Victoria is doubling down on public transport, rolling out more frequent train services and a new fleet of locally built trains as part of the 2026/27 State Budget—moves aimed at easing cost-of-living pressure and keeping pace with growing demand across Melbourne and regional areas.
New trains set to hit the tracks
The $673.6 million investment will deliver 25 next-generation X’Trapolis 2.0 trains, adding to a total order of 50. Engineers in Victoria built the trains to carry around 1,225 passengers each, and they upgraded the interiors and improved efficiency to ease congestion during peak periods.
The project will also support around 750 local jobs, reinforcing the state’s manufacturing pipeline. Passengers won’t have to wait long to see them in action.
The first batch is due to begin rolling out on the Craigieburn, Upfield and Frankston lines in the coming months—three corridors that regularly rank among Melbourne’s busiest.
More Frequent Services Across Victoria
At the same time, the government is ramping up service frequency across the network, with a $77.5 million boost funding thousands of additional services.
Regional commuters on the Shepparton line will see one of the biggest changes, with weekday services nearly doubling to nine return trips per day.
Across Melbourne, evening and weekend services are also getting a noticeable lift. Lines including Belgrave, Lilydale, Glen Waverley and Alamein will see trains running every 20 minutes into the evening, while key corridors like Ringwood and Clifton Hill will benefit from turn-up-and-go frequencies as often as every 10 minutes.
Weekend travel is also being rethought, particularly in the city’s north and north-east. Services on the Mernda and Hurstbridge lines will increase to every 20 minutes, with more frequent connections closer to the CBD—reflecting shifting travel habits as more Melburnians head out later and travel outside traditional peak hours.
Further upgrades are already in the pipeline. Transport authorities will add extra peak services to the Werribee line, while they will run the Sandringham line every 10 minutes between peak periods.
Meanwhile, lines like Craigieburn, Upfield and Seymour will see more consistent all-day and weekend timetables.
Cheaper Fares On The Way
The changes come alongside a broader push to make public transport more affordable, with free travel currently in place and half-price fares set to kick in from 1st June.
According to government estimates, regular commuters could save more than $850 a year—at a time when fuel and household costs remain volatile. Premier Jacinta Allan said the government designed the combined changes to make daily travel both cheaper and more reliable.
“Half-price trains and more train services will save you money and time,” she said. Public and Active Transport Minister Gabrielle Williams added that the expanded network is now serving more people and carrying more trips.
“We’re putting our expanded network to work—delivering more services, more often across the network,” she said. “With new trains that are bigger and more comfortable, we’re getting more Victorians moving.”