If you love live music, and you love trains, chances are, you’ve heard of The Blues Train. In this unique blues music festival, you’ll board a steam train and roam between four carriages. In each space, you’ll hear four, distinct music acts. This train departs and returns to Queenscliff, just 90 minutes away from Melbourne. It will return with a brand new season, including day services for the very first time. The party begins on Saturday October 4, and will run on weekends until May 2026.
The Blues Train
This groovy experience has hosted over 300,000 guests across 30 years. Now, for the first time ever, they’re launching daytime shows. The departure times have been designed to coincide with SeaRoad Ferries, so music lovers from the Mornington Peninsula can travel over the bay in time for the experience. Listen to four live acts, sip on drinks and take in scenic views of the Bellarine Peninsula.
“We’re excited to welcome guests back aboard The Blues Train with a fresh new format that is fun, immersive, and a brilliant alternative to your usual night out,” said Daniel Kay, managing director of The Blues Train. “This is more than a show. It’s a one-of-a-kind experience that fuses heritage, music and an incredible atmosphere.”
Of course, if you’re more of a night owl, the classic evening shows will be available too.
Headliners for the season include crowd favourite Jungle Jim Smith, blues-soul powerhouses Safari Motel and slide guitar performer Anna Scionti. Look forward to a mix of both fresh and returning acts throughout the season.
What to expect
This ride will take you on a return journey from Queenscliff Station to Drysdale Station. Grab a drink and soak up the vibes in Queenscliff, then take a seat in your starting carriage. At three stations along the way, the train will stop, so you can swap carriages to see the next show. Each leg of the journey lasts for about 30 minutes.
The experience includes a grazing box from Ocean Grove delicatessen, The Olive Pit. These gluten-free boxes feature a mix of cheeses, salami, prosciutto and accompaniments, and are available in single, double and vegan options. Drinks are all-inclusive, so you can look forward to a range of regional beer, wine and spirits, as well as non-alcoholic options like mocktails.
Gates will open at 12:30pm for the daytime show, with trains leaving at 1:15pm and returning to Queenscliff by 4:45pm.
Meanwhile, gates open at 6:45pm for the evening show, with the train leaving at 7:30pm. The night ends back at Queenscliff around 11pm.
Tickets are on sale now, and cost $175 per person. This experience is 18+. Keen to try it out? Learn more about The Blues Train here.