Destinations & ItinerariesBy Clever Tourists · Published · Last updated
The 150th Anniversary Test, Australia v England, runs from Thursday 11 to Monday 15 March 2027 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, according to Cricket Australia and the MCG, with a 2:00pm start and play into the night. Stay in East Melbourne to walk back through Yarra Park after the late finish; the east end of the CBD is the better choice if you want restaurants and the most hotels. Book soon: Cricket Australia said more than half of the tickets sold by March 2026 went to buyers from outside Victoria, so expect unusual hotel pressure for a Test. We were in Melbourne from 21 to 25 January 2023. The ground and transport details below come from the MCG, Cricket Australia and the Melbourne Cricket Club.
This one-off match marks 150 years since the first Test, played at the MCG in March 1877. The MCG lists Thursday 11 to Monday 15 March 2027 with a 2:00pm start each day, public gates opening at 12:00pm, and says it will be the first men's day-night Test at the ground.
If you have not been to a Test: it is one match played over up to five days, and tickets are sold by the day. A day-night Test has three sessions with two breaks, and the last session is played under lights. No finish time is published. A day of Test cricket usually lasts about seven hours including breaks, so plan on leaving at about 9pm or later. That is our own arithmetic, and play can run longer after a delay.
A Test can finish early if one side wins, so Day 5 may not happen at all.
Cricket Australia's first-ever public ballot for this Test closed in February 2026. By March 2026 it had reported more than 125,000 tickets sold for the first four days, with 68,289 going to buyers from outside Victoria. It said most of the public allocation for Days 1 to 3 had gone, and remaining public tickets for Days 3 and 4 went on sale on 10 March 2026.
When we checked in October 2026, the MCG's page listed Days 2, 3 and 4 as on sale now and gave no status for Days 1 and 5. Day 5 tickets go on sale at the end of Day 4, per Cricket Australia. For this 2027 Test the MCG listed prices from A$60 adult, A$48 concession, A$30 child (ages 3 to 15) and A$135 family. Another MCG listing showed lower starting prices, possibly for a different day, so check the price for your day on the ticket page.
Resale: Cricket Australia says tickets should only be resold through Ticketek Marketplace, which opens closer to the Test. It names Viagogo, The Ticket Merchant, eBay, Gumtree and Facebook Marketplace as not authorised. When we checked, it listed no public group sales or public hospitality packages. Travel and accommodation packages are sold through the Cricket Australia Travel Office.
The MCG gives these distances. Jolimont station is about 5 minutes away, 350 metres from Gate 2, on the Hurstbridge and Mernda lines. Richmond station is 850 metres away, on the Lilydale, Belgrave, Alamein, Glen Waverley, Frankston and Sandringham lines. Flinders Street is about 20 minutes on foot, 1.6 km via William Barak Bridge. Trams 75 and 48 go to Stop 11, and tram 70 to Stops 7B and 7C.
A change that catches people out: since the Metro Tunnel opened, Cranbourne, Pakenham and Sunbury trains no longer stop at Richmond or use the City Loop, per the Melbourne Cricket Club. Older directions may be wrong, so check your line before you book in the suburbs.
From the airport: Melbourne Airport has no train. SkyBus runs to Southern Cross Station, and myki cards do not work on it; check the current fare and hours before you land. Then take tram 70 or 75 or a train to Jolimont. Our Melbourne Airport to the city guide compares the options.
This ranking is our judgement, based on time to the ground, with extra weight on getting back after dark. Station walks above are MCG figures, but every time below is our own estimate, so treat them as rough and check them in the PTV journey planner against your actual hotel.
1. East Melbourne. Roughly 5 to 15 minutes on foot through Yarra Park. The closest quiet base, and you can walk back at night without thinking about the last train. The catch: few places to eat and few budget rooms.
2. Richmond. Roughly 10 to 15 minutes on foot. Swan Street's pubs are right there, and Vietnamese food is on Victoria Street. The catch: check your train line after the Metro Tunnel change, and expect noise on event nights.
3. CBD east end (Collins Street, Flinders Lane). Roughly 20 minutes on foot or 10 minutes by tram. Restaurants and trams at the door, and the most choice for a longer stay. Our pick if you want a city break around the cricket. The catch: expect the fiercest competition for rooms on the big days.
4. Southbank. Roughly 25 minutes on foot along the Yarra. River views and late food. The catch: a longer walk after a late finish, and a busy, high-demand strip.
5. Docklands and Southern Cross. Roughly 15 to 20 minutes by tram 70 or 48. The SkyBus terminal and rail hub are next door. The catch: it can feel empty at night, and you are adding a tram ride at the end of a long day.
We have no sourced hotel rates for this Test, so this is about demand. With 68,289 tickets already sold to people from outside Victoria by March 2026, those buyers need beds in a way that a normal Melbourne crowd does not. Book a free-cancellation room as soon as you hold a ticket.
Victoria's Labour Day public holiday falls on Monday 8 March 2027, and the Moomba festival usually runs around that weekend, so Melbourne may already be busy just before the Test. Check the dates if you plan to arrive early. The 2027 Australian Grand Prix follows on 2 to 4 April, per Formula 1, if you are staying on.
Book the night of Wednesday 10 March if you hold a Day 1 ticket. If you hold a Day 4 ticket or want a chance at Day 5, leave Tuesday 16 March free and avoid a Monday night flight. Visitors to Australia need permission to enter; see our Australia ETA guide well before you travel, and our tipping guide once you arrive. Evenings at the ground can be cool, so bring a layer for the session under lights.
Thursday 11 to Monday 15 March 2027 at the MCG, with a 2:00pm start, according to Cricket Australia and the MCG. It is a day-night Test.
No finish time is published. With a 2:00pm start and a usual day of about seven hours, plan on leaving at about 9pm or later. That is our estimate.
When we checked in October 2026 the MCG listed Days 2, 3 and 4 as on sale. Day 5 tickets go on sale at the end of Day 4, and resale should only be through Ticketek Marketplace.
Jolimont, about 5 minutes on foot and 350 metres from Gate 2, on the Hurstbridge and Mernda lines. Richmond is 850 metres away, but Cranbourne, Pakenham and Sunbury trains no longer stop there.
East Melbourne for the walk back after a late finish, or the east end of the CBD for restaurants and more hotels. These rankings are our judgement, based on time to the ground.
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