V/Line train passengers frustrated after announcement of six-week Gippsland line closure

Frustrated V/Line passengers will have to take the bus for six weeks as the Gippsland railway line will close due to track upgrades. Find out how this will affect you.

Frustrated Gippsland passengers will have to take the bus for six weeks as the V/Line train line will close due to track upgrades.

Frustrated commuters in regional towns in the state’s east face a horror six weeks catching buses as V/Line trains are taken off the rails for major track upgrades.

Commuters from as far as Bairnsdale, Sale and Traralgon will all be impacted by the closure from May 3 until June 18.

The Gippsland line will shut due to the state’s Big Build works, with upgrades including the addition of two tracks at East Pakenham in order to allow V/Line trains to bypass metropolitan trains, making travel smoother and more reliable.

As the works are in progress, buses will be unavailable at Flinders St, Richmond, Clayton and Berwick stations, but will be available for passengers travelling between Caulfield, Dandenong and Pakenham.

Commuters took to social media to voice their frustration with the shutdown heading into winter.

“Do some freaking pick ups and drop offs at Flinders — sick of crossing the entire city to Southern Cross, just to head back the way I came to go to Gippsland,” Josh McLaughlin commented.

The Gippsland train line was also closed from November 24 to December 10 last year. Picture: David Crosling

“We’ll be needing boats by the time that is finished, if it ever gets finished,” Leanne McCann wrote.

“Omg that’s a month and a half — hope we will be getting some sort of compensation for the inconvenience yet again,” Debbie Buzasi said.
“I always look forward to the absolute disaster this becomes every time,” Melbourne man Chris Barrett shared.
Traralgon local Shannon Knegt suggested the South Gippsland railway corridor from Cranbourne to Leongatha should be restored so that travellers don’t have to take the “unreliable buses” no longer.

A V/Line spokesperson has advised passengers to allow 60 minutes extra for the journey by bus in May and June.

“Passengers should be aware that buses will replace metropolitan train services on sections of the Pakenham Line at times during this period, due to Level Crossing Removal and Metro tunnelworks,” the spokesperson said.

“A temporary timetable is available from the PTV and V/Line websites.”

The spokesperson added during the closure, crews on the Gippsland line upgrade would carry out complex signalling work, safety testing and driver training.

“The works will also include completing the new duplicated track at Bunyip station and laying new track at Longwarry station,” the spokesperson said.

“While trains aren’t running, V/Line crews will carry out stabling yard works at Bairnsdale station.”

The level crossing at Kennedy St in Longwarry will be closed to traffic and pedestrians from May 4 to May 20.

“Local traffic can use the rail crossings at Bunyip, Garfield and Tynong, while heavy vehicles must use the Princes Highway, the crossing at Nar Nar Goon and Nar Nar Goon-Longwarry Rd,” the spokesperson said.

“These works will prepare the line for a new signalling system which, in conjunction with completed track works and station upgrades already delivered as part of the project, will enable more services and help to future-proof the line.”

Other impacted stations include Morwell, Moe, Trafalgar, Yarragon, Warragul and Drouin.