A Blue Mountains Weekend: Flying into Sydney from Melbourne, Brisbane or Adelaide

The Blue Mountains are about two hours west of Sydney by train, which makes them one of the easiest nature weekends in the country. Fly into Sydney Airport, catch the train to Central, then ride the Blue Mountains Line straight to Katoomba.

When to fly

Friday evening and Sunday afternoon flights into and out of Sydney are the most expensive. If you can, arrive Thursday night or Saturday morning and return Monday. From Melbourne and Brisbane there are departures nearly every hour; from Adelaide, early flights tend to be the best value.

What to do in Katoomba

• Walk to Echo Point for the classic Three Sisters view.
• Take the Prince Henry Cliff Walk towards Leura for cafes and gardens.
• Visit in winter for misty valleys and open fires, or spring for the Leura Gardens Festival.

Staying in a mountain cottage

Holiday cottages and guesthouses make up much of the accommodation around Katoomba and Leura. Many hosts book professional services like window cleaning Leura between guests, because the mountain weather — mist, eucalyptus oil and bushfire-season dust — leaves glass hazy fast. Clear windows matter when the view is the whole point of the stay.

Getting around

You don't need a car. The hop-on hop-off Explorer bus and the local bus network link the main lookouts, and most walking tracks start within a short walk of Katoomba station.

Budget tip

Search a few dates either side of your ideal weekend on our dashboard. Shifting one day often saves $50–$100 per person on a Melbourne–Sydney return.