By AIDAN KNIGHT
AS of Sunday, February 1, Victoria has now completed the final stage of the Metro Tunnel and corresponding works to overhaul the state’s entire public transport network, as part of the Big Build Project.
Billed as The Big Switch, the once-off network reset fully integrates the previously completed Metro Tunnel, which had still been closed from the rest of the city circuit for testing and early tours since its completion in November.
This allows PTV to begin delivering more than 1000 additional weekly train services across Victoria and triggering the realignment of about 270 regional bus and coach routes – including dozens across Gippsland – to better connect with trains.
For Gippsland passengers, the changes include 18 additional weekly services on the Traralgon Line, improved interchange opportunities at Pakenham and Dandenong, and widespread adjustments to local bus timetables to reduce missed connections and long waits at key rail hubs.
Under the new timetable, metropolitan Pakenham and Cranbourne line services will run exclusively through the Metro Tunnel, creating a high-frequency corridor between Dandenong and the CBD, with trains arriving as often as every three minutes during peak periods.
This leaves the actual route of the Gippsland Line unchanged, but quicker and easier journeys for those wishing to head to both Metro Tunnel stations, more central to the city than Flinders or Southern Cross, and the Northern Suburbs of the Sunbury Line on the other side of the city (Sunbury, Sunshine, and Footscray now part of the Pakenham/Cranbourne lines).
This would reduce anyone travelling from Gippsland to Victoria University in Footscray, from a three-service journey to two, only having to switch once to a metro line at Pakenham.
This shift is expected to benefit Gippsland passengers transferring onto metropolitan services, particularly during peak hours, with trains running at least every 10 minutes between Watergardens and Dandenong from 6am to 9pm.
Weekday Traralgon-Melbourne services will continue to operate roughly hourly throughout the day, with additional peak services in the morning and afternoon.
Weekend services will maintain consistent spacing, while late-night travel will continue to rely on a mix of trains and night coach services.
The earliest weekday service to Melbourne will depart Traralgon at 4.34am, arriving at Southern Cross just before 7am, while evening services run into the late night, with final arrivals after midnight on weekends.
Across the region, local town routes, school and health services, and inter-town coaches have had departure times adjusted to improve connections at major stations including Traralgon, Moe, Morwell, Warragul, Drouin and Sale.
Several routes connecting Warragul, Drouin, Moe and Traralgon – including services to and from Drouin North, Newborough TAFE, Traralgon Plaza and the Moe Bus Interchange – have also been retimed to reduce transfer delays during peak commuting hours.
The Department of Transport says the bus changes are designed to ensure passengers arriving by train can connect with onward services more reliably, while bus passengers travelling into rail hubs face shorter waits and fewer missed trains.
Passengers are encouraged to check updated timetables before travelling, particularly where bus connections are involved, with journey planning information available through the PTV app and the V/Line website.
The latest Gippsland timetable can be found at: https://www.vline.com.au/Timetables/Train-coach-timetables
