Ballarat line
The Ballarat line is a regional passenger rail service in Victoria, Australia, operated by V/Line. It runs from Melbourne’s Southern Cross station to Ballarat, passing through Melton and Bacchus Marsh to Wendouree, a suburb of Ballarat. There are additional services on related routes that extend further west to Ararat and Maryborough via the Mildura line. The line is popular, carrying about 4.7 million passengers in 2022–23.
What you ride
- Trains: V/Line VLocity diesel multiple units, usually in 3- or 6-car sets.
- Speed and track: The line can run up to about 160 km/h on upgraded sections; most of the route is double track up to Melton, with single track beyond that and passing opportunities at key points.
- Distance: The Ballarat main route covers roughly 123 kilometres from Southern Cross to Wendouree.
Where it goes (main line)
- Termini: Southern Cross to Wendouree (Ballarat) with Ballarat as the western end of the main line.
- Stops: 13 stops along the Ballarat route.
- Main destinations: Ballarat, Wendouree, Melton, Bacchus Marsh, and Sunbury/Southern Cross corridor access.
Additional services on related routes
- Ararat line: Extends beyond Wendouree to Ararat (shared line beyond Ballarat).
- Maryborough line: Ballarat to Maryborough via the Mildura line. This service runs about 68.7 kilometres from Ballarat to Maryborough, with around five stops along the way on most timetables, and typically two return services per day.
Timetable snapshot (typical)
- Weekdays: Trains between Southern Cross and Melton run roughly every 20 minutes; trains between Southern Cross and Wendouree run about every 40 minutes.
- Weekends: Services run about every 40 minutes between Southern Cross and Wendouree, with most trains continuing to Wendouree and stopping at all stations.
- Extensions: Five return services on weekdays and three on weekends extend from Wendouree to Ararat. Two return services run daily between Southern Cross and Maryborough.
Recent and planned upgrades
- Upgrades over the years have allowed faster, more reliable service and more trains. A major expansion program duplicated tracks between Deer Park and Melton and added new facilities, enabling more frequent trains.
- Level crossings at several locations have been removed, improving reliability and safety.
- Future plans include running 9-car VLocity trains to Melton by 2027 and electrifying the line to Melton after Sunshine upgrades begin in 2026. These changes aim to improve capacity and speed further.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 05:14 (CET).