Accessibility at Odyssey Literary Festival
Getting to the festival
The Capitol is located at 113 Swanston Street, opposite Melbourne Town Hall.
Travelling by car
Limited paid parking spaces are available on Russell Street, Exhibition Street and surrounding streets. A number of accessible parking spaces are available on Little Collins Street and surrounding streets.
Larger paid public car parks are within walking distance including the Federation Square car park. A map of City of Melbourne public parking can be found here: Where to park | City of Melbourne
Travelling by tram
The Capitol is accessible by tram on routes 11, 12, 48 and 109 (Stop 6: Town Hall/Collins St is the best stop for these routes).
The venue is also accessible on routes 1, 3, 5, 6, 16, 64 and 72 (Stop 11: City Square/Swanston St is the best stop for these routes).
Travelling by train
The Capitol is approximately a 5-minute walk from Flinders Street station or Melbourne Central station.
You can also take any tram travelling along Swanston Street from these stations and exit at Stop 11: City Square/Swanston St.
On the day of the festival
Doors will open at 12:00 pm with events starting at 12:30 pm, giving you time to settle in, go to the bathroom and get a snack or drink if you need to.
The festival program will be available on our website, as a digital display in the foyer, and in print and large print copies in the foyer. Just ask our front-of-house team for a copy when you check in.
What to expect
The lighting inside The Capitol is warm and friendly, but not extremely bright. No flashing lights will be used during any of the events.
A chill-out space will be available all day on the top level of The Capitol. This space will be quieter than the rest of the venue, but there may be a small amount of noise overflow from the levels below. Please feel free to bring your headphones or earplugs along on the day.
Regular breaks in the program will give you time to stretch or take a breather. There are also lots of places to sit down throughout the building.
You’re welcome to bring a support person or worker with you on the day; please just make sure to book them a separate ticket!
Wheelchair accessibility
The entrance to The Capitol is located inside The Capitol Arcade, accessible from Swanston Street. The entrance has two flights of steps leading to the Foyer on Level 1.
Wheelchair-accessible lifts are located to the left of The Capitol entrance staircase, between the jeweller and the dry cleaner (inside The Capitol Arcade).
Take the lift to the Foyer on Level 1. From the Foyer, a separate lift provides access to the Theatre, Salon, and Lounge levels inside The Capitol.
Wheelchair-accessible and companion seats are available throughout the theatre. Some are closer to the stage, and some are further back. If you have a preference, please let us know when booking your tickets.
Toilets
Unisex toilets and wheelchair-accessible toilets are located on the Foyer level, which also has baby change facilities.
Seating
Tickets to Odyssey Literary Festival are general admission, so you’ll be able to pick a seat that works best for you when you arrive at the venue. Wheelchair-accessible and companion seats are available throughout the theatre.
Audio and hearing access
The Capitol has a Hearing Loop available throughout the building. Music will be played in the Foyer and between events at a comfortable (not loud!) level.
If you need assistance, please let one of our team members know.
Contact us
If you’d like to chat further about access needs or how we can support you to enjoy the festival, please contact us at info@odysseylitfest.com or through our contact us form.