Passengers on the Gippsland Line will soon enjoy more travel options than ever before as a major upgrade to the line reaches completion.
The Gippsland Line Upgrade will enable more than 80 extra weekly services and a new timetable starting from Sunday 14 September.
It will add 55 new weekday services and 32 new weekend services to the line, with 14 of those on Saturdays and 18 on Sundays - giving passengers more choice and flexibility for travel.
Sunday Sale services will be extended to start and end in Bairnsdale under a new timetable, providing better travel options for Bairnsdale and Stratford locals and visitors to the region.
The changes have been made possible by the Gippsland Line Upgrade, which delivered a new train control system that will allow Traralgon and Bairnsdale line trains to be more reliable and run more frequent services, while also enabling the new platforms at Morwell and Traralgon stations to operate.
Completed upgrades to Morwell Station include a new second platform, an enclosed waiting room and improvements to accessibility, while Traralgon's second platform has been rebuilt to allow for more frequent and reliable services.
Crews worked more than 80,000 hours during the final construction blitz to install new rail signalling equipment and safety-test the new system, before V/Line completed driver training.
Passengers have already been enjoying better journeys from the Gippsland Line Upgrade, which enabled second platforms at Bunyip and Longwarry stations last year and modern VLocity trains to travel to Bairnsdale for the first time in 2018.
The Allan Labor Government is also investing in improved bus services in Gippsland alongside the new rail timetable.
More than 1,100 extra trips each week are being added across 14 bus routes in Moe, Morwell and Traralgon, providing more travel options for passengers and better connections between trains and buses.
The train and coach timetable information is now available on the V/Line website, with local bus timetables to be released on the Transport Victoria website on 29 August.
The Victorian Government's regional fare cap has transformed the way people travel around the state, with more than 57 million train trips taken across the network and more than $150 million saved since it was introduced in 2023.
The Gippsland Line Upgrade is funded by the Australian and Victorian governments, with the Australian Government providing over $737 million and the Victorian Government contributing over $140 million.
As stated by Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Catherine King:
"The massive investment in the Gippsland Line Upgrade from the Albanese Labor Government and the Allan Labor Government is all about better connecting communities, both to each other and to the rest of Victoria."
As stated by Victorian Minister for Transport Infrastructure Gabrielle Williams:
"The Gippsland Line Upgrade is now complete which will enable more than 80 extra weekly services and change the way people travel across eastern Victoria for the better."
As stated by Federal Labor Senator for Victoria Raff Ciccone:
"This upgrade is a crucial investment in Gippsland's future, improving travel options and making it easier for people to commute, visit and do business in the region."
As stated by State Member for Eastern Victoria Tom McIntosh:
"We've delivered huge benefits for Gippsland locals, and I want to thank the local community for their patience while these massive upgrades were carried out."
