V/Line is celebrating 40 years of getting Victorians around their state, marking a major milestone for the regional rail operator.
V/Line has grown from a small state railway system to a large operator servicing communities far and wide.
Today, it has more than 2250 rail and 1500 coach services operating every week, with the 107th modern VLocity train recently being introduced into service and regional fare caps bringing equity for regional travellers.
The V/Line brand was launched on August 21, 1983, by then-transport minister Steve Crabb with a bright orange train uniform and green and white V/Line logo at Spencer Street Station.
While the regional rail operator has modernised over the past 40 years, its dedication to connecting regional Victorians has stayed the same – and record investment in regional public transport is only adding to the significant transformation of the network.
This year’s Budget included $219.4 million towards the introduction of additional passenger services, $601m to deliver 23 new VLocity trains and $322m towards Stage 2 of the South Dynon Train Maintenance Facility project.
The $4 billion Regional Rail Revival program is upgrading every passenger rail line across the state, delivering faster and more frequent connections right across the state.
Public transport minister Ben Carroll said V/Line has had a huge impact on Victorians over the past 40 years, providing critical connections across the state and supporting regional Victorians and their communities.
“The regional fare cap is one of the biggest changes we’ve seen at V/Line in the past 40 years – we’ve delivered fare equity between regional Victoria and metropolitan Melbourne to help the community move around our state and support families’ bottom line,” he said.
