More services, cheaper fares and new X'Trapolis 2.0 Melbourne trains are on the way.
A combined $1.18 billion investment will slash fares in half across the entire network, fund 25 new Melbourne trains and ramp up service frequency on lines stretching from the suburbs to regional Victoria.
Free public transport has been extended through to the end of May, with half-price fares kicking in from 1 June and running until the end of the year.
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More services across suburban and regional lines
A further $77.5 million is going toward boosting service frequency across the network. The Shepparton line will nearly double its weekday return services from roughly five to nine, while several suburban lines are getting significant evening and weekend upgrades.
The Belgrave and Lilydale lines will move to trains every 20 minutes to the end of the line on weekday evenings — up from every 30 — with the Ringwood corridor jumping to every 10 minutes. Glen Waverley and Alamein lines follow the same pattern, shifting from 30-minute to 20-minute evening frequencies. The Mernda and Hurstbridge lines are getting 20-minute weekend services to Mernda and Eltham, up from every 30 to 40 minutes, with Clifton Hill services increasing to every 10 minutes on weekend evenings.
Extra services already locked in
Beyond the budget-funded additions, a further wave of services is set to roll out in the coming months. The Werribee line picks up two additional trains per hour in the mornings and afternoons, the Sandringham line moves to every 10 minutes between peaks, and both the Craigieburn and Upfield lines will run at least every 20 minutes — including late at night and on weekends.
Regional lines are getting a boost too. The Seymour line will run hourly between 8am and 9pm on weekends, and Shepparton picks up five return services on both days of the weekend. The Gippsland line is already running trains every 40 minutes following its recent upgrade.
25 new X’Trapolis 2.0 Melbourne trains funded
The budget tips $673.6 million into 25 locally built X’Trapolis 2.0 trains, each carrying around 1,225 passengers. Built at Alstom’s Ballarat facility, the project supports 750 jobs across Victoria’s supply chain.
The first batch are set to roll out on the Craigieburn, Upfield and Frankston lines in the coming months, replacing the ageing Comeng fleet that has been rattling along since 1981. Around 1,000 drivers have already started training on a full-size replica simulator ahead of the carriages entering passenger service.
In total, 50 X’Trapolis 2.0 trains have now been funded by the state government. The new fleet features wider walk-through carriages, improved air suspension, real-time journey information displays and designated spaces for wheelchairs, prams and bicycles.
Half-price fares drop daily costs to $5.70
The headline figure for commuters is the $432 million investment in fare reductions. A full daily fare drops from $11.40 to $5.70 — anywhere in Victoria, on any train, tram or bus. The state government says regular daily commuters will save more than $850 between 1 June and the end of 2026.
The move comes as conflict in the Middle East continues to push fuel prices up, with half-price fares designed to pull cars off the road and ease demand at the pump. Public transport remains permanently free for anyone under 18, and myki pass holders will be able to claim reimbursements under the new pricing structure. Tap-and-go payments also resume across the network from 1 June.
What it all adds up to
The budget announcements land at a time when Victoria’s rail network is undergoing its most intensive period of investment in decades. The Metro Tunnel has already reshaped how the suburban network operates, the Melbourne Airport Rail Link is under construction at Sunshine and 3,500 Melbourne trains services have been added to the timetable in recent years.
Half-price fares, new rolling stock and more frequent services across both metro and regional lines — it’s a lot hitting the network at once. Whether it shifts commuters out of their cars and onto the platform remains to be seen, but at $5.70 a day, the price of entry just got a lot harder to argue with.
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