean Road and take this road all the way through to the afore mentioned towns until you reach the end of the line (so to speak) which is the town of Portsea.
– From Melbourne City Via the M1 (Monash Freeway) with a Frankston detour
- Distance: Approximately 80-95 km.
- Driving Time: 1.5-2 hours, depending on traffic and time spent in Frankston.
This route offers the speed of the Peninsula Link (M11) with a stop in Frankston, a vibrant coastal town that’s often considered the gateway to the Mornington Peninsula.
- Start by driving southeast on the M1 Monash Freeway from Melbourne.
- Exit onto EastLink (M3), following signs for Frankston. This will allow you to bypass some of the heavier suburban traffic.
- Exit EastLink at Frankston-Dandenong Road, Thompson Road or Cranbourne Road, following signs to Frankston.
- Once in Frankston, you can take time to explore Frankston Beach, the famous Frankston Pier, or the coastal boardwalk (see image above). There are public toilets, a large playground (Frankston Regional Foreshore Playground) and places to buy coffee along the waterfront (Little Olly’s being my favourite), making it a great place to stop for a break.
- After enjoying Frankston, you can either head back to the M11 Peninsular Link and fast track your drive towards the Peninsula (refer to step 4-5 above for extra info) or, take the Nepean Highway up Oliver’s Hill for a scenic drive to the Peninsula’s first initial town of Mt Eliza, and then on your way to Mornington and the rest of the peninsula’s towns.
Click on the top right square on the map below to open a larger view. Or use the ‘+’ or ‘-‘ to zoom in and out on map while viewing here. Drag in any direction to move around while viewing here. NOTE – for more accurate directions, type in your destination on your phone’s map app to get specific driving instructions.
This option provides a combination of a quick freeway journey with a pit-stop in Frankston to stretch your legs, grab a bite, or enjoy the seaside views.
– From Eastern Melbourne Suburbs – Via EastLink (M3) and Peninsula Link (M11)
- Distance: Approximately 80-95 km.
- Driving Time: 1-1.5 hours.
For those living in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs (think Doncaster, Ringwood, Ferntree Gullly) or looking for an alternative route that bypasses central Melbourne:
- Start by taking the M3 EastLink tollway from the eastern suburbs (such as Ringwood, Nunawading, or Mitcham).
- Follow EastLink southward (approximately 30-40km depending on where you entered) until you reach the Peninsula Link (M11) interchange near Carrum Downs.
- From here, follow the M11 south to your destination on the Mornington Peninsula (follow steps 4-5 above)
Click on the top right square on the map below to open a larger view. Or use the ‘+’ or ‘-‘ to zoom in and out on map while viewing here. Drag in any direction to move around while viewing here. NOTE – for more accurate directions, type in your destination on your phone’s map app to get specific driving instructions.
This route is often less congested during peak periods and ideal for travelers starting from Melbourne’s east.
1b. The Longer Way to Mornington Peninsula
Via Nepean Highway (B110)
- Distance: Approximately 80-100 km.
- Driving Time: 1.5-2 hours, depending on traffic.
Click on the top right square on the map below to open a larger view. Or use the ‘+’ or ‘-‘ to zoom in and out on map while viewing here. Drag in any direction to move around while viewing here. NOTE – for more accurate directions, type in your destination on your phone’s map app to get specific driving instructions.
If you prefer a more scenic route with views of Port Phillip Bay, the Nepean Highway (B110) is a wonderful alternative:
- From Melbourne, head south via St Kilda Road or Beaconsfield Parade and connect to Nepean Highway in Brighton.
- Nepean Highway follows the coast, passing through bayside suburbs like Brighton, Mentone, Mordialloc and Seaford, to name a few.
- For even more of a scenic detour, exit the Nepean Highway around the Gardenvale area, and head to Beach Road to travel through the seaside towns of Hampton, Sandringham, Black Rock and Beaumaris. A spectacular pit sop on this route would be Ricketts Point Marine Sancturary.
- Eventually you will come to Frankston. Continue through Frankston and follow Nepean Highway up Oliver’s Hill, which will provide you with spectacular coastal views of Port Phillip Bay and the Melbourne city skyline. There’s even a scenic lookout parking bay you could stop off at to take in this gorgeous view. If you happen to be here around sunset, given the right conditions, you could be provided with a dazzling sight of fairy floss skies as the sun sinks below the horizon.
- As you head deeper into the Mornington Peninsula, the route offers direct access to key towns like Mt. Eliza and Mornington.
- From Mt Eliza or Mornington, you can chose to head towards the more southern towns such as Rosebud or Sorrento via the M11, or use Point Nepean Road for a more scenic route. (Refer to step 4-5 of a previous section, for more detail)
This drive is slower but more scenic and ideal for those who want to stop at beaches or enjoy the local cafés and parks along the way.
2. MORNINGTON PENINSULA PUBLIC TRANSPORT
There are both bus and train services that can take you to the Mornington Peninsula, and that operate on and around the Mornington Peninsula.
What’s important to know about public transport services on the Peninsula, or anywhere in Melbourne actually, is that you will need a myki card to use these services.
Myki cards are topped up with funds, and then you can ‘tap on and off’ trains and buses as you enter and exit. You will be charged according to how far you have travelled.
You cannot get on a bus or train and pay a fare as you enter. You must have a Myki card.
Myki cards can be purchased at busy train stations, selected news agencies and convenience stores (like 7-Eleven) and also online.
2a. Melbourne to Mornington Peninsula by Train
If it’s the bay side of Mornington you’re wanting to access by train (bay side includes towns such as Mt Eliza, Mornington, Dromana, McCrae, Rosebud, etc), then Melbourne metro trains will get you as far as Frankston, which is Mornington Peninsula’s gateway city.
There is no train service to the bay side of The Mornington Peninsula.
But never fear, as where the train line ends in Frankston, the bus route begins (as outlined further down this post).
Frankston is approximately 8.4km from the Peninsula’s first town of Mt Eliza, about 15km from the town of Mornington itself, about 40km from Rosebud (one of the Peninsula’s most busy beachside towns) and 59km away from the Peninsula’s most southerly town of Portsea.
It’s easy to remember which train to take from Melbourne to Frankston, as the train line is called the Frankston line!
There are at least 27 stops along this line, depending from which station you board the train in Melbourne’s CBD. So make sure you pack a book to read, the ride is long, it can take up to 1hr and 25 minutes.
If you happen to catch an express train during the peak morning and evening rush, then travel time will be cut down by about 20 minutes.
Trains to Frankston from Melbourne, run very frequently, every 15-20 minutes.
Late night trains run approximately every hour.
The first train to leave Melbourne for Frankston starts from approximately 5am onwards.
Please visit ptv.vic.gov.au for more specific times.
2b. Train From Frankston to Stony Point
From Frankston, there is a train that will take you to the western side of the Mornington Peninusla, to access some of the inland and Western Port side towns including Sommerville, Hastings and Crib Point.
(Keep in mind these are not really ‘touristy towns’ and will not get you to the Mornington Peninsula’s main attractions. This line is more used by locals wanting to get to and from their homes.)
This train line is called the Stony Point Line.
Once you’ve arrived at Frankston Train Station from Melbourne, you’ll need to switch trains to board this line.
There are only ten stops on this train line taking 37 minutes to travel the whole distance.
This train does not run frequently. At the time of this writing, there was at least an hour and thirty minutes between services, so make sure to check the train timetable prior to departure.
Please visit ptv.vic.gov.au for more specific times.
2c. Melbourne to Mornington Peninsula by Bus
There is no direct bus from Melbourne to the Mornington Peninsula, or Frankston either, which is Mornington’s gateway city.
If you want to catch the bus from Melbourne, which I really do not recommend, it’s about a two and a half hour ride. This bus route will detour way out East to inland Melbourne suburbs, before heading back towards the coast. Don’t do it!
If you are wanting to get to the Monrington Peninsula by public transport, then the best option is to first catch the train to Frankston and then get the bus.
2d. Frankston to Mornington Peninsula by Bus
There are quite a few different bus routes that will take you from Frankston to a variety of towns all over the Mornington Peninsula. Buses from Frankston can even take you to the Mornington Peninsula’s most southern town of Port Sea.
Below you’ll find a short list of the bus numbers and where they travel to. Again, these services can be sssslllloooowwww, so if you have only a short time to explore the Peninsula, then hiring a car or jumping on a tour is your best option.
🚙 Don’t miss out on any attraction, hire a car and explore everything the Morn Pen has to offer! 🚗
2e. Mornington Peninsula Bay Side Buses
The buses below will get you to the Bayside towns of Mt Eliza, Mornington, Mt Martha, Safety Beach, Dromana, McRae, Capel Sound, Rosebud, Tootgarook, Rye, Blairgowrie, Sorrento and Port Sea.
A bus all the way to the Peninsula’s most Southerly town of Port Sea, from Frankston, will take approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes, depending on traffic (add about 30 minutes to this in peak season).
781 Frankston to Mount Martha via Mount Eliza & Mornington
782 Frankston to Flinders via Coolart Road & Hastings
785 Frankston to Mornington East vic Mount Eliza & Mornington
788 Frankston to Portsea via Dromana, Rosebud & Sorrento (weekend Night Network)
The buses mentioned above, will get you to some of the Peninsula’s most popular beaches and many tourist attractions along the bay side coast.
If you would like more detailed info on these bus services, then visit ptv.vic.gov.au.
2f. Mornginton Peninsula Western Port Buses
The buses below will take you from Frankston through the north-central Mornington Peninsula towns of Baxter, Sommerville and Tyabb.
These buses will then continue along the Western Port side of the Peninsula through the towns of Hastings (bus 783 stops here), Bittern, Crib Point, Somers, Flinders and Shoram.
782 Frankston to Flinders via Coolart Road & Hastings
783 Frankston to Hastings via Coolart Road
3. MORNINGTON PENINSULA BY FERRY
If you’re looking for a truly unique way to travel on the Mornington Peninsula, then Searoad Ferries is it!
Searoad Ferries offers a scenic and convenient way to explore both sides of Port Phillip Bay.
This ferry service provides a relaxed, scenic, 40-minute journey, between the Monrington Peninsula town of Sorrento and the Bellarine Peninsula town of Queenscliff.
You can take your car, motorbike, caravan or truck on the ferry, or just take a ride as a foot passenger. But be warned, if you’re planning to take your vehicle on the ferry, do check prices as it’s not cheap!
The ferry operates daily, with services running every hour on the hour (in peak times) and every second hour in the off season, or when they’re servicing one of the two large ferries that they run between the ports.
Keep your eyes open while travelling as on numerous occasions I have spotted dolphins. And if you’re lucky, like my mum was on one occasion, you may even spot whales!
The ferries have onboard cafes where you can purchase coffee, cold drinks (alochol included) along with snacks, sandwiches and hot food like meat pies and sausage rolls.
Head to the Searoad Ferries webiste to check out timetables and purchase tickets online.
