A fifth weekday return service to Warrnambool will begin in December when Stage 1 of the Warrnambool Line Upgrade is complete - delivering on the Victorian Government's promise to boost services to Victoria's south west.
The new services will begin after a timetable change on Sunday 4 December and will include 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.
Work to complete Stage 1 of the Warrnambool Line Upgrade, including commissioning and driver training, will take place while coaches replace trains between Geelong and Warrnambool from Saturday 5 November to Saturday 3 December 2022.
The new 2.2-kilometre Boorcan crossing loop will also come into operation in December, helping services recover from unexpected delays faster by allowing trains to pass each other and boosting reliability on the line.
A community celebration day will be held at Warrnambool Station on Sunday 4 December to mark the end of the first stage of the project. The fifth return weekday service will begin the next day - Monday 5 December.
The Warrnambool Line Upgrade is being delivered by Victorian and Australian Governments is due to be completed in late 2023 with the completion of the second stage that will enable modern VLocity trains to run on the line for the first time.
New timetables will be available from 18 November at ptv.vic.gov.au, vline.com.au and PTV's journey planner app.
As stated by Minister for Transport Infrastructure Jacinta Allan
"This is a huge milestone for the Warrnambool Line Upgrade and will give passengers right along the line more options and more opportunities to make train travel work for them."
As stated by Minister for Public Transport Ben Carroll
"With extra services available on the Warrnambool Line, we are giving locals more options when they need to travel - whether it is into Geelong or Melbourne for appointments, education or work."
As stated by Member for Western Victoria Gayle Tierney
"I thank the local community for their patience while we undertake these critical works during November - it's the last step in delivering the extra services we know people want."
