Overland rail: fears it’s the end of the line

Overland rail service between Melbourne and Adelaide is not taking bookings for 2020 amid funding shortfall.

In jeopardy ... the Overland Train. Picture: File

Australia is close to losing one of its iconic train journeys, the 132-year-old Overland rail service between Melbourne and Ade­laide, with Victoria yet to ­announce new funding and the South Australian government confirming it would not give any more subsidies to the service.

Cheap air travel has seen rail patronage plummet from almost 46,553 in 2007 to 18,737 in 2017, with the Overland cutting its services from five a week in the 1990s to two a week since 2013.

The 828km journey starts at $114 a ticket and is still popular with pensioners who enjoy the daylong trip. Country residents still rely on the service, which stops in towns such as Murray Bridge, Bordertown, Nhill, ­Dimboola, Horsham, Stawell and Ararat.

The Overland Train became the “Crowverland” Train when Adelaide Crows fans such as Matt and Jenny Baynes and their son Aiden made the journey from Adelaide to Melbourne for the 2017 AFL Grand Final. Picture: Bianca De Marchi

The service almost collapsed last year when the newly elected SA Liberal government pulled its subsidy of about $1.2m over four years. In the lead-up to the Victorian election in November last year, Labor stepped in with a promise of $3.17m to keep the service viable this year.

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However, that Victorian top-up funding expires at the end of this year and the owner, Journey Beyond, is so unsure about the future that it has disabled the booking function on its website for trips next year. The last trip available for booking is scheduled for December 30, from ­Adelaide to Melbourne, which may be the Overland’s final ride.

”The Overland is an Australian icon which has been used by generations of South Australians to travel to Melbourne. We know that once these trains services go, it's very hard to get them back.” @PMalinauskasMP on the doubtful future of Overland train service. #saparli #7NEWS pic.twitter.com/84ebzxWHVU

— 7NEWS Adelaide (@7NewsAdelaide) October 20, 2019

A spokeswoman for Journey Beyond confirmed the company had not yet received any guarantees about funding. “The Overland has consistently required government support, which has heavily subsidised significant ­operational costs to ensure ­affordability for commuters,” she said. “Journey Beyond is currently exploring opportunities with the Victorian government to provide operations beyond December 2019.”

SA Opposition Leader Peter Malinauskas accused the government of abandoning the service. “It is time for the Marshall Liberal government to step up, provide its share of funding and ensure this train service can continue,” he said.

SA Transport Minister Stephan Knoll said the government would not shift. “This particular service has had declining patronage for decades now,” he said.