General News
7 December, 2022
Additional service added to W’bool line
GREATER public transport options became a reality in the south west this week as V/Line officially began a fifth weekday return train service.
GREATER public transport options became a reality in the south west this week as V/Line officially began a fifth weekday return train service.
The additional services began this week following the completion of stage one of the Warrnambool Line upgrade, delivering on the Labor Government’s promise to boost rail services in the south west.
The timetable change, effective from Monday, includes a new mid-afternoon service from Warrnambool and a mid-morning train from Melbourne on weekdays.
The new timetable will include changes to arrival and departure times, including journey time savings on some services.
The fifth service runs at 10.13am from Southern Cross to Warrnambool and 3.13pm from Warrnambool to Southern Cross each weekday.
Timetable changes will deliver an average journey time saving of five minutes on weekday services.
Regional Rail Revival director Mark Havryluk welcomed the additional service.
“Passengers have more choice travelling to and from Warrnambool thanks to stage one of the Warrnambool Line Upgrade, which is now complete,” he said.
“The project has enabled an extra daily return service from Warrnambool to Melbourne every weekday, better connecting people in this part of the state with Melbourne and other regional towns.”
Work to complete stage one of the Warrnambool Line upgrade included a new 2.2-kilometre Boorcan crossing loop, helping services recover from unexpected delays faster by allowing trains to pass each other and boosting reliability on the line.
Additional upgrades under stage one included signalling upgrades between Waurn Ponds and Warrnambool, and 12 level crossing upgrades.
Stage two of the Warrnambool Line upgrade is now underway, which will enable modern VLocity trains to travel in the south west for the first time.
Stage two includes upgrading more than 50 public level crossings with improved technology to detect approaching VLocity trains, and the addition of 17 boom gates to boost safety.
The Warrnambool Line upgrade is due to be completed in late 2023.