Get ready for the ultimate artistic adventure that combines boundless creativity with breathtaking views of the Dandenong Ranges in Puffing Billy Railway’s new Paint & Sip experience.

Offering a unique opportunity to connect with nature, find inspiration, and explore your artistic side, the three-hour Paint & Sip session starts with a captivating steam train ride from Belgrave to Lakeside, allowing you to traverse the heritage railway route – including the unique opportunity to dangle your legs from the carriage sill – and let the beauty of nature fuel your imagination.

14A thunders across the Monbulk Creek trestle bridge with a train for Gembrook.

Once at the Lakeside Visitor Centre, prepare to indulge in an afternoon of painting with friends or family, where you will be greeted with a complimentary glass of sparkling wine upon arrival. Then, with a paintbrush in one hand and your favourite beverage in the other, step into a world of vibrant colours and self-expression and enjoy an immersive two-hour guided painting lesson.

As you settle in, a delicious grazing table filled with cured meats, pickled vegetables, a selection of artisanal cheeses, crispy dukkah coated pita crisps and more will be served, perfectly complementing your creative experience. Vegan and gluten free alternatives are available upon booking.

Before long, it will be time to wrap up the session, gather your newest piece of art and the many memories made along the way, and make your way back to the train for the return journey to Belgrave.

Visitors take part in a Paint and Sip Workshop. They are using wooden easels placed side by side at a table and are painting on canvases.

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Please note the following before booking

DIETARY REQUIREMENTS MUST BE ADVISED AT TIME OF BOOKING.

The following dietary requirements can be accommodated for Paint and Sip on Puffing Billy Railway:

  • Gluten Free
  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan

Please select from these dietary requirements when booking online. Our team is unable to accommodate any dietary requirements advised on the day of travel. 

 

OTHER DIETARY REQUIREMENTS - PLEASE CALL US

If you have a dietary requirement other than the ones listed above, please book tickets over the phone with us on (03) 9757 0700 rather than booking online so our team can check if we accommodate your requirements.

Tickets must be pre-booked

Tickets must be pre-booked prior to travelling. No tickets will be available from the station on the day of travel.

Tickets are for set return journeys

Tickets will be for set return journeys, which means that the forward journey you select will determine what time your return journey will be. There will not be any open return tickets available.

Check-in 60-minutes prior to departure

When travelling on Puffing Billy, guests are required to check-in at the booking office 60-minutes before the departure of the train.

Check-in at the booking office closes 30-minutes before the train departs.

PLEASE NOTE, it is your responsibility to arrive on time. The train cannot be held and will depart at the scheduled time.

Passengers will be allocated to a specific carriage

Puffing Billy Railway operates a carriage allocation system and you will be notified on arrival of your allocation. You must sit in the same carriage on the return journey.

If you are travelling with someone else and they have booked their tickets separately, please indicate their family name in the "Notes" field in your online booking. We will do our best to seat you together.

Sitting on our carriage sills is available for passengers aged 4 years and above

Sitting on Sills Safety Instructions:

  • Children will receive a coloured wristband to wear. Where wristbands are worn, the supervising adult must ensure they remain visible to assist our friendly conductors in confirming all children are being correctly supervised.
  • Children under 4 years of age are not permitted to sit on the carriage sills.
  • Adult supervision is required for children 4-13 years of age when sitting on the carriage sill – this means a maximum of 2 supervised children per adult within arm’s reach.
  • An adult sitting on the carriage sill must not supervise more than one child who is also sitting on the carriage sill.
  • All adults travelling with children must maintain the physical ability to monitor and provide supervision at all times.
  • When sitting on the carriage sill, make sure you remain seated - no standing or climbing on the carriage sill.

Find out more about the Sitting on Sills Experience here

Directions, parking and access

PUBLIC TRANSPORT TO BELGRAVE STATION

Puffing Billy's Belgrave station is accessible by Metro Train from Melbourne CBD as well as bus from Melbourne's Eastern Suburbs.

To find your way from the Metro Train Station in Belgrave to Puffing Billy's station, follow the blue line painted on the platform for a short 2-minute walk along an accessible pathway to Puffing Billy Railway. If in doubt, ask the station attendant - they will be able to point you in the right direction.

You can also refer to PTV's main webpage relating to disruptions HERE.

Please note that to travel on public transport in Melbourne you will need a myki card. For Metro Train Timetables for the Belgrave Line, head to Public Transport Victoria's Journey Planner.

DRIVE TO BELGRAVE STATION

  • Address: 1 Old Monbulk Road, Belgrave (View Map)

  • Please note that there is no parking at the station on Old Monbulk Road.

  • If you or someone in your travel party has accessibility requirements, please use the drop-off zone at Gate 4.

PARKING IN BELGRAVE

The Belgrave Metro Station Car Park features 640 car parking spaces and 16 accessible car parking spots and is located just minutes from our Belgrave station.
View in Google Maps

Enter via Belgrave-Hallam Road/Bayview Road/Old Monbulk Road Roundabout in Belgrave

If you have any access requirements, you will find more information under the point about Reduced Mobility Access to Puffing Billy Railway further down on this page. 

REDUCED MOBILITY ACCESS

  • Wheelchair Accessible Carriages Available

    We cater for wheelchair users! Read on to find more specific information related to booking process, access, parking and boarding.

Booking tickets for an accessible carriage

We require advice of any accessibility requirements prior to travelling so we can appropriately accommodate your needs and booking. There are accessible carriages where a ramp can be used to assist passengers with access requirements (including wheelchair users). To pre-book these carriages, please contact our customer service centre via email [email protected] or phone 03 9757 0700.

If you have any questions, please contact us so we can provide more details specific to your circumstances.

Car Parking and Arrival

PATHWAYS | There are paved pathways to Belgrave and Lakeside stations and the Lakeside Visitor Centre from the car parks as well as the Metro Train Station in Belgrave. Please note that due to the topography of the area, the pathways are steep and/or narrow in places. Please find more detailed information and photos specific to each station below. 

Steep, paved Wig Wag To Belgrave Station from Metro Car Park and Belgrave Metro Train station
Pathway to Puffing Billy's Belgrave Station from the car park and Metro Train Station.
Pathway From Belgrave Metro Train Station To Puffing Billy Railway. The path has a bitumen surface and is quite narrow. It shows a blue line directing visitors to Puffing Billy from Metro.
Pathway From Belgrave Metro Train Station To Puffing Billy Railway
Concrete Steps From Top Lakeside Car Park. The steps has handrails and there is a wooden bench at the bottom of the steps. A concrete path continues on.
Steps From Top Lakeside Car Park

BELGRAVE STATION 

ACCESSIBLE CAR PARKING SPACES | There are two designated accessible car spaces at Gate 3 at Belgrave Station in Old Monbulk Road, Belgrave (view map here). From there, access to the station platform is via a ramp (the bottom of the "zig-zag path"). Wheelchair users should please note that this ramp is steep (refer photo). If you require further assistance getting from here to the platform, please contact us on 9757 0700 or 9757 0721.

Paved pathway to station from Accessible Car Parks. The pathway is bitumen but steep. It has white, wooden handrails. The path turns right on it's way to the Belgrave booking office. A sign directs passengers to follow the path to the right to check in.
Paved pathway to station from Accessible Car Parks at Belgrave station.

DROP OFF AREA | To assist passengers with reduced mobility and to avoid our steep pathway entrance to Belgrave Station, passengers may be dropped off at Gate 4 (view map here) which is in front of our Belgrave Station building in Old Monbulk Road. The area from the station to the platform is on one level.

There is also a paved walkway from the Belgrave Metro Train Station. Please note that this path is narrow in places.

Belgrave Station's drop off zone at Gate 4 is on one level with a bitumen surface. A steel gate is open, and a Puffing Billy building in heritage colours can be seen to one side.
Reduced mobility drop off zone at Belgrave Station's Gate 4.
A woman in a wheelchair in front of a yellow and brown painted wooden building. An old-style clock can be seen in the background, showing the departure of the next train. The woman is holding her Puffing Billy tickets and smiling at the camera.
Wheelchair user next to Puffing Billy's iconic clock, showing the departure time of the next steam train.

Lakeside Station & Lakeside Visitor Centre

ACCESSIBLE CAR PARKING SPACES | The Lakeside Visitor Centre has accessible car parking spots in two different locations, both located within the Emerald Lake Park Precinct, Emerald Lake Road Emerald (view map here):

  • Lakeside Visitor Centre Main Car Park: Three accessible car spaces. From there, access to the station platform is via a ramp. Please note that this ramp has a moderate gradient (see photos below).
Road sign showing the directions to two accessible car parking areas as well as a public car park.
Signage shows the way to the two accessible car parking areas at the Lakeside Visitor Centre.
Three accessible car parking spots, with a zebra crossing opposite.
Accessible Car Parking Spots near the main entrance to the Lakeside Visitor Centre.
A paved pathway curves to the right down to main entrance of the Lakeside Visitor Centre. The modern centre can be seen on the right, with a black roof, while the heritage Lakeside station is on the left with warm yellow walls and red roofs. There are handrails along the path, which is on an incline.
Paved pathway from the accessible car parks to the main entrance to the Lakeside Visitor Centre and Lakeside station.
  • Lakeside Visitor Centre Loading Dock: Two accessible car spaces. From there, you can access the Centre via a short wig wag pathway and step-free access to the alfresco deck entrance (see photos).
Two accessible car parking spots next to a building with black cladding.
Accessible car parking spots at the Lakeside Visitor Centre Loading Dock.
Paved walkway with white picket fence to a train platform.
Pathway from the accessible car parking spots at the loading dock to the alfresco entrance.
Ramp up to an alfresco deck. A train platform is located adjacent to the ramp.
A ramp provides step free access to the Lakeside Visitor Centre Alfresco Entrance.

LAKESIDE VISITOR CENTRE ACCESSIBILITY | The Lakeside Visitor Centre has step-free access throughout and features one of the Dandenong Ranges' few Changing Places Adult Change Facilities.

A concrete corridor next to a cafe
Lakeside Visitor Centre Corridor Next To Cafe

EMERALD LAKE PARK PRECINCT ACCESSIBILITY | Emerald Lake Park features many pathways to explore the precinct. The pathways around the lake have some paved and some gravel sections. Please note that due to the topography of the area, the pathways are steep and/or narrow in places.

Boarding and travelling onboard the train

Our station platforms are not at the same height as our carriage doors. Please note that between the platform and the carriage there is a gap that will require passengers to step up/step down when boarding or disembarking the train.

- Puffing Billy Railway
A man is disembarking the open side carriage. He is stepping down onto the platform and is holding on to the carriage doorway for balance.
When boarding and disembarking, there is a gap between the carriage and the platform outside.

ACCESSIBLE CARRIAGES WITH RAMPS FOR WHEELCHAIR USERS

Ramps are available for wheelchair users to board our accessible carriages. Our friendly volunteers on the day of travel will operate the wheelchair ramp. Please note that the width of the wheelchair ramp is 75cm.

Accessible carriage with double doors. The doors are open and the carriage is located at a Puffing Billy platform.
Accessible carriage with double doors at Puffing Billy's platform.
A ramp is attached to one of Puffing Billy's accessible carriages with open doors. A Puffing Billy volunteer can be seen operating the ramp to put it in place.
Wheelchair users and people with reduced mobility can board the accessible carriages via a ramp. The ramp is operated by Puffing Billy's volunteers.
Accessible carriage with ramp attached so wheelchair users can board the carriage.
Accessible carriage with ramp attached. The width of the ramp is 75 cm.
Young woman in a motorised wheelchair sits in one of Puffing Billy's accessible open side carriages. The train is travelling over a trestle bridge and green ferns can be seen outside. The young woman has warm clothes on and is wearing a face mask, and it looking out at the scenery.
Wheelchair user travelling onboard one of Puffing Billy Railway's accessible carriages as the train travels over the iconic Monbulk Creek Trestle Bridge.

PLEASE NOTE that there is very limited availability of Taxis and Ubers in our area. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Responsible Serving of Alcoholic Beverages
Travel Times
Fare Inclusions and Booking Deadline
Special Dietary Requirements