Yass



Yass is a country service town on the intersection of the Hume Highway (M31) and Barton Highway (A25) in New South Wales, just under an hour north-west of Canberra. It has a range of accommodation and good facilities for those passing through, and a handful of local attractions for wishing to relax a little longer.

Understand
Before the Yass Bypass was complete, the Hume Highway used to pass straight down the main street of town. The high street consisted of service stations, take-aways and motels. There are now highway services on the freeway, and little passing traffic through the town.


 * Yass Valley Shire Council
 * Tourism in Yass Valley Shire

By car
Yass is 3 hours drive from Sydney and 6 hours drive from Melbourne on the Hume Highway. Yass is approximately a 40-50 minute drive from Canberra, the national capital.

By train
Because of an historical curiosity, the train service from Sydney to Melbourne does not pass through Yass. It was linked by a spur line that has long since closed. Accordingly, you will need to be picked up or get a taxi from Yass Junction to Yass.

Train services run from Sydney and Melbourne to Yass Junction and are provided by NSW Trainlink (tel 13 22 32). Trains run run twice a day in both directions. It is approximately 4 hours from Sydney by train ($45 economy) and 7.5 hours from Melbourne ($90 economy).

By bus
Bus services are provided by:


 * NSW Trainlink from Cootamundra and, in the other direction, from Queanbeyan (the service passes through Canberra but does not pick up passengers).
 * CDC Canberra (tel ) weekdays to and from Canberra
 * Greyhound (tel 13 14 99 within Australia or internationally) from Canberra, Melbourne and Sydney.
 * Fearnes (tel 1800 029918 free call within Australia or ) from Canberra.

Do

 * Country Stuff. It's not exactly the most thrilling town in the world, but its great for photographers and historians!

Eat
If you are passing through on the Hume, there is a major set of services at Yass, that don't require you to venture more than a few hundred metres from the freeway. Fuel and fast food available 24 hours.



Go next

 * Continue south along the Hume Highway to Gundagai and the Victorian border.
 * Go south (40 minute drive) via the Barton/Federal Highways to Canberra
 * Continue east along the Hume Highway to the inland town of Goulburn (50 minutes) and then Sydney (3 hours)