• Funding program Investment Road and Rail Program
  • Status In planning
  • Transport mode Rail
  • Estimated project cost $4,000,000,000
  • Australian Government contribution $2,000,000,000
  • Local Council/Shire City of Greater Geelong,Hobsons Bay City Council,City of Maribyrnong,Melbourne City Council (City of Melbourne),Wyndham City Council
  • State VIC
  • Corridor Melbourne - Geelong

Project description

The project will upgrade the rail corridor to enable faster passenger rail services from Melbourne to Geelong. The project will be undertaken in a number of stages. Stage 1 will:

•  Construct a new dedicated regional passenger track from Werribee to Laverton.

•  Upgrade stations at Werribee and Laverton.

•  Construct new and upgrade existing bridges and culverts.

•  Upgrade signalling and train control systems.

Further stages will be developed by the Victorian Government.

Benefits

The project will reduce travel times and improve public transport options for commuters travelling from Melbourne to Geelong. The project will allow passenger services to travel via Werribee rather than Sunshine. This route is shorter and faster and will allow express passengers to operate from Melbourne to Geelong.

Stage 1 will reduce travel times and will also free up capacity through Sunshine, allowing additional passenger services to operate to regional centres such as Ballarat and Bendigo.

Funding

Stage 1 is estimated to cost $4 billion. The Australian Government has committed $2 billion (capped) and the Victorian Government $2 billion.

Timetable

Planning for the project is underway. Construction on Stage 1 is expected to commence in 2023. Further stages will be developed by the Victorian Government.

Project last updated:

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