In 1975 suburban services were extended from Dandenong to Pakenham, on what is known as the Pakenham railway line. By the 1980s the motive power of trains reverted to diesel locomotives, with electrification cut back to Warragul in 1987, and to Bunyip in 1998. Suburban Comeng trains were used by V/Line to provide services from Melbourne to Warragul in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
In 1993, passenger services from Sale to Bairnsdale were withdrawn. They were reinstated in 2004 as part of the Linking Victoria program. The line was upgraded as part of the Regional Fast Rail project in 2005 and the last of the overhead wires were removed, except for a short section to the Melbourne side of Bunyip station.
In March 2013 the service was suspended east of Traralgon because of safety problems with level crossings.[1][2] Rail services resumed in October 2013.[3]
Services to Traralgon operate approximately hourly every day, with a higher frequency during the weekday peak periods. Between Southern Cross and Pakenham, services generally stop at Flinders Street, Richmond, Caulfield, Clayton and Dandenong. One service in the peak direction during the weekday peak also stops at Berwick. At those six stations, trains running towards Traralgon only pick up passengers, trains running towards Southern Cross and only set down passengers. Local services stop at all stations between Pakenham and Traralgon, but services during peak periods run express between Pakenham and Garfield, Garfield and Drouin, and Warragul and Moe. One morning peak service terminates and originates at Flinders Street instead of Southern Cross. During weekdays off-peak, Richmond station is only served by trains to Traralgon in the afternoon and evening.[4]
From Monday to Saturday there are three daily return services to Bairnsdale, and two return services to Bairnsdale, one return service to Sale on Sunday.[5] At Bairnsdale, trains connect with road coach services to Orbost, Batemans Bay and Canberra. One service in each direction daily is run using locomotive-hauled N type carriages, which provide first-class accommodation and a snack bar. Other services are operated by VLocitydiesel multiple units, which are single-class and have no refreshment facilities. Some services stop all stations between Pakenham and Bairnsdale, while others (typically locomotive-hauled services) run semi-express between Melbourne and Moe.[6]
Regional Bus
Regional Coach
Ferries
SkyBus