The 602 operated from various terminii in Brighton including Brighton Beach and Middle Brighton along New St, Hotham St, Williams Rd, Commercial Rd and St Kilda Rd to the city, passing through the suburbs of Elsternwick, Prharan and South Melbourne.
The 602 was originally operated by Melbourne-Brighton Bus Lines, but in the late 1980s the routes were operated by the Metropolitan Transit Authority, initially from a depot in Elwood but later from Footscray and Sandringham.