Melbourne to Ayodhya: Best Flight Routes, Total Travel Time and a 5-Day Plan

By the Your Travel Partner team, Ayodhya. Last updated: October 2026.

Here's something most people in Melbourne don't realise until they look at a map: India is closer than Europe, and the time difference is only about five hours. That changes what's possible. A trip that takes a week and a half from North America can be done from Melbourne in five days, without wrecking your body clock. This guide shows you how, starting with the flights and finishing with a day-by-day plan you can actually follow.

Quick Answer

There's no direct Melbourne to Ayodhya flight. The best route is a nonstop from Melbourne to Delhi (about 12.5 to 13 hours), a night in Delhi, then a domestic flight of about 1.5 hours to Ayodhya's Maharishi Valmiki International Airport (AYJ). Flying time is roughly 14 hours in total, and door to door it's about 24 hours with the overnight stop. Australian citizens need an India e-Visa unless they hold an OCI card. Five days is enough for Ayodhya alone, and Ram Mandir darshan is free.

Table of Contents

• Best flight routes from Melbourne
• Total travel time, worked out
• Connecting in Delhi
• From Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth
• Visa, OCI and the e-Arrival card
• The 5-day plan
• If you have 7 or 9 days
• When to go: the seasons are upside down
• Ram Mandir: what to know before you queue
• Where to stay
• What it costs in AUD
• Packing for five days
• Money, phone and power
• Health, insurance and Smartraveller advice
• Travelling with parents or kids
• Booking steps in order
• Mistakes to avoid
• How we can help
• FAQs

Best Flight Routes from Melbourne

If you're planning a visit to Ayodhya from Australia, Melbourne is one of the two best cities to start from, because of its nonstop link to Delhi. You have three realistic ways to get from Melbourne to Ayodhya. All of them end with a short Indian domestic flight or a drive.

Route 1: the Melbourne to Delhi direct flight

Air India has flown a Melbourne to Delhi direct flight for several years, and Qantas has operated the same route on a seasonal basis over recent summers. Airline schedules changed a good deal during 2026, so check which carriers are flying on your dates before you fix leave. The flight takes about 12 and a half hours westbound and a little less coming home.

The timing works in your favour. A morning or midday departure from Tullamarine puts you in Delhi in the early evening, local time. You have dinner, sleep in a real bed, and catch a morning flight to Ayodhya feeling like a person.

Route 2: one stop in Southeast Asia

Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok all sit roughly on the way. Each has several daily flights from Melbourne and onward flights to Delhi. Expect 16 to 20 hours to Delhi, depending on the layover. The advantages are price, more choice of departure times, and a break in the middle. The disadvantage is a later arrival and one more chance of a delay.

If you go this way, keep everything to Delhi on one ticket, and aim for a layover of two to four hours.

Route 3: via Lucknow

Lucknow is the nearest sizeable international airport to Ayodhya by road. It has international service from a handful of hubs, and those routes change, so this only makes sense if a good connection exists on your dates. From Lucknow it's a drive of two and a half to three hours on the highway; we can send a private cab to meet you.

Which Melbourne to Ayodhya flight should you book?

When a booking site shows a "Melbourne to Ayodhya flight", it's selling you two or three flights joined together. That's fine, as long as you look at what's inside:

• How long is the connection in Delhi? Under three hours on separate tickets is asking for trouble.
• Is it an overnight connection with no hotel? Many are.
• Is your bag checked through, and what's the baggage allowance on the domestic leg?

If you'd like us to price a Melbourne to Ayodhya flight both ways for your dates, nonstop and one-stop, just ask. Our advice is to book the nonstop if the fare is within a few hundred dollars of the one-stop. The time you save is worth it on a five-day trip.

Total Travel Time, Worked Out

"How long does it take?" has two answers: time in the air, and time from your front door to your hotel room. Here are both.

Flying time only: about 14 to 14.5 hours on the nonstop route.
Door to door, with a night in Delhi: about 32 hours from leaving home, of which 10 to 12 are spent asleep in a hotel.
Door to door, same-day connection where one exists: about 20 to 22 hours.

If you add Varanasi or Prayagraj, the total travel time between cities is covered in the longer plans below. The total travel time looks long on paper, but it's gentle in practice. You fly through the day, arrive in the evening and sleep at a normal hour. With only five hours of time difference, most people feel fine by the second morning. Compare that with flying to London.

Time difference

India has one time zone and no daylight saving. Brisbane, which doesn't change its clocks, is 4.5 hours ahead of India all year. Perth is 2.5 hours ahead.

Connecting in Delhi

Whichever way you fly in, Delhi is where the trip can go smoothly or badly. A few things to sort out in advance.

1. Stay the night. Evening arrivals from Melbourne usually land after the last flight to Ayodhya has left. Book a hotel in Aerocity, next to the airport, and you're ten minutes from the terminal in the morning.
2. Check the terminal. International flights use Terminal 3. Your Ayodhya flight may leave from Terminal 1, which is a separate building. Your booking will say.
3. Mind the bags. International tickets commonly allow 23 to 30 kg or more. Domestic economy fares in India often allow about 15 kg. If the flights are on separate tickets, you'll pay for the excess. For a five-day trip, cabin baggage plus one small checked bag is plenty.
4. Allow for fog. In late December and January, morning fog in north India delays flights. If you're travelling then, don't book the Ayodhya to Delhi flight and the flight home with only a couple of hours between them.

Delhi has the most flights to Ayodhya of any city, run by several Indian airlines, so you'll have a choice of morning departures. In Ayodhya, the airport is about half an hour from the temple area. Book an airport pickup and a driver will be waiting with your name.

Prefer the train? Express services run from Delhi to Ayodhya Dham Junction and Ayodhya Cantt in roughly 8 to 10 hours. It's a comfortable day's ride but uses up a day you don't have on a five-day trip. If you do take it, ask us for a station pickup.

From Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth

If you're reading this elsewhere in the country, the approach to Ayodhya from Australia is the same; only the first flight changes.

From Perth the flying time to India is shorter than from the east coast, even with a stop. From Brisbane, add two to three hours.

Visa, OCI and the e-Arrival Card

Australian passport, no OCI

You need a visa before you fly. The India e-Visa for Australians is applied for online, and the High Commission of India in Canberra points applicants to one place only: the Government of India portal at indianvisaonline.gov.in.

These are the figures widely quoted for the India e-Visa for Australians. A bank charge of about 2.5% is added. Fees are set in US dollars and can change, so check the fee page on the portal before you pay. For a single five-day trip, the 30-day visa is enough. If you expect to visit family again, the 5-year visa is better value.

• Apply at least four days before arrival. Smartraveller gives the same advice. Two to three weeks ahead is safer.
• Your passport should have at least six months' validity and two blank pages.
• The e-Visa works only at designated airports. Delhi, Mumbai, Lucknow and Varanasi are on the list.
• Print the approval and carry it.

Beware of copycat sites. Plenty of private websites are dressed up to look official and charge several times the fee. The real one ends in .gov.in. You can do it yourself in about 20 minutes. If you'd like help, use an agent you can ring, who lists the government fee and the service fee separately. We provide visa assistance on that basis.

OCI cardholders

With an OCI card you don't need a visa. Carry the card with your current Australian passport. If you've renewed your passport since the OCI was issued, check the current rules on updating your OCI before you travel, because airline staff will look at both documents.

Indian citizens living in Australia

No visa needed for India. Check that your Australian visa or permanent residency allows you to return; permanent residents need a valid travel facility on their visa, and it expires after five years unless renewed with a Resident Return Visa.

e-Arrival card

India no longer hands out paper arrival forms. Foreign passport holders fill in an e-Arrival card online in the 72 hours before landing, through the Bureau of Immigration website, the visa portal or the Su-Swagatam app, and receive a QR code. According to reports from April 2026, OCI holders must complete it too and Indian citizens are exempt. Do it the night before you fly.

The 5-Day Plan

This 5-day plan assumes the nonstop to Delhi and counts from the morning you leave Melbourne. It gives you two nights and close to two full days in Ayodhya.

Day 1: Melbourne to Delhi

• Leave for Tullamarine three and a half hours before departure.
• On board, set your watch to India time and drink plenty of water. Stay awake for most of the flight if you can, so you'll sleep in Delhi.
• Land in the early evening. Immigration is quicker with your e-Arrival QR code and visa printout ready.
• Withdraw some rupees from an ATM in the arrivals hall and pick up a SIM if you want one.
• Short transfer to an Aerocity hotel. Light dinner, early night.

Day 2: Delhi to Ayodhya

Day 3: Ayodhya

If you have more energy, swap Guptar Ghat for Bharat Kund at Nandigram, about 20 km out of town, where Bharat is believed to have lived while Ram was in exile.

Day 4: Ayodhya to Delhi and home

• Early morning: a second darshan if you'd like one. The queue is usually shortest soon after opening.
• After breakfast: check out and transfer to the airport.
• Late morning or midday: flight to Delhi.
• Afternoon or evening: connect to your flight to Melbourne.

This is the one tight spot in the 5-day plan. If both flights are on one ticket, the airline looks after you if the first runs late. If they're separate, leave at least five hours in Delhi, or fly back to Delhi on the evening of Day 3 and sleep near the airport.

Day 5: Melbourne

You land the day after leaving Delhi. Because the time shift is small, most people manage a normal day and are back at work the next.

Is five days too rushed?

It's brisk, but it works for healthy adults who mainly want darshan. We wouldn't suggest it for travellers over 70, for families with small children, or in late December and January when fog makes a tight return risky. For them, add one day: sleep in Delhi on the way back and fly home on Day 5, arriving on Day 6.

Fitting the 5-day plan around a Victorian long weekend

Because the trip is only five days, a public holiday can cover a good part of it. Here's how the dates fall over the coming year.

The Diwali dates put you in Ayodhya on the evening of Deepotsav, when the ghats are lit with lamps. It's the most memorable night of the year and also the most crowded, so book flights and rooms as early as you can. The March dates are the easiest all round: mild weather, ordinary queues and no fog.

If You Have 7 or 9 Days

For the longer routes you'll want one car and driver throughout, and if you finish by train we can book the station transfer. Our tour packages cover each of these, and all can be adjusted to your flight times.

When to Go: The Seasons Are Upside Down

Australians often forget that the seasons flip. When Melbourne is at its hottest, Ayodhya is in the middle of winter. The best time to visit Ayodhya is October to March, which lines up neatly with spring and summer at home.

So what's the best time to visit Ayodhya if you're flying from Melbourne? If you can choose freely, go in February or in the second half of November. If you're tied to school holidays, January works; take a jacket and keep a spare day for fog. For many families the best time to visit Ayodhya comes down to when everyone can get leave together, and that's a fair way to decide.

Ram Mandir: What to Know Before You Queue

The temple is run by Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra, the Trust responsible for it.

• It costs nothing. General Ram Mandir darshan needs no ticket and no booking.
• Passes are free and come only from the Trust. Aarti passes and easier-access passes are issued on online.srjbtkshetra.org or at the Trust's counter. No tour operator can sell one. If someone offers "VIP darshan" for a fee, say no.
• Bring your passport or OCI card as photo ID for any pass.
• No phones, cameras or electronic devices inside the temple premises. There are lockers and a cloakroom.
• Dress modestly, with shoulders and knees covered, and wear slip-on shoes.
• Check timings on srjbtkshetra.org a few days before; they change with the season and on festival days.

On an ordinary weekday, Ram Mandir darshan takes one to two hours from the security check to the exit. Allow longer at weekends and festivals. Agree on a meeting point beforehand, since nobody will have a phone.

Ayodhya is a vegetarian town. Don't expect meat or alcohol around the temples.

Where to Stay

If you'd rather not choose a hotel from the other side of the Indian Ocean, our packages include the stay. On a five-day trip, location matters more than anything else. Stay as close to the temple as your budget allows; the time you save is worth more than a bigger room. Ask whether the hotel has a lift, hot water, a generator and a vegetarian kitchen.

What It Costs in AUD

This is a per-person planning budget for the five-day trip, with three nights in India. The figures are our estimates, not quotes. Airfare varies the most, and December and January fares are often well above these ranges.

All up, the Ayodhya trip cost in AUD for a careful solo traveller is roughly A$1,700 to A$2,300. A comfortable trip with a private car and good hotels is about A$2,600 to A$3,500. Couples and families sharing rooms and one vehicle spend less per head.

How to spend less

• Avoid mid-December to late January, and the week of Diwali.
• Compare the nonstop with a one-stop fare through Singapore or Kuala Lumpur.
• Book the long flight two to four months ahead.
• Travel light, so you don't pay excess baggage on the domestic leg.
• Get the ground costs fixed in one written quote.

Bear in mind that hotels and cars are priced in rupees, so the Ayodhya trip cost in AUD shifts a little with the exchange rate. We don't print package prices because they change with the season and the size of the group. Send us your dates and we'll give you a single written figure, so you know your Ayodhya trip cost in AUD before you book anything.

Packing for Five Days

You can do this trip with a cabin bag and one small checked bag, which also keeps you inside the domestic baggage limit.

Leave room in the bag. Most people go home with sweets, prayer items and gifts for relatives.

Money, Phone and Power

• Cash. You can't bring Indian rupees into the country as a visitor. Use an ATM at Delhi airport. Rickshaws, small shops and temple stalls are cash only, so keep small notes.
• Cards. Visa and Mastercard work at hotels and larger shops. A debit or credit card with no international transaction fee saves around 3%.
• UPI. Indians pay for nearly everything by QR code. Visitors can set up a prepaid UPI One World wallet, funded from an international card. It needs an Indian mobile number and passport verification, and Delhi airport has been the simplest place to enrol. Handy, but carry cash as well.
• Phone. Australian carriers sell daily roaming passes that include India; check your plan. For data, a travel eSIM is easy. An Indian SIM from the airport is cheap but can take a few hours to activate.
• Power. Good news: India runs on 230 volts at 50 Hz, the same as Australia. Your appliances will work. You only need a plug adapter, because Indian sockets take round pins (types C, D and M), not the angled Australian plug.

Health, Insurance and Smartraveller Advice

• Travel insurance. Medicare doesn't cover you overseas. Smartraveller's line is blunt: if you can't afford travel insurance, you can't afford to travel. Make sure the policy covers medical evacuation, and check the age limits if you're insuring parents.
• See your GP or a travel doctor. Smartraveller recommends doing this at least eight weeks before departure to discuss vaccinations and malaria and dengue precautions.
• Water and food. Tap water isn't safe to drink. Stick to sealed bottled water and freshly cooked food.
• Air quality. Pollution in north India can be severe from October to February. Travellers with asthma or heart conditions should carry medication and a few P2 masks.
• Official advice. The Australian Government currently advises travellers to exercise a high degree of caution in India. Read the full advice on smartraveller.gov.au and subscribe for updates.
• Leave these at home. Satellite phones and satellite-enabled navigation devices can get you detained or fined in India, and e-cigarettes are banned. Drones need official permission.
• Medicines. Keep prescription medicines in their original packaging with a copy of the script.

Travelling with Parents or Kids

Older travellers

• Ask the airline for wheelchair assistance at each airport when you book.
• Take the six-day version of the plan, with a night in Delhi each way.
• Choose a hotel with a lift near the temple.
• Hanuman Garhi has a steep flight of steps. It's fine to pray from the bottom.
• Ask the Trust's helpdesk about wheelchair availability at the temple before your visit.
• Pre-book the airport transfer at both ends of the Ayodhya stay.
• Hire an e-rickshaw for the day, so there's very little walking between temples.

Children

• The daytime flight suits kids better than an overnight one.
• Bring snacks from home and a refillable bottle.
• Write the hotel's name and your number on a card in each child's pocket.
• Build the evening around the river: the aarti, the lights and a boat ride.

Groups

Temple associations and community groups from Melbourne's west and south-east often travel together in the cooler months. One coordinator, one list of names and passport numbers, and one vehicle keep things simple. If you need an Ayodhya tour package from Australia for a group, we can quote flights, visa assistance, hotels and transport together; see our packages.

Booking Steps in Order

1. Pick your five days. Check the weather table and your leave.
2. Check documents. Passport validity, OCI card, or your Australian visa status if you hold an Indian passport.
3. Book Melbourne to Delhi. Nonstop if you can.
4. Book Delhi to Ayodhya, on the same ticket if possible, and a Delhi airport hotel for the first night.
5. Book your Ayodhya hotel close to the temple.
6. Arrange ground transport: airport transfers and a car with a driver.
7. See your GP and buy travel insurance.
8. Apply for the e-Visa two to three weeks out, if you need one.
9. Check darshan timings on the Trust's website a week out.
10. Complete the e-Arrival card within 72 hours of landing and save the QR code.

Mistakes to Avoid

1. Looking for a direct Melbourne to Ayodhya flight. There isn't one; search for Delhi.
2. Arriving at one of Ayodhya's two railway stations with no pickup arranged, if you come by train.
3. Booking a same-night connection in Delhi that leaves you in the terminal until morning.
4. Packing for a Melbourne summer and arriving in a north Indian winter.
5. Bringing 30 kg of luggage onto a 15 kg domestic fare.
6. Paying a copycat site for the visa.
7. Leaving only two hours in Delhi on the way home in January.
8. Relying on Medicare or a credit card's insurance without reading the conditions.
9. Packing a vape or a satellite communicator.
10. Paying anyone for darshan.

How We Can Help

Your Travel Partner is based in Ayodhya and arranges travel across India. For visitors coming to Ayodhya from Australia, we can plan the whole trip or only the India side.

You can also book a single service on its own: an airport pickup, an e-rickshaw for the temple circuit, a railway pickup, or a two-night Ayodhya package. We don't sell darshan passes. They're free and issued only by the Trust. To start, call or message +91 78811 55800 with your dates and the number of travellers. We're about five hours behind Melbourne, so your afternoon is our morning. Family coming from overseas? We also have guides for an Ayodhya trip from the USA and Ayodhya from Canada.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is there a direct flight from Melbourne to Ayodhya?

No. Fly from Melbourne to Delhi and take a domestic flight to Ayodhya (AYJ).

2. How long does it take to get from Melbourne to Ayodhya?

About 14 hours of flying on the nonstop route. Door to door, Melbourne to Ayodhya takes roughly 32 hours with a night in Delhi, or 20 to 22 hours with a same-day connection.

3. Is there a Melbourne to Delhi direct flight?

Yes. A Melbourne to Delhi direct flight has operated for several years and takes about 12.5 to 13 hours. Check which airlines are flying it on your dates.

4. Which is the best route from Melbourne?

Nonstop to Delhi, overnight near the airport, then a morning flight to Ayodhya.

5. What's the time difference between Melbourne and Ayodhya?

Melbourne is 5.5 hours ahead during daylight saving and 4.5 hours ahead for the rest of the year.

6. Is five days really enough?

For Ayodhya alone, yes, if you take the nonstop. You get two nights and nearly two full days in the city. Add a day for older travellers or in foggy January.

7. Do Australians need a visa for India?

Yes, unless you hold an OCI card. Apply for an e-Visa on indianvisaonline.gov.in at least four days before arrival.

8. How much is the India e-Visa for Australians?

The India e-Visa for Australians is reported at US$10 or US$25 for 30 days depending on the season, US$40 for one year and US$80 for five years, plus a small bank charge. Confirm on the portal.

9. I have an OCI card. What do I need?

Your OCI card and valid Australian passport. Complete the e-Arrival card online if current rules require it for OCI holders.

10. Is Ram Mandir darshan free?

Yes. Darshan is free for everyone, and the Trust doesn't charge for passes.

11. Can I book a darshan pass from Australia?

Passes are issued through the Trust's portal, online.srjbtkshetra.org, with a photo ID such as your passport. Numbers are limited. General darshan needs no booking.

12. Can I take photos inside the temple?

No. Phones and cameras aren't allowed inside the premises.

13. How much does the trip cost?

As a planning estimate, A$1,700 to A$2,300 per person for a careful five-day trip, and A$2,600 to A$3,500 for a comfortable one.

14. When is the best time to go?

October to March. February and late November are the most comfortable.

15. Is January a good time?

The weather is cool and it suits school holidays, but it's cold in the mornings and fog can delay flights. Pack warm clothes and keep a spare day.

16. Can I add Varanasi?

Yes, with seven days. It's a drive of four to five hours from Ayodhya, and you can fly back to Delhi from Varanasi.

17. Do Australian plugs work in India?

The voltage is the same, so your devices are fine. You need a plug adapter for the round-pin sockets.

18. Will Medicare cover me in India?

No. Take out travel insurance that includes medical evacuation.

19. Is Ayodhya safe?

The temple area is heavily policed and used to very large crowds. Take normal care with valuables and read Smartraveller's advice for India before you go.

20. Is there an Ayodhya tour package from Australia?

Yes. We can arrange an Ayodhya tour package from Australia with flights, visa assistance, hotels and transport, or just the India portion if you book your own flights.

21. Can I fly into Mumbai instead of Delhi?

You can, if it suits a family visit. Check for a direct flight from Mumbai to Ayodhya on your dates, or connect through Delhi.

22. Can I do the trip over a long weekend?

Nearly. With a public holiday such as Labour Day or Easter, the 5-day plan needs only one or two days of annual leave.

23. Is Ayodhya from Australia easier than from the US or UK?

In terms of jet lag, yes. The flight is long, but the time difference is only about five hours, so most travellers adjust within a day.

24. What should I pack for a December or January trip?

A warm jacket, a shawl or scarf, socks and closed shoes. Mornings are cold and most buildings aren't heated.

Conclusion

Melbourne to Ayodhya is a shorter journey than most people expect. One long daytime flight, one night in Delhi and one short hop put you on the banks of the Saryu within about a day and a half of leaving home, with very little jet lag. Five days is enough for an unhurried darshan and two evenings by the river. Sort out the visa early, pack for the season in India and not the one at home, and keep the Delhi connections generous.

Once you've chosen your dates, send them through and we'll put the plan together.