Three communities in Melbourne’s north will have access to train services for the first time and passengers in the north, west and south east will have more trains, more often, with the introduction of 190 new metropolitan train services every week and hundreds of extended services.
Minister for Public Transport Jacinta Allan today announced details of the new metropolitan train timetable, which will deliver new weekday services across the Mernda, South Morang, Werribee, Hurstbridge lines and the Dandenong Corridor later this year.
South Morang passengers will be able to choose from 115 new and extended services every week to improve travel choice, especially during peak times, while the new Mernda Station will give passengers access to 982 services every week when the $600 million Mernda Rail Extension opens later this year.
Dandenong Corridor passengers will benefit from up to 80 new and extended services each week and a longer turn-up-and-go service frequency in the evenings, meaning trains every 10 minutes until 10pm on weeknights.
Thirty-five new weekday services will also be added on the Werribee Line, and passengers at South Kensington, Seddon, Yarraville and Spotswood can catch a turn up and go service until 8.20pm on weekdays.
Hurstbridge Line passengers living between Eltham and the city will have more options to get to work, school or leisure activities with 35 new and extended services each week.
The new timetable will help make public transport a convenient and attractive transport option in the lead up to the opening of the Metro Tunnel, which will create space to run more trains, more often, right across Melbourne.
The Andrews Labor Government is also making space for more passengers with 14 of its order of 24 Ballarat-made X’Trapolis trains now in service and the first new High Capacity Metro Trains rolling out on the Cranbourne and Pakenham lines in mid-2019.
Bus connections to trains will be maintained, with adjustments made to bus times when the new train timetable begins. Timetables will be available at ptv.vic.gov.au before the changes are introduced later this year.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Public Transport Jacinta Allan
“We’re introducing 190 new metropolitan train services each week and extending hundreds of others to give people more choice about when and how they get around.”
“It’s part of our record investment in tracks, trains and services throughout Victoria, to connect new and growing communities and get people home safer and sooner, wherever they live.”
“We’re laying new track, upgrading signalling, opening new stations, removing level crossings, introducing bigger, better trains and building the Metro Tunnel – we’re getting it done.”
Reviewed 19 August 2020