Community
14 March, 2025
Additional weekend train services
AFTER slashing the cost of a V/Line ticket through the regional fare cap, the state government has announced its boosting train frequency on the Ballarat, Ararat, Warrnambool and Bendigo lines.
According to a statement issued last week, 50 new or extended weekend services will be introduced.
From April 14 there will be four extra weekend services on the Warrnambool line – with new return services on Saturdays and Sundays adding to the extra services rolled out late last year.
This means Warrnambool passengers will have five daily weekend return services, with the line more popular than ever thanks to the regional fare cap.
Passengers on the Warrnambool line now have access to modern and reliable VLocity trains on all weekend and weekday services.
From April 13, Ballarat line passengers will benefit from 33 extra services.
Trains will run every 40 minutes on weekends between 8am and 9pm for the first time.
Most weekend bus services that connect to trains on the Ballarat line will also now run every 40 minutes – a significant boost to the frequency of bus services.
On the Ararat line, two new return services will be added on Saturdays and Sundays, including a 9.15pm Saturday service from Southern Cross to get passengers home from AFL twilight matches or an evening in Melbourne.
Two Geelong line trains will also be extended through to Waurn Ponds Station every weekday morning, giving passengers in Waurn Ponds more travel options.
Almost 40 million train and coach trips have been taken on the V/Line network, and more than
$114 million saved by passengers, since the fare cap was introduced in March 2023.
