Getting to Ballarat

Ballarat!
We know what you're thinking, "How will I possibly get to such a remote place?"
Well, no worries, we've got you covered there.

Below are the 3 methods we recommend for getting to Ballarat. Sure, they're not the only ways, a taxi will cost about $200 and riding is 6-7 hours if you're fit, but there should be something here for most people.

Busses

To help people who are flying in to Melbourne, we will be running busses directly from Melbourne's Tullarmarine airport on the weekends both before and after the conference. These trips will have a nominal charge (around $5) and will need to be booked at the time of registration. The bus will take you directly to the university residences or to the partner accommodation venues if you are staying off campus at one of these locations.
Further information, including a schedule, can be found at: http://linux.conf.au/register/busses

If you're arriving outside the time our busses are departing, don't worry! The Ballarat Airport shuttle service operates regular services both during the week and on weekends as is a very affordable option. These services terminate at the Ballarat train station, and for those arriving during the day on the weekend prior to the conference, we will be running a conference shuttle bus to get you to the university.

For more information or to book, please see the website for the Ballarat Airport Shuttle service: http://www.airportshuttlebus.com.au/

Driving

Ballarat is about an hours drive West of Melbourne along the Western Freeway, with the drive from the airport typically adding about 20 minutes to this if you are flying in and hiring a vehicle. There is plenty of free parking available at the University of Ballarat (LCA2012 venue) if you are staying on campus and driving into town takes about 10 minutes from here.

Trains

VLine runs regular services, from Melbourne's Southern Cross station to Ballarat with the trip taking between 70 and 90 minutes depending on the time of day, number of stops etc. The Ballarat Railway Station is located in the center of the CBD, about a 10-15 minute drive from the conference venue.

If you're flying in to Melbourne, be aware that there isn't a rail link from the airport to Southern Cross Station. The airport Skybus runs regularly during the day or a taxi will be approximately $50.

To help people arriving by train, we will be running a bus to and from the Ballarat Railway Station on the weekends before and after the conference. This will be stopping at the official conference accommodation partners as well as the university itself.

For a schedule of trains running to Ballarat, please see the following VLine timetable: http://www.vline.com.au/pdf/timetables/ballarat.pdf/ballarat.
Note that this schedule may change prior to the conference in January. We recommend you check back closer to the beginning of 2012.