| Melbourne rail network |
|---|
 |
| Metropolitan lines |
AlameinBelgraveGlen WaverleyLilydale CraigieburnSunburyUpfieldFlemington Racecourse Sandringham |
| Non-electrified metropolitan lines |
| Stony Point Deer Park–West Werribee Melton |
| Under construction |
| Metro TunnelSuburban Rail LoopMelbourne AirportLevel Crossing Removal Project |
| Other |
| City Loop •List of stations •List of closed stations •Freight railways •Proposed extensions |
TheMelbourne rail network is a metropolitansuburban andfreight rail system serving the city ofMelbourne,Victoria,Australia. The metropolitan rail network is centred around theMelbourne central business district (CBD) and consists of 221 railway stations across 16 lines, which served a patronage of 182.5 million over the year 2023–2024.[2] It is the core of the largerVictorian railway network, with regional links to both intrastate and interstate rail systems.
Metro Trains Melbourne operates the Melbourne metropolitan rail network underfranchise from theVictorian Government, overseen byPublic Transport Victoria, a division of theDepartment of Transport and Planning. Thegovernment-owned entityV/Line operates trains from Melbourne acrossregional Victoria.[4] The first steam train in Australia commenced service in Melbourne in 1854 betweenFlinders Street and Sandridge, with the metropolitan rail network having grown over the last two centuries to cover much of the city and greater Melbourne area.
The metropolitan network is asuburban rail system designed to transport passengers from Melbourne's suburbs into the Melbourne central business district (CBD) and associatedcity loop stations, with the mainhub atFlinders Street station.Southern Cross station is the main interchange station between metropolitan and regional V/Line services. A new underground line is currently under construction as part of theMetro Tunnel project, which aims to increase network capacity and provide Melbourne with a turn-up-and-gometro-like service.[5] A majornew orbital line is also under construction and would be the network's first autonomous line.
A total length of 998 km (620 mi) of track is owned byVicTrack and leased to train operators throughPublic Transport Victoria.[6] The railway network is primarily at ground level, with some underground andelevated sections.[7] There were more than 170level crossings before theLevel Crossing Removal Project commenced in 2015 to grade separate 110 of the busiest crossings and rebuild 51 railway stations, with 67 crossings removed by December 2022.[8] The metropolitan network operates primarily between 5:00 a.m. and midnight, with overnight services on Friday night to Saturday morning and Saturday night to Sunday morning, departing from Flinders Street only.[9] Some tracks are also used byfreight trains andV/Lineregional services.
In addition to the primary commuter and freight railway networks, Melbourne also features heritage railways such asPuffing Billy and has the world's largest urbantram network.
On 7 September 1851, a public meeting called for the construction of Australia's first railway to link Melbourne and Sandridge (now known asPort Melbourne), which led to the establishment of the privately ownedMelbourne and Hobson's Bay Railway Company in 1853.[10][11]
On 8 February 1853, the Government also approved the establishment of theGeelong and Melbourne Railway Company and theMelbourne, Mount Alexander and Murray River Railway Company. Work began in March 1853 on the Sandridge railway line, stretching 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) from the Melbourne (or City) terminus (on the site of modern-dayFlinders Street station) to Sandridge. The line was owned and operated by Melbourne and Hobson's Bay Railway Company, opening in 1854.[12]
In 1855, the Government conducted enquiries and carried out surveys into country railways. On 1 April 1856, theRailway Department was established as part of the Board of Land and Works withGeorge Christian Darbyshire being appointed Engineer in Chief.[13] On 23 May of that year theMelbourne, Mount Alexander and Murray River Railway Company was taken over by the Government.[14]
Trains were ordered from Robert Stephenson and Company of theUnited Kingdom. The first train was locally built byRobertson, Martin & Smith, however, owing to delays in shipping. Australia's first steam locomotive was built in ten weeks and cost£2,700. Forming the firststeam train to travel in Australia, it made its maiden trip on 12 September 1854.[15]
The opening of the line occurred during the period of theVictorian gold rush—a time when both Melbourne and Victoria undertook massive capital works, each with its gala opening. The inaugural journey on the Sandridge line was no exception. According to theArgusnewspaper's report of the next day: "Long before the hour appointed . . . a great crowd assembled round the station at the Melbourne terminus, lining the whole ofFlinders Street".[16]Lieutenant-GovernorSir Charles Hotham and Lady Hotham were aboard the train—which consisted of twofirst-class carriages and one-second class—and were presented withsatin copies of the railway'stimetable andbylaws.
The trip took 10 minutes, none of the later stations along the line having been built. On arriving atStation Pier (onto which the tracks extended), it was hailed with gun salutes by the warshipsHMSElectra andHMSFantome.[17]
By March 1855, the four engines ordered from the UK were all in service, with trains running every half-hour. They were namedMelbourne,Sandridge,Victoria, andYarra (after theYarra River over which the line crossed).[18]
TheMelbourne and Hobson's Bay Railway Company opened Melbourne's second railway on 13 May 1857, a 4.5 km (2.8 mi) line from the Melbourne (or City) Terminus toSt Kilda. The line was later extended by theSt Kilda and Brighton Railway Company, which opened a line from St Kilda toBrighton in 1857.[18]
The first country line opened in 1857 when theGeelong and Melbourne Railway Company started services on its line fromGeelong toNewport. In 1859, the government-ownedVictorian RailwaysWilliamstown line opened, connectingWilliamstown and Geelong toSpencer Street station.[18]
More country lines followed in 1859 when the Victorian Railways opened a line fromFootscray, on the Williamstown line, toSunbury. The Victorian Railways had taken over construction from theMelbourne, Mount Alexander and Murray River Railway Company, established in 1853 to build a railway toEchuca, but which had failed to make any progress.[18]
The first line to Melbourne's south-eastern suburbs was opened in 1859 by theMelbourne and Suburban Railway Company, running fromPrinces Bridge railway station toPunt Road (Richmond),South Yarra, andPrahran.[19] That line was extended toWindsor in 1860, connecting with the St Kilda and Brighton Railway Company line from St Kilda. The new line replaced the indirectSt Kilda and Windsor line to the city, which was closed in 1867.
Another suburban line was built by theMelbourne and Essendon Railway Company in 1860, running fromNorth Melbourne toEssendon, with a branch line fromNewmarket toFlemington Racecourse, which opened in 1861. On the eastern side of the city, theMelbourne and Suburban Railway Company opened a branch line from Richmond toBurnley andHawthorn in 1861.[20]
By that point, the railways of Melbourne were a disjointed group of city-centric lines, with various companies operating from three unconnected city terminals—Princes Bridge,Flinders Street, andSpencer Street stations.
The smaller companies quickly encountered financial problems. TheSt Kilda and Brighton Railway Company andMelbourne and Suburban Railway Company were absorbed by theMelbourne and Hobson's Bay Railway Company in 1865, forming theMelbourne and Hobsons Bay United Railway Company.[21] TheMelbourne and Essendon Railway Company was taken over by the Victorian Government in 1867. The Melbourne and Hobsons Bay United Railway Company was not taken over by theVictorian Government until 1878.[22]
The terminals themselves were linked in 1879, when the track was built at street level along the southern side of Flinders Street, connecting withSpencer Street station, although the track was only used at night, for freight traffic. It was not until 1889 that the two-trackFlinders Street Viaduct was built between the two city terminus stations.[23]
The outward expansion also continued, with major trunk lines being opened in rural Victoria. The Victorian Railways extended its line toBroadmeadows in 1872, as part of the line toSeymour andAlbury-Wodonga. In 1879, theGippsland line was opened from South Yarra toCaulfield,Pakenham andBairnsdale.[18]
The 1870s and 1880s were a time of great growth and prosperity in Melbourne. Land speculation companies were formed, to buy up outer suburban land cheaply, and to agitate for suburban railways to be built or extended to serve those land holdings and increase land values. By 1880, the "Land Boom" was in full swing in Victoria, re-elected in the passing of theRailway Construction Act 1884, later known as theOctopus Act, which authorised the building of 66 railway lines throughout the state.[24]
TheFrankston line began with the opening of a line from Caulfield toMordialloc in 1881, reaching the terminus in 1882.[25] A second new suburban railway line was opened from Spencer Street Station toCoburg in 1884, and extended toSomerton in 1889, meeting the main line from Spencer Street to Wodonga.[26] Land developers opened a private railway from Newport toAltona in 1888, but it was closed in 1890, due to lack of demand.
The line from Hawthorn was extended, toCamberwell in 1882,Lilydale in 1883, andHealesville in 1889.[16] In addition, a branch line (now known as theBelgrave line) was opened fromRingwood toUpper Ferntree Gully in 1889.[27] A short branch two station was also opened from Hawthorn toKew in 1887. The Brighton Beach line was also extended toSandringham in 1887.[28]
In 1888, railways came to the northeastern suburbs with the opening of theInner Circle line fromSpencer Street station viaRoyal Park station to what is nowVictoria Park station, and then on toHeidelberg. A branch was also opened off the Inner Circle inFitzroy North, toEpping andWhittlesea in 1888 and 1889.[18] Trains between Spencer Street and Heidelberg reversed at Victoria Park until a link was opened between Victoria Park andPrinces Bridge in 1901.
TheOuter Circle line opened in 1890, linkingOakleigh (on theGippsland line) toRiversdale (with a branch to Camberwell on theLilydale line) andFairfield (on theHeidelberg line). Originally envisaged to link theGippsland line withSpencer Street station in the 1870s, this reason disappeared with the building of a direct link via South Yarra before the line had even opened. The line saw little traffic as it traversed empty paddocks, and with no through traffic, the Outer Circle was closed in sections between 1893 and 1897. TheCamberwell to Ashburton stretch of the Outer Circle re-opened in 1899, and then in 1900, part of the northern section of the Outer Circle reopened as a shuttle service betweenEast Camberwell andDeepdene station. This line closed in 1927.[29]
At the same time as the Outer Circle, a railway was opened from Burnley toDarling and a junction with the Outer Circle atWaverley Road (near the currentEast Malvern station). A stub of the future Glen Waverley line, it was cut back to Darling in 1895.[30]
Railway building during the land boom hit a peak with the construction of theRosstown Railway between Elsternwick and Oakleigh. Built byWilliam Murry Ross, the line was planned in the 1870s to serve a sugar beet mill near Caulfield. Construction commenced in 1883, followed by rebuilding in 1888. Ross's debts grew, and he attempted to sell the line many times without success. It never opened to traffic and was later dismantled.[31]
The stock market crash of early 1890s led to an extended period of economic depression in Victoria and put an end to most railway construction until the next decade.
By the 1900s, the driving force for new railway lines was agriculturalists in what are now Melbourne's outer suburbs. In theDandenong Ranges a narrow gauge762 mm line was opened from Upper Ferntree Gully toBelgrave andGembrook in 1900 to serve the local farming and timber community. In theYarra Valley, a branch was opened from Lilydale toYarra Junction andWarburton in 1901. Part of this line is now listed on theVictorian Heritage Register.[32]
In 1901, in preparation for the occasion of a royal visit by theDuke of York, the first Australianroyal train was assembled in Melbourne.[33]
TheHeidelberg line was extended toEltham in 1902 andHurstbridge in 1912. The freight-onlyMont Park line was also opened in 1911, branching fromMacleod. Finally, on theMornington Peninsula, a branch was built fromBittern toRed Hill in 1921.[33]
Planning for electrification was started byVictorian Railways chairmanThomas James Tait, who engagedEnglish engineerCharles Hesterman Merz to deliver a report on the electrification of the Melbourne suburban network. His first report in 1908 recommended a three-stage plan over two years, covering 200 route-kilometres existing lines and almost 500 suburban carriages (approximately 80 trains).[34] The report was considered by the Government and the Railway Commissioners, and Merz was engaged to deliver a second report based on their feedback.
Delivered in 1912, this second report recommended an expanded system of electrification to 240 route km. of existing lines (463 track km), and almost 800 suburban carriages (approximately 130 trains).[35] The works were approved by the State Government in December 1912.[33] It was envisaged that the first electric trains would be running by 1915, and the project would be completed by 1917. However, progress fell behind becauseWorld War I restrictions prevented electrical equipment from being imported from theUnited Kingdom.[36]
Rolling stock construction continued, with several older suburban carriages converted for electric use as theSwing Door trains, while the first of theTait trains were introduced as steam-hauled carriages. Track expansion was also carried out, with four tracks being provided between South Yarra and Caulfield, as well as grade separation from roads. Victorian Railways in 1918 opened theNewport Power Station, the largest power station in the urban area, to supply electricity as part of the electrification project.[37] TheState Electricity Commission of Victoria was formed in 1921 but did not take over Newport A power station until 1951.[36]
The first trials did not occur until October 1918 on theFlemington Racecourse line.[38] Driver training continued on this line until 18 May 1919, when the first electric train ran betweenSandringham andEssendon, simulating revenue services. Electric services started on 28 May 1919 with the first train running to Essendon, then on to Sandringham, with full services starting the next day.[33] TheBurnley–Darling line, theFawkner line, the reopened branch to Altona, and theWilliamstown line followed in 1920.
The line to Broadmeadows, theWhittlesea line toReservoir, theBendigo line toSt Albans, and the inner sections of theHurstbridge line was electrified in 1921. TheGippsland line toDandenong and Frankston line were electrified in 1922, as was the inner section of theRingwood line due to regrading works.
The original electrification scheme was completed in 1923,[38] but over the next three years, several short extensions were carried out. The Ashburton line was electrified in 1924, and final works on the Lilydale line were completed in 1925, as was electrification on the line toUpper Ferntree Gully.[39][40][41] Electrification on the outer ends of the Hurstbridge line was completed by 1926, theWhittlesea line toThomastown was electrified in 1929, and the Burnley – Darling line was extended toGlen Waverley in 1930 to become theGlen Waverley line.[42]
Railways experienced increased patronage into the 1940s, but railway improvements recommended in theAshworth Improvement Plan were delayed until afterWorld War II.[43] It was not until 1950 that theVictorian Railways were able to put theirOperation Phoenix rebuilding plan into action.[44] The delivery of theHarris trains, the first steel suburban trains on the network, enabled the retirement of the oldest of theSwing Door trains.[45]
Railway lines were extended during this period to encompass Melbourne's growing suburbia. TheAshburton line was extended along the old Outer Circle track formation toAlamein station in 1948.[39] The Fawkner line toUpfield and the Reservoir line toLalor were both electrified in 1959, the Epping line reachingEpping in 1964.[46] A great deal of track amplification was also undertaken, with several single-line sections eliminated.[47]
The Upper Ferntree Gully to Belgrave section of theGembrook narrow gauge line was converted tobroad gauge and electrified in 1962.[48] The remainder of the line was closed in 1954 but has been progressively reopened by thePuffing Billy Railway.[49] TheGippsland line was electrified in 1954 as part of the works being carried out on the line, but suburban services to Pakenham did not start until 1975.[50]
During this rebuilding, several little-used lines were closed on the edges of Melbourne. The Bittern to Red Hill line closed in 1953, the line betweenLalaor andWhittlesea closed in 1959, and the Lilydale toWarburton line closed in 1964.[51][52][53] The final stages of the rebuilding stretched into the 1970s, with track amplification carried out toFootscray, andBox Hill, and the first deliveries of the stainless steelHitachi trains.[54]
Detailed planning for theDoncaster line also commenced in that period and, by 1972, the route was finalised. Despite rising costs, state governments of the period continued to give assurances that the line would be built[55] but, by 1984, land reserved for the line had been sold.[55]
By the 1970s, Melbourne's railway network was run down, with the last major investment on the suburban tracks having taken place nearly fifty years earlier. Sixty-year-oldTait trains (known colloquially as "red rattlers") were still in operation, and inner city congestion atFlinders Street led to peak hour delays.[44] In February 1971, the Melbourne Underground Rail Loop Act was passed, establishing theMelbourne Underground Rail Loop Authority (MURLA) to build a connecting series of tunnels from the major stations along the north, south, east and west extremities of the Melbourne CBD.[56] The project ran for over 14 years, opening progressively between 1981 and 1985. The loop was designed and constructed to improve the capacity of Flinders Street and Spencer Street stations to handle suburban trains and to offer easier connections for users.[56]
Other major changes took place in 1976 when the government authority overseeingVictorian Railways became VicRail and was gradually restructured along corporate lines. Following the restructure, in 1980 the Victorian Transport Study, better known as theLonie Report, was delivered and called for financial rationalisation. The closure of the Port Melbourne, St. Kilda, Altona, Williamstown, Alamein and Sandringham lines was also recommended, along with their replacement with bus routes instead.[57] These recommendations and cuts were not enacted, however many uneconomical branch lines were closed throughout the rest of the state.[58] The line between Lilydale and Healesville was closed in 1980, now used by theYarra Valley Railway beyond Yarra Glen.[59] The branch fromBaxter toMornington was closed in 1981, but the line south ofMoorooduc is now operated by theMornington Railway as a tourist route.[60]
TheMetrol train control centre was opened in 1980 to coordinate trains throughout the network using computer software that remains in use today.[61] Public transport in Melbourne was also reorganised, with theMetropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) formed in 1983 to coordinate all train, tram and bus services in the city to improve interoperability.[58] With the electrification of theWerribee line in 1983, followed two years later by an extension of the Altona line toLaverton, and the City Loop in full operation by 1985, the last major modernisation of Melbourne's train lines in the 20th century was complete.
Isolated from the City Loop, thePort Melbourne andSt Kilda lines were converted tostandard gauge light rail in 1987 to accommodate tram routes 111 (nowRoute 109) and96.[58] Route 96 remains one of the world's top 10 tram routes and Melbourne's busiest.[62][63]
The early 1990s saw further changes, with the MTA reborn as thePublic Transport Corporation, trading as "The Met".
State governments of both sides of politics began to push for reform of the railway network, proposing the conversion of the Upfield, Williamstown and Alamein lines to light rail.[citation needed] Those proposals were not proceeded with, and the Upfield line received a series of upgrades to replace labour-intensive manual signalling systems.Federal government funding was made available for the electrification of theSouth Gippsland line, which was completed in 1995.[64] Rationalisation of theJolimont rail yard commenced, enabling the creation and expansion ofMelbourne Park in 1988 and 1996, and the future construction ofFederation Square in 2001.[65]
After the election of theKennett government in 1992, several controversial reforms to the operation of the railway system were initiated. Guards were removed from suburban trains and train drivers took over the task of door operation. Stations were de-staffed, and theMetcard ticketing system was introduced to replace the scratch-card system.[58] Over that period more than $250 million in operating costs were stripped from the Melbourne network, as the government sought to reign in the state debt of $32 billion.[66][67]
In 1998, "The Met" was split into two operating units—Hillside Trains and Bayside Trains―each franchised to a different private operator. Ownership of land and infrastructure of rail and tram services was transferred to a new Victorian Government agency,VicTrack. In addition, a statutory office was created in Government—theDirector of Public Transport—with specific responsibility for entering into franchise agreements with public transport operators to operate rail and tram services throughout Victoria. By 1999, theprivatisation process was complete, withConnex Melbourne andM>Train operating half of the network.[68] In 2003, the parent company of M>Train (National Express) withdrew from operating public transport in Victoria, and half of the suburban network was transferred to Connex as part of a renegotiated contract.[69]
The franchising contracts contained provisions for the new operators to refurbish the Comeng trains, and to replace the olderHitachi trains. Connex purchasedAlstomX'Trapolis sets, while M>Train choseSiemens Nexas units.[70]
In May 2005, the State Government commissioned a A$25 million study into the feasibility of athird track for the Dandenong line to increase capacity for the rapidly growing suburban area. The cost of the triplication process was expected to be as high as A$1 billion, as project activities would have included the organization of corresponding bus services for the rail line, changes to stations and platforms along the line, and the improvement of the signalling system.[71] This project was ultimately sidelined and not delivered by the Brumby Government.[72]
In 2006, ProfessorPaul Mees and a group of academics estimated that privatisation had cost taxpayers $1.2 billion more than if the system had remained both publicly owned and operated. With the franchise extensions in 2009, taxpayers were to pay an estimated $2.1 billion more by 2010.[73] However, theInstitute of Public Affairs released its report on Melbourne's privatisation, which assessed it as a modest success and observed that a 37.6% increase in patronage on the metropolitan rail system had reversed years of patronage decline due to poor quality services.[74] The Auditor General of Victoria also performed a comprehensive audit report into the franchises and found that "the franchises represent reasonable value for money".[75]
Beginning in the mid-2000s, a rapid increase in patronage of Melbourne's train network occurred. In the three years between thefinancial year 2005 and 2008, rail patronage grew by 35 per cent. Trips grew from 148 million in 2004 to more than 200 million in 2008.[76]
In November 2007,Singapore'sSMRT Transit andHong Kong'sMTR Corporation Limited expressed interest in taking control of Melbourne's suburban rail network from Connex in November 2009, when their contract was to be reviewed.[77]
On 25 June 2009, Connex lost its bid to renew its contract with the Victorian Government. Hong Kong backed and ownedMTR Corporation took over the Melbourne train network on 30 November 2009, operating as a locally themed consortiumMetro Trains Melbourne.[78][79] MTR is a non-public railway owner and operator in Hong Kong where it is well known for constructing Transit Oriented Developments (TODS) above and around its stations. Metro began operation on 1 December 2009, promising to draw on its international experience to improve Melbourne's rail operations.[80][81]
Transport ministerLynne Kosky stated that the Government's A$10.5 billion, 10-year major transport plan, announced in May 2006, had significantly underestimated the usage rates of public transport.[82] Original assessments had forecast increases of around 3–4%, far short of the 10% seen year-on-year. The State Government responded by purchasing new trains and introducing a new ticketing option that enabled commuters to pay a reduced fare if their journey finished by 7 am.[83]
In 2008, the Brumby Government announced a $14.1 billionVictorian Transport Plan to augment Melbourne's rail network. The plan included:
Following the investment announcement, the plan for the introduction of more than 200 new weekly train services was released to tackle overcrowding on the city's busiest train lines, a problem that had been attributed to a lack of trains and falling reliability.[88]
On 1 May 2009, the State Government announced that they had committed $562.3 million in the 2009 State Budget for the extension of theEpping line 3.5 kilometres north to South Morang. Construction started in 2010 and was completed in 2012.[89]
In May 2011, operations commenced on a new metropolitan timetable, rewritten for the first time since 1996 with over 600 additional weekday services added.[90][91] In 2012, a Public Transport Development Authority trading asPublic Transport Victoria (PTV) was established to coordinate, plan and regulate the state's public transport services, including the metropolitan rail system.[92] In the same year, theMetcard ticketing system was discontinued, completing the controversial network-wide roll-out of the newMyki smart card system.[93] On 27 March 2013, Public Transport Victoria published itsNetwork Development Plan – Metropolitan Rail, detailing a 4-stage plan spread over 20 years to redevelop Melbourne's rail system into a "metro-style" network, by separating train lines and creating point-to-point lines, upgrading to high-capacity signalling and ordering new trains.[94]
(7_October_2024).jpg)
A key campaign promise of theAndrews government beforeits election in 2014 was to remove 50level crossings in eight years, the most intensive such program in Melbourne's history.[96] Because of Melbourne's generally level topography, the suburban rail network was constructed with a large number of level crossings. By 2014, over 170 remained, due to a lack of funding for grade separations after 1918.[97] The Government'sLevel Crossing Removal Project became a resounding political success, despite concerns it was creating poor value-for-money infrastructure and controversy about the selection of elevated rail as a method for removing some crossings.[98]
By 2018, 29 level crossings had been fully grade-separated, well ahead of the government's original schedule, and a further 25 crossings were added to the program to be completed by 2025.[99] The project includes rebuilding or upgrading 27 train stations, such asBentleigh andClayton railway stations, or laying new tracks, such as the duplication of 1.2 km (0.75 mi) of single-track railway betweenHeidelberg and the rebuiltRosanna stations.[100][101] Large sections of elevated rail have been built on theGippsland line, and further sections are planned for theMernda andUpfield lines, including a 4 km (2.49 mi) section on the Mernda line inPreston.[102]
In mid-2015, theRegional Rail Link project was completed. It created a newDeer Park–West Werribee railway line in the city's west, with stations atWyndham Vale andTarneit, as well as adding a pair of non-electrified tracks betweenSunshine and Southern Cross for regional trains. Although the project was intended to provide routes for regional trains to Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo segregated from electrified Metro services, rapid population growth in areas served by the new line meant that V/Line trains had to perform the role of an outer suburban service, causing significant delays and overcrowding.[103]
A redesigned network map was released by PTV at the end of 2016, which replaced an emphasis on fare zones with a delineation of individual lines and service patterns. The new map also incorporated regional services and was designed to be accessible to passengers with the most common types ofcolour blindness.[104]
Metro's contract to operate the suburban network was renewed in 2017 for a further seven years. The renegotiated contracts included higher monthly performance targets, which Metro failed to meet six times in the first year of the contract's operation.[105][106]
Construction of an extension of the South Morang line toMernda commenced in 2016 and was opened on 29 August 2018. The project included 8 km (4.97 mi) of new electrified railway, new stations atMiddle Gorge andHawkstowe, and a new terminus at a rebuiltMernda station.[107][108]
In April 2019, the Victorian Government announced that Public Transport Victoria would be merged withVicRoads into a new VictorianDepartment of Transport.[109]
A number of major expansion projects are under construction or planned for the network. In addition, a number of major upgrades are proposed, including the extension of theLevel Crossing Removal Project, which will remove 110 level crossings and rebuild 51 stations across the suburban rail network.
| Major expansions and upgrades | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Project | Stage | Start date | Completion date | Length | Stations | Description |
| Metro Tunnel | 2016 | 2025 | 9 km | 5 | New CBD tunnel | |
| Melbourne Airport Rail | 2022 | 2032 | 20 km | 2 | Metro line branch to Melbourne Airport | |
| Suburban Rail Loop (SRL) | 1: SRL East | 2022 | 2035 | 28 km | 6 | Orbital metro line, Cheltenham to Box Hill |
| 2: SRL North | TBD | 2043–50 | 32 km | 7 | Box Hill to Melbourne Airport | |
| 3: SRL West | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | Sunshine to Werribee | |
| Level Crossing Removal Project | 2016 | 2030 | N/A | 51 station rebuilds | 110 road-rail level crossing removals | |
| Short extensions and infill stations | ||||||
| Pakenham East extension | 2021 | 2024 | 2 km | 1 | New station at Pakenham East[110] | |
| NewDeer Park-West Werribee line infill stations | TBD | TBD | N/A | 2 | Infill stations atTarneit West andTruganina[111] | |
In February 2015, the State Government established theMelbourne Metro Rail Authority to oversee planning for new twin nine-kilometre rail tunnels through the central city, betweenSouth Kensington station andSouth Yarra. The Metro Tunnel will have five new underground stations and connect theGippsland line with theSunbury line, creating a new route through the CBD as an alternative to theCity Loop.[112] New underground stations will be built atArden,Parkville,Domain and there will be two new CBD stations,State Library andTown Hall. Enabling works were underway by 2016 and major construction work on the tunnel and stations began in 2017.[113] The project has an estimated cost of $11 billion and is scheduled to be complete by 2025.[114]
In September 2016, the State Government ordered 65 newHigh Capacity Metro Trains for delivery from mid-2019, which will eventually become the primary rolling stock used in the Metro Tunnel.[115]
In April, June and July 2019, a number of rail lines in Melbourne's east were shut down for several weeks to allow construction of the tunnel entrances near Kensington and South Yarra.[116][117] The first tunnel boring machine began to be assembled in North Melbourne in June 2019.[118] In May 2021, TBM Meg broke through at the future site of Town Hall station, marking the completion of tunnelling for the project. TBM Millie, Alice and Joan completed tunnelling over the previous month. The tunnelling phase lasted 20 months.[119]
A rail link toMelbourne Airport has been proposed repeatedly since the airport's construction, with a variety of routes and service models suggested, but construction has never commenced. In July 2018, the Federal and State Governments each pledged A$5 billion (for a total of A$10 billion) to construct a rail link. The Federal Government proposed four possible routes for the link, with one proposal running via a direct tunnel toHighpoint Shopping Centre and the others linking to existing stations in Broadmeadows, Flemington or Sunshine.[120]
An assessment of the four routes conducted byRail Projects Victoria culminated in the route via Sunshine station being selected.[121] The line with run through the Metro Tunnel and will include a new intermediate station atKeilor East to serve Melbourne's north-west. Construction began in 2022, however by May 2023 the project was indefinitely paused, placing the expected completion by 2029 into doubt.[122][123]
In August 2018, in the run-up to the2018 Victorian state election, the State Government pledged $300 million to complete a business case and secure funding to construct a new railway through suburban Melbourne.[124] The project is designed to link major activity centres and amenities such as hospitals, shopping centres, universities, and Melbourne Airport. The proposal would connect most existing railway lines through middle suburbs and enable easier intra-suburban travel.[125]
The Suburban Rail Loop (SRL) would connect the existing station atCheltenham with other existing stations atClayton,Glen Waverley, Box Hill, Heidelberg,Reservoir, Fawkner, Broadmeadows, Sunshine and Werribee. It will also link to new stations to be built in areas that have long been promised rail connections, includingMonash University, Burwood, Doncaster, Bundoora and Melbourne Airport. The first stage, SRL East, from Cheltenham to Box Hill is under construction and will open by 2035, with other sections progressively opening until the full line is operational by 2050.[126][127]
The State Government is currently preparing a business case for electrification and extension of theFrankston line toBaxter in Melbourne's South.[128] The Federal Government committed $225 million towards the project in its 2017–2018 budget.[129]
During the 2018 Victorian state election, the State Government also announced itsWestern Rail Plan, which would quadruplicate and electrify the rail lines toMelton andWyndham Vale, allowing Metro services.[130] Under this plan, Metro andV/Line regional services would be separated, allowing for higher speed trains to be introduced toGeelong andBallarat. A new connection between Sunshine and Southern Cross Station to be built as part of the Airport rail link could add extra capacity for regional and metro lines.[130] According to the Government, these lines could be fully electrified to Geelong and Ballarat and run at speeds of up to 250 km/h (155 mph), significantly above the 160 km/h (99 mph) limit of currentV/Line VLocity trains.[131] Planning for the fast rail and electrification of the lines to Melton and Wyndham Vale will occur alongside planning for the Airport rail link, with construction set to start by 2022.[131]
.jpg)
In 2015, theAndrews Government had announced a rail project that would oversee the removal of the remaining level crossings in metropolitan Melbourne. The key benefits of the project include:
In 2016, the first level crossing removal was done on Burke Road, Glen Iris which resulted in a rebuild Gardiner station. Since then a total of 67 level crossings were removed through various methods.[132]
| Year | Crossings removed | Stations rebuilt | New stations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 8 | 7 | |
| 2017 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| 2018 | 18 | 7 | 3 |
| 2019 | 2 | 1 | |
| 2020 | 12 | 5 | |
| 2021 | 13 | 6 | |
| 2022 | 11 | 5 | |
| 2023 | 7 | 4 | 1 |
| 2024 | 10 | 6 | 1 |
| Total | 84 | 42 | 6 |
| Route length of Melbourne rail network within the metropolitan area in km (2019)[3]^ | |
|---|---|
| Passenger only | 220 |
| Freight only | 28 |
| Shared passenger and freight | 181 |
| Electrified | 370 |
| Not electrified | 59 |
| Total | 429 |
The rail network within the Melbourne metropolitan area includes dedicated passenger lines, dedicated freight lines, and lines shared by the two types of traffic. Nearly all passenger traffic and some intrastate freight operates on1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in)Victorian broad gauge, while all interstate freight traffic operates on1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)standard gauge.
Most suburban passenger lines operated by the metropolitan rail franchisee, currentlyMetro Trains Melbourne, areelectrified with 1500VDCoverhead catenary. Many of the suburban lines share tracks with regional passenger trains operated byV/Line, and some V/Line services provide "peri-urban" service to areas of Melbourne not reached by the electrified network.[134] Metro also operates an isolated section of unelectrified passenger line betweenFrankston andStony Point.[135]
The network is centred on Flinders Street and Southern Cross stations in the CBD, which are joined directly by a six-track viaduct and indirectly by the underground four-trackCity Loop. From this central core, nearly all tracks pass through the three major junction stations ofNorth Melbourne,Jolimont, andRichmond; and from there extend outwards to the west, north-east and east of the city respectively. There are few connections between the radial lines outside of the central city.[136] Capital investment in the network since 1990 has focused on relieving "bottlenecks" near the central core caused by the large number of lines converging, most significantly with theRegional Rail Link project which provided additional capacity betweenSunshine and the city.[137]
Much of the metropolitan network isdouble track or multiple pairs of tracks. There are small sections oftriple track, which are used to allow express trains to overtake stopping trains in peak hour. Nearly the entirety of theAltona and Stony Point branches are single track, and many of the outer suburban passenger lines also have sections of single track, usually where demand for frequent services is low.[138]
The metropolitan network has a large number oflevel crossings. Many have been gradually removed bygrade separating road and rail traffic: by 2016, some 228 grade separations had been undertaken in the Melbourne area, leaving 170 level crossings, although very few projects of this nature had been undertaken in the latter half of the 20th century. TheLevel Crossing Removal Project, which began in 2014, aimed to increase the rate of level crossing removals to over 6 each year for at least 8 years, and the project was later extended for a further four years.[139]
There are 218 stations in Melbourne, operated byMetro Trains Melbourne.
Host stations and premium stations are categories of railway stations on the suburban rail network. A premium station is staffed from first train to last, seven days a week, while a host station is staffed only during the morning peak.[140] Of the 221 (current as of February 2024) stations onMelbourne's railway network, there are 82 premium stations, in addition to the fiveCity Loop stations.
Although plans for the premium station program were unveiled in 1991 (under the guise of "Safe Stations"),[141] the program was commenced in 1994 by thePublic Transport Corporation,[142] withMount Waverley being the first station given premium status.[143][144] By the end of 1995 the number of staffed stations increased from 35 to 51.[145] It was proposed to upgrade further stations to premium status in the future.
The host station program was introduced by theVictorian Department of Transport in the early 2000s to ensure that over 80% of suburban rail passengers started their journey from a staffed (host or premium) station.[citation needed]
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_used_at_most_Melbourne_Train_Stations.png)
Timetable information is available to passengers at stations through the PRIDE II system, which is an electronictimetable and announcement system, and stands for Passenger Real-time Information Dissemination Equipment. The system consists of:
Control data comes from two locations: Metrol, and control stations. Next train data and times are automatically updated by the train control systems, with manual overrides also possible.
All stations are provided with "talking boxes" which have two buttons and a smallspeaker.The green button, when pressed, contacts the PRIDE controller over the rail telephone network, identifying itself by theDTMF tones that correspond to the ID number assigned to the box. The system then reads out times and destinations for the next three services to depart that platform (or, in the case of stations with a single island platform with departures either side, both platforms). The red button when pressed, gives the user two way communication with the closest control station.
Busy stations are often provided with an electronicLEDPIDs, which indicate the destination, time, stopping pattern summary, and minutes to departure for the next train on the platform.
Stations on theCity Loop, in addition toNorth Melbourne,Richmond, andBox Hill stations, originally hadCRT screenPIDs, however all of these have since been replaced bywidescreenLCD screens. These displays show in detail the destination, scheduled and actual departure time, and all stations the next train stops at. Also shown is the destination and time of the following two-to-three trains, and the system is capable of providing suggested connections and warn of service interruptions.
On 26 September 2010, the PRIDE system was upgraded with new voice announcements. The voice was female, and advised passengers to touch on and off when using Myki.[146]
As part of the Bayside Rail Upgrade, stations on theFrankston line received new "network status boards". The LCD screens provided travel information on all of Melbourne's 16 railway lines, as well as tram & bus services, including delays, replacement services or planned disruptions.[147]
Most lines in Melbourne operate under an automatic block system of safeworking with three-position power signalling. That allowssignals to be operated automatically by the passage of trains, enforcing a safe distance between them. At junctions, signals are manually controlled fromsignal boxes, withinterlockings used to ensure conflicting paths are not set. TheFlemington Racecourse line has two-position automatic signalling, a variant of the three-position system.
The outer end of theHurstbridge line used to be operated withtoken based systems and two-position manual signalling, under which access to the line was based upon possession of a token. That system was discontinued in 2013.
Train stops are used to enforce stop indications on signals. Should a train pass a signal at danger, the train's brakes will automatically be applied. Trains are also fitted withpilot valves, a form ofdead man's switch that applies the brakes should the driver fail to maintain a foot or hand pilot valve in a set position.[148] The "VICERS"vigilance control andevent recorder system is also being currently fitted to suburban trains to provide an additional level of safety.[148]
The main control room for the rail network isMetrol. Located in the Melbourne CBD, it controlssignals in the inner suburbs, tracking the location of all trains, as well as the handling the distribution of real time passenger information, and manages disruptions to the timetable. Additional signal boxes are located throughout the network, in direct communication with Metrol.
The railways in Melbourne generally use British-derived terminology. For example:
The following table lists patronage figures for the network during the corresponding financial year. Australia's financial years start on 1 July and end on 30 June. Major events that affected the number of journeys made or how patronage is measured are included as notes.
2000s | Year | 2000–01 | 2001–02 | 2002–03 | 2003–04 | 2004–05 | 2005–06 | 2006–07 | 2007–08 | 2008–09 | 2009–10 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patronage (millions) | 130.3 | 131.8 | 133.8 | 134.9 | 145.1 [a] | 159.1 [b] | 178.6 | 201.2 | 213.9 | 219.3 | |||
| Reference | [149] | ||||||||||||
2010s | Year | 2010–11 | 2011–12 | 2012–13 | 2013–14 | 2014–15 | 2015–16 | 2016–17 | 2017–18 | 2018–19 | 2019–20 | ||
| Patronage (millions) | 228.9 | 222.0 | 225.5 | 232.0 | 227.5 | 233.4 | 236.8 | 240.9 | 243.2 | 187.6 [c] | |||
| Reference | [149] | [150] | [151] | [152] | [153] | [154] | [155] | [156] | |||||
2020s | Year | 2020–21 | 2021–22 | 2022–23 | 2023–24 | ||||||||
| Patronage (millions) | 81.7 [c] | 99.5 [c] | 157.1 [c] | 182.5 | |||||||||
| Reference | [156] | [157] | [158] | [2] | |||||||||
| |||||||||||||
Despite initially being constructed and operated as private railways in the 1850s, following the establishment of the government-ownedVictorian Railways in 1858 Melbourne's suburban railway system has been state operated for the majority of its existence. In the 1920s Victorian Railways was the operator of the world's busiest railway station (Flinders Street) and one of the world's busiest railway networks.[159] Following several high-profile collisions in the early 20th century, a number of network safety processes were implemented by the operator to improve passenger safety.[160]
The agency name was shortened toVicRail in the early 1980s and then, later in the decade, the metropolitan system became known as Metropolitan Transit ('The Met') and the regional system became known as V/Line. In preparation for privatisation the suburban system was split into Bayside Trains and Hillside Trains by theKennett Ministry in 1998. Privatisation was completed in 1999 andM-Train andConnex Melbourne won the tender to operate Bayside, and Hillside trains, respectively. Following M>Train's inability to renegotiate financial arrangements, in 2004 Connex Melbourne assumed responsibility for the entire network. Current operations are provided byMetro Trains Melbourne, anMTR Corporation joint venture.[58]
Operator timelines
| 1st government-owned Pre 1983 | Metropolitan/State Transport Authority (MTA/STA) 1983–1989 | Public Transport Corporation (PTC) 1989–1998 | PTC (pre privatisation split) 1997–1999 | Privatisation & onwards Post 1999 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victorian Railways (VR): 1856–1974 VR asVicRail: 1974–1983 | STA asV/Line: 1983–1989 | PTC asThe Met: 1989–1998 PTC asV/Line: 1989–1995 PTC asV/Line Passenger: 1995–1998 PTC asV/Line Freight: 1995–1997 | V/Line Passenger 1998–1999 | National Express asV/Line Passenger: 1999–2002 | V/Line Passenger 2002–Current | |
| V/Line Freight 1997–1999 | Freight Victoria 1999–2000 | Freight Australia 2000–2004 | Pacific National 2004–Current | |||
| MTA asThe Met: 1983–1989 | Bayside Trains § 1998–1999 | National Express asM>Train §: 2000–2004 | Connex Melbourne 2004–2009 | Metro Trains Melbourne 2009–Current | ||
| Hillside Trains †: 1998–1999 | Connex Melbourne † 2000–2004 | |||||
§Bayside Trains / M>Train – Caulfield and Northern groups
†Hillside Trains / Connex (2000–2004) – Clifton Hill and Burnley groups, Showgrounds services
The majority of the current suburban train fleet in Melbourne is owned byVicTrack, with the train operator (currentlyMetro Trains Melbourne) responsible for maintaining the fleet.[161] All trains on the Melbourne suburban network are electric and driver-only operated. Guards on suburban trains were discontinued between 1993 and 1995.[162]
All trains are fitted with power-operated sliding doors which are closed by the driver, but opened by passengers. The doors of newer model HCMT, X'Trapolis and Siemens trains are opened electronically with a button, whilst Comeng trains are slid manually using handles. Trains are fitted with air conditioning, closed-circuit cameras, and emergency intercom systems. Trains are fixed into three car units and may operate alone or in pairs, except for the HCMT trains which run in singular seven car sets.
| Names | Image | Alternative names | Entered service | Number built | Key information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Comeng |  | 1981–1988 | 95 (3 carriage) | Named as a "Commonwealth Engineering" portmanteau. Refurbished 2000–2003 byEDI Rail andAlstom. Feature power operated doors that must be pulled open by hand but are closed automatically by the driver. First trains to feature air conditioning. | |
| Siemens |  | Siemens Nexas | 2003–2006 | 72 (3 carriage) | Refurbished with seat removals and extra railings since 2016. The first openly articulated trains with passengers able to move between carriages without opening any doors. Frequent overrunning caused lawsuits and disruptions to fix alleged braking faults. |
| X'Trapolis |  | X’Trapolis 100, X’Traps | 2002–2004 2009–present | 180 (3 carriage) +32 under construction | Body shells built in France, remaining assembled in Ballarat. Eight separate orders have been lodged for X'Trapolis trains. Remodelled since 2009 with 2+2 seat configurations to increase passenger capacity/flow. |
| High Capacity Metro Trains |  | HCMT | 2020 | 70 (7 carriage) | Currently on use on the Pakenham and Cranbourne lines. To run through to Sunbury when the Metro Tunnel opens in 2025 and the Airport line in 2029. Built inChangchun,China and Victoria using 60% local content. |
| Names | Image | Alternative names | Entering service | Number built | Key information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| X'Trapolis 2.0 | .jpg) | 2024–2026 | 25 (6 carriage) under construction | Replacing Comeng fleets, will be used on Craigieburn, Frankston and Upfield lines. |
| Name | Image | Alternative names | Entered service | Retired service | Number built | Key information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swing Door |  | Dog Box | 1887 | c.1959–1970 | 294 | Named after the outward swinging carriage doors. Converted to electric traction from 1917. |
| Tait |  | Reds, Red Rattlers | 1910 | 1974–1984 | 623 | Named afterSir Thomas James Tait, Chairman of Commissioners of the Victorian Railways. Converted to electric traction from 1919. Banned from the City Loop due to the fire hazard of wooden frames. |
| Harris |  | Blues, Greasers | 1956 | 1988–1989 | 436 | Named afterNorman Charles Harris, Chairman of Commissioners of the Victorian Railways. Most contained asbestos and were buried in Clayton in the 1980s; 16 were refurbished between 1982 and 1988 (see below), 49 vehicles were converted toH type carriages for shorter distance country services. Three motors preserved; one as static exhibits at Newport Railway Museum, and two pending restoration at Newport Workshops. |
| Hitachi |  | Martin & King, Stainless Steel | 1972 | 2003–2014 | 118 × 3 carriage sets | Named due to the design by Hitachi, air conditioning. Three Hitachi motor carriages form part of the restaurant Easey's in Collingwood. |
| Refurbished Harris |  | Grey Ghosts | 1982 | 1990–1994 | 16 | Refurbished from the original Harris vehicles between 1982 and 1988 (see above). 10 vehicles were converted toH type carriages for shorter distance country services. One motor preserved as static exhibit at Newport Railway Museum. |
| 4D |  | Double Deck Development and Demonstration | 1992 | 2006 | 1 × 4 carriage set | Prototype double deck train. |
Melbourne's metropolitan network includes 16 electrified suburban lines and 1 non-electrified line.[6] Many lines have been lengthened over time, most notably theMernda line fromEpping toSouth Morang in 2012 and again toMernda in 2018.[163] Lines have also changed terminus or layout, including the forthcoming changes to the Cranbourne, Pakenham and Sunbury lines as part of theMelbourne Metro Rail Project.[164] Numerousproposals for new lines or extensions not yet constructed have been made, including the long-outstandingDoncaster railway line andRowville railway line.[165]
| Line | First Service | Image | Length | Stations | Rolling stock | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alamein | 1898[166] |  | 14.9 km (9.3 mi) | 18 | ||
| Belgrave | 1889[167] |  | 41.8 km (26 mi) | 31 | ||
| Craigieburn | 1860 |  | 27 km (16.8 mi) | 18 | ||
| Cranbourne | 1888[168] |  | 43.92 km (27.29 mi) | 24 | ||
| Frankston | 1881[169] |  | 43.23 km (26.86 mi) | 28 | ||
| Glen Waverley | 1861[170] | .jpg) | 21.3 km (13.2 mi) | 20 | ||
| Hurstbridge | 1888 | .jpg) | 36.7 km (22.8 mi) | 24 | ||
| Lilydale | 1882[171] |  | 37.8 km (23.5 mi) | 27 | ||
| Mernda | 1889[172] |  | 33.1 km (20.6 mi) | 25 | ||
| Pakenham | 1877[167] |  | 56.9 km (35.4 mi) | 27 | ||
| Sandringham | 1859[169] |  | 18.09 km (11.24 mi) | 14 | ||
| Sunbury | 1921 |  | 40.3 km (25 mi) | 16 | ||
| Upfield | 1884 |  | 20.1 km (12.5 mi) | 14 | ||
| Werribee | 1859 |  | 32.9 km (20.4 mi) | 17 | ||
| Williamstown | 1859 | .jpg) | 16.2 km (10.1 mi) | 12 | ||
Stony Point line services operate as shuttles fromFrankston station with passengers to and fromFlinders Street required to change trains. It is the only non-electrified line operated by Metro Trains, with services being operated usingSprinter diesel multiple units leased fromV/Line.
Wyndham Vale (Geelong line) services are operated byV/Line and depart fromSouthern Cross, but are within the metropolitan ticketing zone. Wyndham Vale/Geelong trains also stop at Ardeer and Deer Park, along with Tarneit. Only Wyndham Vale and Ballarat trains stop at Ardeer, not Geelong trains.
5 morning peak and 3 afternoon peak trains operate to and from Wyndham Vale. One weekday morning service and numerous football services operate to Wyndham Vale.
Sunbury services used to also be operated by V/Line until 2012 when the electrical network was extended to Sunbury and these trains also stopped at Diggers Rest; Sunbury passengers can still catch V/Line trains to or from Bendigo. The redundant carriages were moved onto Bacchus Marsh services instead. V/Line trains used to also operate to Donnybrook, stopping at Craigieburn but since the electrical network was extended to Craigieburn in 2007, trains have stopped terminating at Donnybrook.
Metropolitan services are operated byMetro Trains Melbourne. Railway lines and service patterns are often classified into groups, which are:
All lines (except for the Frankston, Werribee, Williamstown and Sandringham lines) use the city loop. The Clifton Hill Group runs clockwise all day and the Caulfield Group runs Counter-Clockwise all day. The Burnley Group runs counter-clockwise in the morning and switches to clockwise in the afternoon. The Northern Group runs clockwise in the morning and counter-clockwise on the afternoon. As of 1 January 2021, Frankston and Newport (Werribee and Williamstown) trains have been completely removed out of the City Loop. When the Metro Tunnel opens in 2025, Pakenham, Cranbourne and Sunbury line trains will be removed from the loop, and the Frankston line will move back into the Caulfield loop. Also at this time, the Werribee line will run direct to Sandringham and vice versa.
Melbourne usesclock-face scheduling in off-peak periods, but generally not inrush hour, due to the network operating near to infrastructure capacity and having to accommodate single-line sections, flat junctions, and regional diesel-hauled trains.[173] Frequencies vary according to time of day, day of week and by line. In some places, usuallyinterchange stations, services on two lines combine to provide more frequent services on common sections of tracks. All services become 24-hour from Friday morning to Sunday evening, with at least one departure every hour after 12am.[9]
Along with other Australian railways, Melbourne uses the British terminology of "up" and "down", with "up" being defined as toward Flinders Street station in the CBD.
Themykismart-card ticketing system is the main ticketing system currently in use across Melbourne, introduced in 2010. Prior to December 2012 Melbourne also used a magnetic strippaper ticket system known as theMetcard, first introduced to the railway network in 1996. On 29 December 2012 Metcard was no longer available for use on Melbourne's public transport and completely replaced by myki. Multi-modal tickets were first introduced in Melbourne in 1969 and prior to this train, tram and bus services all had separated ticketing systems.[174]
V/Lineregional services share tracks with several suburban train lines from the outskirts of Melbourne to the regional railway terminus at Southern Cross station (with theTraralgon V/Line rail service terminating at Flinders Street station). The Pakenham line has the longest shared track section which is used by V/Line services toTraralgon andBairnsdale. The Sunbury and Craigieburn lines also share lesser sections of track with counterpart regional lines.[175]
TheRegional Rail Link project separated suburban services from regional trains on theGeelong,Wendouree (Ballarat) andBendigo lines. A ceremonial start of construction was held in August 2009 and the project was completed in June 2015.[176][177]
Melbourne also has an extensive network of railway lines and yards to serve freight traffic. These freight lines are of two gauges—1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in)broad gauge and1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)standard gauge, and are not electrified. In the inner western suburbs of the city, freight trains operate on dedicated lines, but in other areas freight trains share tracks with the suburbanMetro Trains Melbourne and regionalV/Line passenger services. The majority of freight terminals are located in the inner suburbs aroundPort of Melbourne, others are located between the Melbourne CBD and Footscray.
Until the 1980s a number of suburban stations had their owngoods yards, with freight trains running over the suburban network, often with theE orL classelectric locomotives.
Melbourne also has 3 tourist railways, 3 main line heritage operators, and 1 railway museum.
Organisedrailway preservation commenced in Victoria with the formation of thePuffing Billy Preservation Society in 1955, and operating under the Emerald Tourist Railway Board from 1977.[178] Formed to operate thenarrow gauge 2 ft 6 in (760 mm) gauge railway in theDandenong Ranges near Melbourne, the group continues to operate the railway today.
The demise of the last of the steam locomotives in Victoria commenced in the 1960s, with theAustralian Railway Historical Society and Association of Railway Enthusiasts working with the Victorian Railways to have a number of locomotives preserved for the future.[179] In 1962 theAustralian Railway Historical Society Museum was established atWilliamstown North to house static exhibits,[180] andSteamrail Victoria was formed in 1965 to assist in the restoration of locomotives and carriages for use onspecial trains.[181]
The prime rail statute inVictoria is theTransport Integration Act. The Act establishes theDepartment of Transport as the integration agency for Victoria's transport system. The Act also establishes and sets the charters of the state agencies charged with providing public transport rail services and managing network access for freight services, namely theDirector of Public Transport andV/Line. In addition, the Act createsVicTrack which owns the public rail network and associated infrastructure. Another important statute is the Rail Management Act 1996[182] which confers powers on rail operators and provides for a rail access scheme for the state's rail network.
The safety of rail operations inMelbourne is regulated by theRail Safety Act 2006 which applies to all commercial passenger and freight operations as well as tourist and heritage railways.[183] The Act creates a framework containing safety duties for all rail industry participants and requires rail operators who manage infrastructure and rolling stock to obtain accreditation prior to commencing operations. Accredited rail operators are also required to have asafety management system to guide their operations.
Sanctions applying to the safety scheme established under theRail Safety Act are contained in the Transport (Compliance and Miscellaneous) Act 1983.[184] The safetyregulator for the rail system inMelbourne is theDirector, Transport Safety (trading asTransport Safety Victoria) whose office is established under theTransport Integration Act 2010.
Rail operators inVictoria can also be the subject of no blame investigations conducted by theChief Investigator, Transport Safety or theAustralian Transport Safety Bureau(ATSB). The Chief Investigator is charged by theTransport Integration Act[185] with conducting investigations into rail safety matters including incidents and trends. ATSB, on the other hand, has jusridiction over the same matters where they occur on the Defined Interstate Rail Network.
Ticketing requirements for public transport inMelbourne are mainly contained in the Transport (Ticketing) Regulations 2006[186] and the Victorian Fares and Ticketing Manual.[187] Rules about safe and fair conduct on trains and trams inMelbourne are generally contained in theTransport (Compliance and Miscellaneous) Act 1983[188] and the Transport (Conduct) Regulations 2005.[189] If Metro does not reach its Punctuality and Delivery goals they will give out compensation to eligible customers. In the month of December 2014, Metro Trains had a delivery rate of 98.5%, and a Punctuality rate of 93.60%.[190] In 2014, Metro Trains were accused of not stopping at underpopulated suburbs' stations in order to arrive on time, this practise has been condemned by the general public and the media. They have offered compensation to affected passengers.
Tourist and Heritage Railways inMelbourne andVictoria are currently governed by provisions in the Transport (Compliance and Miscellaneous) Act 1983. In future, they will be regulated by the recently enactedTourist and Heritage Railways Act 2010,[191] which commenced in October 2011.
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