Travel cluster
How to Get to St Kilda from Melbourne CBD
There is no St Kilda train station. Tram 96 is the default. Balaclava is the nearest rail stop. Myki is not optional.
Direct answer
Take tram 96 from Bourke Street to Acland Street. About 20 to 25 minutes. Tram 16 runs via St Kilda Road and Fitzroy Street. Tram 12 runs via Collins Street to Fitzroy Street. There is no St Kilda railway station. St Kilda sits outside the Free Tram Zone. You need Myki.
Tram 96, Bourke Street, 20 to 25 min
Balaclava, Sandringham line
Stop 138 on tram 16 and 96
Required. Free Tram Zone ends in the CBD
How do I get to St Kilda from Melbourne CBD?
| Tram | Pick up | Best alight | For |
|---|---|---|---|
| 96 | Bourke Street | Acland Street terminus or stop 138 Luna Park | Cakes, Luna Park, Palais, beach |
| 16 | Swanston Street | Fitzroy Street or Luna Park / Esplanade | Fitzroy Street, Pride Centre, Gate 10 |
| 12 | Collins Street | Fitzroy Street | Fitzroy Street bars, walk to the pier |
Tram 96 from Bourke Street is about 20 to 25 minutes. Walking Carlisle Street from Balaclava is about 20 minutes. There is no St Kilda station.
Source: times stated in this article. No invented Sandringham-plus-tram total.
- Tap on with Myki or mobile Myki before you leave the Free Tram Zone. A two-hour fare covers this trip.
- Board tram 96 on Bourke Street, or 16 / 12 if you are already on Swanston or Collins.
- Alight at Acland Street for cakes, stop 138 for Luna Park and Palais, or Fitzroy Street for nightlife.
St Kilda is outside the Free Tram Zone. If you tap on inside the CBD by accident you are charged a Zone 1+2 two-hour fare anyway. You cannot buy or top up Myki on a tram. Authorised Officers check Night Network. Festival Sunday and Grand Prix days shorten routes. Check ptv.vic.gov.au the morning you travel.
Do I need Myki, and what does it cost?
Yes. Transport Victoria is clear: you do not need Myki only if the entire trip stays inside the Free Tram Zone map (CBD and Docklands). If the journey starts or ends outside that zone, tap on as normal. Touch off trams only when your trip is entirely in Zone 2. CBD to St Kilda is Zone 1+2.
From 1 January 2026, Transport Victoria listed Zone 1+2 myki Money at $5.70 for a two-hour full fare and $2.85 concession, with a weekday daily cap of $11.40 full / $5.70 concession, and a weekend or public-holiday cap of $8.00 / $4.00. Promotional caps change. Confirm the live table on metropolitan fares before you budget. Tap on after 6pm and the two-hour fare covers travel until 3am the next day.
Is there a train station in St Kilda?
No. The Sandringham line stops at Balaclava (Carlisle Street). From there, tram 16 toward the beach, or walk about 20 minutes along Carlisle Street to Acland. Windsor and Prahran are not closer to the sand. Do not search for a St Kilda station. It does not exist. The old St Kilda station building is a stop name on tram 96 (stop 132), not a Metro train.
What about Night Network and event days?
Tram 96 runs overnight Fridays and Saturdays as part of Night Network, typically every 30 minutes. Night Trains, Night Trams, and Night Buses use normal myki fares. A new myki day starts at 3am. Top up at stations, some tram-stop machines, 24-hour shops, or on Night Bus (capped). Do not wait until you are already on a 96 with a dead card.
St Kilda Festival shortens trams. The 2025 PTV disruption notice ran route 96 only as far as stop 132 St Kilda Station, with 16a and 3a cutting back near Luna Park, because Fitzroy Street, The Esplanade, Jacka Boulevard, and parts of Acland were closed. That pattern recurs. Read the live Festival disruption page the week of 20 to 21 February 2027. Grand Prix week often turns tram 96 around at Middle Park. Pride March delays 16 and 12 on Fitzroy Street. Event pages: Festival, Gate 10, Pride March.
Car, taxi, and bike
Driving is the slow option on weekends. Almost all street parking is paid. Read the parking guide before you bring a car to a Palais show, Festival weekend, or Grand Prix. Taxi and rideshare drop on Acland Street near Carlisle, or on Cavell Street for the Palais. The Bay Trail is a flat ride from Port Melbourne or Elwood. Buses 246, 600/922/923, 606, and 623 serve the suburb. Treat bus routes as a backup, not the default from the CBD.
Once you arrive
- Beach, pier, penguins: stay on the Esplanade and Jacka Boulevard. Penguin tickets: St Kilda penguins.
- Cakes and Luna Park: Acland Street terminus.
- Nightlife and Pride March route: Fitzroy Street.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get to St Kilda from Melbourne CBD?
Tram 96 from Bourke Street to Acland Street takes about 20 to 25 minutes. Tram 16 and tram 12 also reach Fitzroy Street. St Kilda is outside the Free Tram Zone. You need Myki.
Is there a train station in St Kilda?
No. Balaclava on the Sandringham line is the nearest station. Connect to tram 16 or walk Carlisle Street toward the beach.
Which tram stops at Luna Park?
Stop 138, Luna Park / The Esplanade, on tram 16 and tram 96.
Do I need Myki to tram to St Kilda?
Yes. The Free Tram Zone ends in the CBD and Docklands. If your trip starts or ends in St Kilda you must tap on. You cannot buy or top up Myki on a tram.
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