Public transport in regional Victoria is set for a significant uplift, with the state government announcing major service enhancements across key V/Line train routes.
While the focus has largely been on increased train frequencies, regional bus services will also see substantial improvement, particularly in Ballarat where most weekend services will now run every 40 minutes to align with train schedules.
- Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter to receive the latest news and classifieds from Australasia’s bus and coach industry
- Don’t miss a second and subscribe to our monthly ABC magazine
From April 13, weekend public transport connectivity in Ballarat will be stronger than ever, with trains on the Ballarat line now departing every 40 minutes between 8:00am and 9:00pm. Connecting bus services will follow suit, reducing wait times and improving overall service efficiency.
The increased services is part of a broader statewide investment in regional public transport. In addition to Ballarat, weekend train services on the Ararat, Warrnambool and Bendigo lines will see a frequency boost, with 50 new or extended weekend services expected to kick in next month.
With the introduction of the regional fare cap last year, which has saved passengers over $114 million, demand for V/Line services has surged. Almost 40 million trips have been taken since the cap was introduced, and the latest service enhancements are designed to build on this momentum.
“We made regional travel more affordable for Victorian families through the regional fare cap and now we’re
delivering more services to four regional rail lines,” premier Jacinta Allan says.
Public and active transport minister Gabrielle Williams says the new services are building on a growth in demand, with more services expected to be added.
This means almost 150 of the 200 extra weekend services promised by the state government at the 2022 election
have now been delivered.
“More regional Victorians are choosing to take public transport than ever before thanks to our cheaper fares policy – so we’re catering to this extra demand with more trains, more often,” Williams says.
Read more:
- Ritchies awarded $1 billion NZ bus contract, biggest in the country
- Victorian government defers all bus orders, extends bus lifespans
- Governments respond to Victorian bus order deferral
- New report calls out Transport for NSW for not effectively managing bus contracts
- Walgett community to benefit from door-to-door bus service