Visiting the Blue Mountains by train on a day trip is a great way to save money and have more control over your itinerary. It’s easy and with our advice, you have everything you need for a fantastic day trip out of Sydney.
Update: This itinerary has been updated for the new July 2024 timetable.
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How to Plan a One Day Blue Mountains trip by Train
We have put together two one-day itineraries for visiting the stunning UNESCO listed Blue Mountains using a combination of the train from Sydney and Hop on hop off (HOHO) Bus.
- Visiting Scenic Worldand using the HOHO bus to see the main sites.
- Skipping Scenic World for more bushwalking time.
Let’s start with our tips for taking the train to the mountains.
Catching the train to the Blue Mountains from Sydney
Trains to the mountains leave from Central Station, usually from platforms 5-12 in the main hall.
Take a seat upstairs on the left for the best views once you reach the lower mountains.
The journey takes just under two hours, and most of it isn’t scenic, so bring a book or nap.
How much does a train ticket to the Blue Mountains cost?
The cost of tickets depends on the time of the day and the day of the week.
If you catch the train before 6:30am or after 10am, it’s $7.23 one way; during peak times, it’s $10.33. The return peak is between 3pm and 7pm.
On Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, the Opal weekend travel cap is $9.35 per day. The cheap fare means more people on the trains, which can lead to no empty seats on the way home!
If you’re unfamiliar with the Opal system, read our 101 Guide to using Opal in Sydney first.
What time should you take the train to the mountains?
The early bird catches the worm and avoids the tour buses, so set your alarm and get to bed before midnight!
Trains from Katoomba:
| Central Station | Katoomba Station |
|---|---|
| 6:23am | 8:21am |
| 6:53am | 8:51am |
| 7:23am | 9:21am |
| 8:18am | 10:16am |
Catch one of the first two services. These trains will get you up to the mountains in time for a coffee before the first HOHO bus departs or Scenic World opens.
If you prefer to drive, check out our Blue Mountains self-drive itineraries.
If you are on a tight budget, you might like our guide to exploring the mountains using the public bus system, we think the HOHO bus is worth it!
Itinerary 1 – with Scenic World & HOHO Bus
A day of short bushwalks and lots of photo opportunities
This itinerary focuses on the best-known spots in the Blue Mountains: Echo Point, home of the Three Sisters, Scenic World, and Leura. It’s a great choice for anyone who prefers shorter bush walks or hasn’t had time to research.
Being able to hop on and off the bus is perfect for families with young kids who may struggle to keep up on a group tour.
I recommend buying a Lyrebird Pass online to save time on arrival. The pass includes the hop on hop off bus and entry to Scenic World so you won’t have to line up for a ticket in Katoomba.
If you plan to visit Scenic World, ticket lines can be long. Having a ticket means you can get to the rides before the crowds.
If you’re not visiting Scenic World, buy the standard HOHO pass.
Related: Check out our guide to Fifty+ Things to Do in the Blue Mountains
Planning your stops on the Blue Mountains Explorer Bus
If you’re early, head to the Blue Mountains Explorer Bus office at Katoomba Station to pick up your guidebook. It will help you plan your stops over coffee. The office opens at 8:45am on weekdays and 8:15am on weekends. If you bought your ticket online, you can show your voucher to the driver and collect your booklet when you board.
9:15am – Join the bus on Katoomba Street, opposite the Carrington Hotel (Stop 1)
The first HOHO bus leaves Katoomba at 9.15am and arrives at Echo Point at 9:27am.
If you’re visiting Scenic World today, go there first. The first HOHO bus from Katoomba leaves at 9:45am and arrives at 10am. The big tour buses arrive around 10:30am, so arriving earlier will help you avoid queues. If you arrive later, visit Scenic World in the late afternoon.
If you come later in the day, leave Scenic World until mid-afternoon.
If you arrive early, head to stop number two and check out the street art in Beverly Place before getting on the bus.
10am – Arrive at Scenic World East Station, show your pass and walk in. (Stop 7)
How long should you spend at Scenic World?
If you want to take all three rides at Scenic World, I suggest allowing about an hour for your visit. This is how I would plan my time:
Ride the Scenic Skyway first.
The bus stops at Eastern Station shortly after Three Sisters. Walk to the lookout before joining the skyway line. You should board quickly at this time.
The Skyway offers 360-degree views as it travels 270m across the valley, passing Katoomba Falls.
Get a spot by the window at the back or right-hand side for the best views of Katoomba Falls on the skyway to Scenic World.
You also get a fantastic view of the Three Sisters. The glass bottom floor lets you feel the vastness of the valley.
The light across the valley is best earlier in the day, and the Skyway is popular with tour groups, so I recommend taking this ride first.
After crossing the valley, you can walk to the top of Katoomba Falls and return to the Skyway. Or, you can get off at stop 8 (the Eastern Skyway Station) and rejoin the Skyway after the walk.
Ride the Railway next
Return to the main Scenic World station and line up for the Scenic Railway.
The railway ride to the valley floor is an attraction in itself. The bottom platform has fantastic views of the Three Sisters. The trip down is like a rollercoaster ride. If you’re scared of heights, you might prefer to ride up and take the cable car down and the railway up.
The Scenic Walkway
The Scenic Walkway is a 2.4km boardwalk between the railway and the cable car. It’s accessible for prams and wheelchairs with a natural incline and handrails.
There is an extension that is not wheelchair accessible and adds 10 mins to the trail. There was nothing significantly different on this part of the walk, so it’s okay to skip it if you like. Follow the signs to the cableway.
The Scenic Cableway will take you back up to the base station from the valley floor.
11.00am – Get back on the HOHO bus; if you miss it, there’s one every hour.
The next stop is NarrowNeck Lookout. The bus usually stops here for a couple of minutes so you can take a quick photo. If you’re not doing a bushwalk, re-board the bus after taking your shot.
11:19am – Arrive at Katoomba Falls Tourist Park (Stop 14)
This is one of the prettiest mountain walks. Follow the signs to the main Katoomba Falls lookout, then backtrack to the Katoomba Cascades walk. There are picnic tables at the top of the cascades.
1:01pm – Rejoin the HOHO bus at Stop 8 (Katoomba Cascades) and stay on board to Leura Village.
1:27pm – Arrive at Leura Cascades (stop 18) for a picnic. If you haven’t brought lunch, stay on the bus to Leura Village.
Explore Leura Mall and visit Josophan’s for their delicious chocolate. There are many shops with tempting items. I always end up spending too much time and money at Teddy Sinclair and Leura Whisk.
Bathrooms are off the main street near Woolworths supermarket.
heck out Bygone Beauty’s Treasured Teapot Museum, which houses the world’s largest private collection of tableware, including over 5,500 teapots from around the world. They also offer a great afternoon tea.
If you’re not a big shopper, get off at stop 20 or 21 and check out Lyrebird Dell or Elysian & Olympian Lookouts.
3:35pm – Reboard the bus at Leura Station (stop 22) and travel to the Three Sisters (Echo Point)
3:57pm – Arrive at Echo Point (Stop 6)
Walk down to the Three Sisters viewing platform for fantastic views of the rock formation and the valley to Mount Solitary; if you’re up for it, head down to see the Three Sisters up close.
Walk through the stone archway next to the visitors’ centre and follow the path to Honeymoon Bridge to walk out onto the first sister.
There’s a visitors centre, with a gift shop you might want to visit before you leave.
If your legs are up to it, walk to Katoomba town centre instead of taking the bus. If you don’t want to walk, go to the Lookout bar for a cold drink and views.
Take a walk along the main street and check out the street art in Beverly Place.
4:57pm – Catch the bus back to Leura station (stop 23) to connect with a train to Sydney or Katoomba.
Trains to Sydney leave Katoomba Station hourly at twenty minutes past the hour on weekdays and twice hourly on weekends at twenty-two and thirty-eight minutes past the hour.
If you’re not in a hurry to return to Sydney, the sunset over the valley at the Three Sisters is worth seeing. The last drop off at Echo Point is at 4:57pm. If you stay, you’ll need to take a local bus back to the station. You can use your Opal card or credit/debit card on these buses.
If you want to have dinner in the mountains before heading home, our two favourite options are The Bootlegger, opposite the station, or Mountain Culture a couple of blocks west.There’s a train at 8:20pm that gets back to Sydney at 10:21pm.
Itinerary 2- The HOHO bus and lots of bushwalking
This itinerary focuses on longer walks and less time in Katoomba and Leura, and excludes Scenic World. Pack water and snacks for exploring the trails.
Planning which bushwalks to take
Check for closures before starting this itinerary. The top-rated Prince Henry Cliff Walk at Leura and the Valley of the Waters in Wentworth Falls are partially closed due to landslides and may not reopen soon.
This itinerary includes three walks, but there are more options in the guidebook you get with your HOHO bus ticket.
Planning your stops on the Blue Mountains Explorer Bus
9:15 am – Take the first bus from Stop 1 to Echo Point. If you need picnic items, walk to Hominy Bakery or Aldi supermarket on Katoomba Street. There’s a second stop at the end of the street to save you the walk back.
9:27 am – Alight at Echo Point (Stop 7) and walk to the Three Sisters lookout for your first view of the Jamison Valley.
Take a short walk onto the first sister and then retrace your steps to the carpark where you will find signs for the Prince Henry Cliff Walk.
The Prince Henry Cliff walk to Katoomba Cascades is 2.3km long and graded as moderate. There are many steps, but it’s not too challenging for someone with average fitness.
There are lookouts all along the way, and you should be able to cover it in an hour.
12:19pm – Join the HOHO at stop 14: Katoomba Falls Tourist Park and ride to stop 21 Lyrebird Dell.
12:33pm – Lyrebird Dell to Pool of Siloam. This walk is tougher than this morning’s but it’s one of my favourites in this section of the mountain.
The environment is wetter, and ferns flourish. There are waterfalls and a cave with Aboriginal engravings.
If you’re not up for a challenging walk, you can get off at stop 20 and walk to Elysian & Olympian Lookouts. Not as impressive as Lyrebird Dell but still lovely.
2:35pm – Return to Stop 23 for the bus to Leura Village, where your walking ends and the coffee and cake are calling. It’s easy to spend an hour here looking in the shop windows.
From here, you can shop before catching a bus to watch the sunset at Echo Point or take a train back to Sydney from Leura or Katoomba Stations. Check the sunset times here.
Trains to Sydney leave Leura at 4:24pm and then hourly until just before 10:30pm. Trains leave Katoomba five minutes earlier.
If you need more suggestions, study the guidebook your driver will give you. It contains 16 more walks. If you are staying overnight, they will usually give you a free pass extension for the next day!
For more inspiration, check out these articles:
- 33 Blue Mountains Lookouts
- High Tea in the Blue Mountains
- 12 Short Blue Mountains walks
- 50 Things to do in the Blue Mountains
- Where to Stay in the Blue Mountains
You might find our 3 day Sydney itinerary helpful if you’re short on time in the city.
Have questions about things to see and do in Sydney?
Head over and join our Facebook Group and we will be happy to help.
Excellent and comprehensive piece! Some of my fondest and early childhood memories are on the Skyway.
Helpful tips on the Blue Mountain and Scenic World. The waterfalls look beautiful.
Thank you for a very detailed guide for visiting the Blue Mountains. It brings me back memories of my visit there some time ago. I did most of what you have suggested but not all. As my daughter lives in Sidney maybe I will revisit someday. Thanks for sharing.
Very informative and love that it gives different detailed options. Thank you.
Thank you for this awesome info!
Glad it was helpful Dee 🙂
This is a great post and so helpful in planning my trip. Thank you! One quick question to clarify on the train tip. When you say take a seat on the left, do you mean the left when looking forward to the front of the train? Thanks!
Yes that is what we do Jess, the left when you board the train
Thanks for sharing.
Is there a way I can save this on my iphone?
You can usually save the webpage as a shortcut on your home screen? I am not an iPhone user so I am not sure of the exact instructions. You can also choose print and save as a PDF to your phone.
My husband and I will be in Sydney November 14-18, 2019 (soon!) We are from the States. We have never been to Sydney, so researching lots of stuff now. We will be on a cruise before our stay in Sydney. Anyway, if we choose option #1 or #2 should we reserve anything ahead of time via internet? Like bus tickets? Since we are doing a LOT of touring on foot for 3 weeks, do you think the first itinerary is best for us? We are in good shape, but in our 60s. Thanks for all this wonderful information!
Hi Linda
Sorry for the delay, I have been away with little internet access. You don’t need to purchase anything in advance. You can use your credit cards (a different one per person) instead of buying Opal cards now. The first time itinerary would be good. I also suggest checking out Sydney Greeters and also our self-guided bus tours and our walking tours.
Hi,
thank u for this informative article 🙂
could u plz tell me if I got this right: so if i want to do the wentworth falls walk, i take the train from sydney to Katoomba Station and if i want to stop at the 3 sisters lookout i take the bus number 686. and then to do the wentworth walk i need to take the same bus back to katoomba and take another bus 685 to North Wentworth Falls. right?
1. how do i know when i have buses?
2. how long does it take from one station to another?
3. is there a lookout u recommend?
thanks!
I would probably suggest you take the train to Wentworth Falls and start the walk here. You can take the 685 bus from the station to near the start of the walk. You can check the timetable here https://transportnsw.info/
Once you are done jump on a bus to Katoomba. Before you head out check the NPWS website for any fire warnings. Parks and trails are closed this week due to fire risk and this will probably happen several times over the summer. https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/visit-a-park/parks/blue-mountains-national-park
Another shoutout from the U.S. We will be in Sydney in early September of 2020. What type of weather is typical of the Blue Mountains at that time?
Septemeber temperatures are usually lovely and cool about 15-18 degrees Celcius.
Is the train from Sydney to the Blue Mountains in operation due to the fires? If not what is the best way to get to the Blue Mountains?
The train is currently running at least as far as Katoomba and possibly to Mount Victoria unless any new fires pop up. Any changes will be listed under Alerts or Trackwork on this site https://transportnsw.info/alerts/details#/metro-train If trains are not running they are replaced by buses arranged by Transport NSW so you can still visit for the same price. It may just take a tiny bit longer.
Wonderful information and details! Thank you!! We are visiting Sydney from 10-28 to 11-3 this year. I cannot wait to see this area.
Thanks, Debi, I hope you have a wonderful time! The mountain towns will really appreciate your business as they get back on their feet.
Thanks for the detailed info on how to see the Blue Mountains.
Can you use your Opal Card on the train from Sydney to Katoomba?
What is the typical weather like in early April in the Blue Mountains?
Hi Lynda, you can use your Opal card. April can be cooler but it’s usually lovely walking. Average temperatures are between 17° / 9° Celcius.
Great itinerary! I am planning a trip June 2021. Hopefully this will entail the Winter Festival. How does that affect this itinerary? Should I come early, like Thursday/Friday or stay late, like Sunday? I will assume there will be a huge crowd. Do you have suggestions for lodging?
Thanks!
Hi Tricia
The Winter Festival is very popular – I would probably come a few days before if you want to do some bushwalking and sightseeing before the festival. What is your budget like? The YHA is great and so is the caravan park at Katoomba Cascades. Alternatively, check out this article https://sydneyexpert.com/where-to-stay-in-the-blue-mountains/
Dear Sir
I plan to visit Blue mountain October 2022 with my family. I live near King Cross Station. So i plan to board King Cross Station interchange at Central and then travel to Katoomba Station. Then take a bus or cab to Scenic World and spend 3 hour. My question is how do i return to Central Station via train from Katoomba station.
Should i follow the same route or different route Please mention the train route for the return journey
Yes I would suggest you return via the same route.
Hi
I will be here in February 2023 and plan on following this guide (assuming that the HOHO is back to 7 days a week). I have a query on one section of the guide which states
“1.13 pm – Rejoin the HOHO bus here at Stop 9 and stay on board until you reach Echo Point
The bus will pass by NarrowNeck and Cahill Lookout
1.45 pm – Arrive at Echo Point (Stop 7)”
These instructions have you going backwards from stop 9 to stop 7 – how is this possible?
Hi Sir, i am planning to visit the blue mountain on 17 December. But since I am on work trip to sydney my chances to visit is but dicey. Does the lyrebird pass recommended by you has free cancellation? I am not able to see any cancellation policy on the link.
Book your pass the day before. They service is not likley to be booked out on Dec 17th.
Thanks for all of this. We have a trip to Dubai and Australia booked for October / November this year. We have already booked our Lyrebird HOHO bus and Scenic World ticket. We are seasoned walkers although in our 70th year, we were struggling to decide which walks to take on at The Blue Mountains. We will certainly take your advice and do Scenic World first and want to do the Cliff Top Walk from stop 6 to the 3 sisters. Another question you have answered is eating places. As we will be catching the 6.23 train from Sydney, we will want to eat something during the day and it will save preparing / buying and carrying food all day. Leura Village seems ideal as we want to do the Prince Henry Cliff Walk / Gordon falls to Olympian Rock as our last walk.
Thank you for this very informative post. I didn’t fancy the planned excursions from Sydney which all seem to include a visit to a place with animals and a river cruise. I’ve had to cancel that booking thankfully!
It’s great, it’s very helpful to me
what a great post!
thank you your website is very helpful.
We are traveling from the States to Sydney this coming weekend. Should we purchase any tickets in advance for your Itinerary #1? And if we plan to leave anything out on that itinerary, what would you recommend? And what is the temperature there right now?
The temperature is set to be 27-35 degrees celcius this weekend. If I was going to leave anything out I would probably miss Scenic World – and do the Katoomba Falls hike instead. If you really want to go to scenic world just do the skyway and the railaway and dont worry about the rainforst walk there. Or spend less time in Leura shops.