Metropolitan rail network improvements
The State Government has an extensive program for upgrading rail lines, stations and signalling systems across the Melbourne passenger rail network.
$132.1 million has been allocated in the 2009-10 State Budget for a range of measures to improve reliability and capacity of rail services across Melbourne, including 24 staff to assist with passenger movements.
View The Victorian Transport Plan for the latest information on planned train projects.
Works completed since 2000 as well as current and future works are listed on this webpage for each of the metropolitan rail lines.
Rail line
Alamein
Current and future works
- Security lighting at Ashburton station will be upgraded to bright white lighting
Completed works
Belgrave/Lilydale
Current and future works
- Burnley and Ferntree Gully stations will be upgraded to Premium Stations
- Security lighting at Bayswater, Belgrave, Blackburn, Boronia, Box Hill, Burnley, Croydon, Glenferrie, Mitcham, Mooroolbark, Surrey Hills and Upper Ferntree Gully stations will be upgraded to bright white lighting
Completed works
- Heatherdale Station has been upgraded as part of the EastLink Project. See EastLink station upgrades for more details
- The Middleborough Road level crossing at Box Hill has been removed. See Railway crossing safety projects for more details.
- Ringwood Station has been upgraded as part of a $10 million Station Refurbishment Program.
- Belgrave, Blackburn, Boronia, Lilydale, Nunawading and Ringwood station interchanges were upgraded as part of the Connecting Transport Services program
- Closed Circuit Television cameras were installed at Belgrave, Blackburn, Croydon, Lilydale, Mitcham, Nunawading and Ringwood Stations in 2003 as part of an $800,000 city-wide safety upgrade
- Lighting at Camberwell, Lilydale and Ringwood stations has been upgraded
- Pedestrian rail crossings have been upgraded in Croydon, Ferntree Gully, Heathmont and Ringwood. See Railway pedestrian crossing upgrades
City Loop and inner suburbs
Current and future works
- Signalling in the City Loop will be upgraded
- Flinders Street Station will be further upgraded
- Richmond Station will undergo a further upgrade
Completed works
- North Melbourne Station has undergone a multi-million makeover.
- Southern Cross Station (formerly Spencer Street Station) has been redeveloped into a world-class transport interchange
- Flinders Street Station has undergone a significant upgrade to improve the amenity and accessibility of the station
- East Richmond and South Kensington stations have been upgraded as part of a $10 million Station Refurbishment Program
- Jolimont Station was upgraded in 2005. See Metropolitan railway station projects for more details
- Richmond Station underwent a major makeover in time for the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games
- Lighting at Footscray, Jolimont and South Yarra stations has been upgraded.
Craigieburn (formerly Broadmeadows)
Current and future works
- $30.2 million has been included in the 2008-09 State Budget for an extra track at Craigieburn to enable the running of additional morning peak services
- Security lighting at Broadmeadows, Essendon and Glenroy stations will be upgraded to bright white lighting
- Upgrade of the Broadmeadows multi-modal interchange
- Storage facilities for trains while not in use will be provided on the Broadmeadows Corridor
- A new railway station is being constructed at Coolaroo, between Broadmeadows and Roxburgh Park stations
Completed works
- Electrified train services commenced from Craigieburn from 30 September 2007 following completion of the extension of the suburban rail network from Broadmeadows to Craigieburn. See Craigieburn Rail Project.
- Craigieburn Station has also been upgraded to a Premium Station
- A new station at Roxburgh Park was officially opened on 21 September 2007 as part of the Craigieburn Rail Project.
- Essendon Station has been upgraded as part of a $10 million Station Refurbishment Program.
- Broadmeadows, Craigieburn, Essendon and Glenroy station interchanges were upgraded as part of the Connecting Transport Services program
- Closed Circuit Television cameras were installed at Broadmeadows Station in 2003 as part of an $800,000 city-wide safety upgrade
- Pedestrian rail crossings in Coolaroo, Moonee Ponds and Pascoe Vale have been upgraded. See Railway pedestrian crossing upgrades
Epping/Hurstbridge
Current and future works
- As part of a four stage program:
- the direction of the Clifton Hill group trains will be reversed in the City Loop during the morning so that they no longer have to cross tracks as they enter the loop. See the Changes to the rail timetable page
- the track between Clifton Hill and Westgarth will be duplicated. See the Clifton Hill Rail Project page
- a second track between Keon Park and Epping will be built
- the rail line will be extended from Epping to South Morang.
See Epping and Hurstbridge rail line improvements for more details
- A $6 million signalling upgrade is underway on the Hurstbridge line. See Epping and Hurstbridge rail line improvements for more details
- Upgrade of the Preston multi-modal interchange
- Security lighting at Bell, Eltham, Greensborough, Heidelberg, Ivanhoe, Macleod, Preston, Reservoir, Thomastown and Watsonia stations will be upgraded to bright white lighting
Completed works
- Collingwood, Eltham, Epping and North Richmond stations have been upgraded as part of a $10 million Station Refurbishment Program.
- Bell, Macleod and Watsonia stations have been upgraded to Premium Stations
- Reservoir and Thomastown station interchanges were upgraded as part of the Connecting Transport Services program
- Closed Circuit Television was installed at Heidelberg and Ivanhoe station interchanges as part of Connecting Transport Services
- Lighting at Clifton Hill and Fairfield stations has been upgraded.
- Pedestrian rail crossings in Alphington and Preston have been upgraded. See Railway pedestrian crossing upgrades
- Extra car parking has been provided at Eltham station. See Park and Ride programs for more details
Frankston
Current and future works
- Security lighting at Bentleigh, Carrum, Cheltenham, Frankston, Mentone, Moorabbin and Mordialloc stations will be upgraded to bright white lighting
- From 2008, the stabling facility at Frankston Station will be upgraded
- Upgrade of Frankston multi-modal interchange
Completed works
- Kananook Station has been upgraded as part of the EastLink project. See EastLink station upgrades for more details
- Mentone Station has been upgraded to a Premium Station
- Highett Station has been upgraded as part of a $10 million Station Refurbishment Program.
- Cheltenham and Frankston station interchanges were upgraded as part of the Connecting Transport Services program
- Closed Circuit Television cameras were installed at Frankston and Cheltenham Stations in 2003 as part of an $800,000 city-wide safety upgrade
- Pedestrian rail crossings have been upgraded in Chelsea, Cheltenham, Mordialloc and Parkdale. See Railway pedestrian crossing upgrades
Glen Waverley
Current and future works
- Security lighting at Darling, East Malvern, Glen Waverley and Mount Waverley stations will be upgraded to bright white lighting
Completed works
- Extra car parking spaces have been provided at Holmesglen Railway Station. See Park and Ride programs for more details
- Darling Station has been upgraded to a Premium Station
- East Malvern, Glen Waverley and Mount Waverley stations have been upgraded as part of a $10 million Station Refurbishment Program.
- The Glen Waverley station interchange was upgraded as part of the Connecting Transport Services program
- Closed Circuit Television cameras were installed at Glen Waverley Station in 2003 as part of an $800,000 city-wide safety upgrade
- Pedestrian rail crossings in Glen Waverley and Malvern have been upgraded. See Railway pedestrian crossing upgrades
Pakenham/Dandenong/Cranbourne
Current and future works
- The Westall Rail Upgrade includes 2.7 kilometres of extra track and a significant upgrade to Westall Station.
- New railway stations will be built at Cardinia Road and Lynbrook. See New railway stations for more details
- Noble Park Station will be upgraded to a Premium Station
- Extra car parking spaces will be provided at Hallam and Pakenham railway stations as part of the Park and Ride program
- Security lighting at Berwick, Clayton, Cranbourne, Oakleigh, Pakenham and Springvale stations will be upgraded to bright white lighting
- A third platform will be built at Pakenham Station and storage areas for trains at the station will be upgraded
- A fourth platform will be built at Dandenong Station
Completed works
- Carnegie and Huntingdale stations have been upgraded as part of a $10 million Station Refurbishment Program.
- Narre Warren Station was converted to a Premium Station in 2003 following at $1.43 million upgrade
- Berwick, Clayton, Cranbourne, Dandenong, Huntingdale, Oakleigh and Pakenham station interchanges were upgraded as part of the Connecting Transport Services program
- Closed Circuit Television cameras were installed at Clayton and Oakleigh Stations in 2003 as part of an $800,000 city-wide safety upgrade
- Installation of Closed Circuit Television at Springvale interchange as part of Connecting Transport Services
- Lighting a Caulfield and Hallam stations has been upgraded
- Pedestrian rail crossings in Beaconsfield, Berwick, Carnegie and Clayton have been upgraded. See Railway pedestrian crossing upgrades
Sandringham
Current and future works
- The 2008-09 State Budget includes $3 million to upgrade Prahran and Windsor stations
- Security lighting at Brighton Beach, Elsternwick and Sandringham stations will be upgraded to bright white lighting
- A second platform will be built at Sandringham Station
Completed works
Sydenham
Current and future works
- Security lighting at St Albans, Sunshine and Watergardens stations will be upgraded to bright white lighting
- A third track between Sunshine and West Footscray will be built and signalling between Sunshine and Watergardens will be upgraded. The 2006-07 State Budget included $6.6 million for planning works for these projects
- The third track from West Footscray to Footscray will be extended and with the potential to build a fourth track from Sunshine to Footscray.
- Services will run direct to Flinders Street rather than through the City Loop, during peak hours to enable the timetabling of additional Werribee and Sydenham services in November 2008 and in the future. See the Changes to the rail timetable page
Completed works
- Extra car parking spaces have been provided at Tottenham Railway Station as part of the Park and Ride program
- The $44 million electrification of the St Albans to Sydenham rail line was completed in early 2002 with suburban train services operating to the Watergardens and Keilor Plains Stations. See Metropolitan railway station projects
- St Albans, Sunshine and Sydenham station interchanges were upgraded as part of the Connecting Transport Services program
- Closed Circuit Television cameras were installed at Sunshine Station in 2003 as part of an $800,000 city-wide safety upgrade
Upfield
Current and future works
- Upgrade of the Coburg multi-modal interchange
- Security lighting at Coburg, Fawkner and Upfield stations will be upgraded to bright white lighting
Completed works
Werribee/Williamstown
Current and future works
- A new Williams Landing Station will be built. See New railway stations for more details
- The 2008-09 State Budget includes $92.6 million for construction a third track and extra platform at Laverton to enable more morning peak services
- Security lighting at Laverton, Newport and Williamstown stations will be upgraded to bright white lighting
- Signalling between Laverton and Werribee will be upgraded
- Stabling facilities to store trains on the Werribee rail corridor will be upgraded
- A third track between Altona Junction and Newport will be constructed
- The Old Geelong Road level crossing will be upgraded
Completed works
- Laverton, Newport and Werribee Stations have been upgraded as part of a $10 million Station Refurbishment Program.
- Hoppers Crossing, Laverton, Newport and Yarraville station interchanges were upgraded as part of the Connecting Transport Services program
- Installation of Closed Circuit Television at Werribee interchange as part of Connecting Transport Services
- Lighting at Werribee Station has been upgraded
- Closed Circuit Television cameras were installed at Hoppers Crossing, Laverton, Newport and Yarraville Stations in 2003 as part of an $800,000 city-wide safety upgrade
- Services now run direct to Flinders Street rather than through the City Loop, during peak hours to enable the timetabling of additional Werribee and Sydenham services now and in the future. See the Changes to the rail timetable page.