Traverse the burbs at 0.000012% the speed of light.
Melbourne’s ageing Comeng trains are finally getting shown the door after decades of service.
The Victorian Government has tipped $986 million into 25 shiny new X’Trapolis 2.0 trains, which will begin ferrying passengers along the Craigieburn, Upfield and Frankston lines later this year. The fleet has been undergoing rigorous testing across the network throughout 2025, and will enter service once upgrades to the Craigieburn Train Maintenance Facility are complete.
X’Trapolis 2.0 trains
- Craigieburn, Upfield and Frankston lines
- Entering service 2026
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Victorian-built trains
Built right here in regional Victoria at Alstom’s Ballarat facility, the trains feature at least 60 per cent local content and have created up to 750 jobs across the supply chain. The Ballarat manufacturing site is over 100 years old and has been upgraded as part of the project, with local suppliers delivering everything from accessibility ramps to passenger windows to the couplers connecting carriages together.
Each six-car train fits around 1225 passengers and comes packed with accessibility features including 20 wheelchair spaces, semi-automated boarding ramps, hearing loops and a continuous walkway running the length of the train. Wider doors should help with boarding bottlenecks during peak hour, while advanced air suspension promises a smoother ride for commuters.
Feedback from over 1,600 locals
The design process involved feedback from over 1600 Victorians who visited a life-size mock-up at Alstom’s Tullamarine facility in 2023. That consultation resulted in 58 design changes based on 641 individual pieces of feedback, covering everything from accessibility improvements to driver experience tweaks.
Metro Trains will operate and maintain the new fleet at Craigieburn, where extended maintenance pits and new roof platforms are being installed to service the trains. The X’Trapolis 2.0 represents the next phase of renewal for Melbourne’s train network, following the rollout of High Capacity Metro Trains in recent years.
How do they compare?
Passengers can expect real-time journey information through upgraded onboard displays, giving commuters better visibility on where they are and what’s coming up. The trains have been configured specifically for Melbourne’s rail network with a more energy-efficient design, and feature mixed-use spaces throughout carriages for storing bikes and prams alongside dedicated wheelchair areas.
The semi-automated boarding ramps are a step up from manual alternatives, making platform-to-train transitions smoother for passengers with mobility needs. Combined with hearing loops installed throughout and clearer visual displays, the X’Trapolis 2.0 has been built with universal access in mind from the ground up rather than retrofitted as an afterthought.
For more information, head here.
