Trains – regional services in Victoria
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Taking your bike on V/Line trains. And information and bookings for the Melbourne–Ballarat Trail Transporter trial (Friday 19 March until Monday 26 April 2010).
The Trail Transporter: A trial initiative for bike transport on the Ballarat line
12 March 2010 Bicycle Victoria and the Department of Transport are pleased to announce a trial bike transport service that will carry coach and train passengers’ bikes to and from a select number of rail trails from 19 March to 26 April.
Run by Bicycle Victoria, the Trail Transporter is a trial initiative. Passengers will be able to load their bikes onto a special bike trailer that will operate in conjunction with selected V/Line train and coach services. Bicycle Victoria is managing this trial for the Victorian Government. The service is free.
- The Trail Transporter trial will run from Friday 19 March until Monday 26 April 2010.
- The Trail Transporter is available to all passengers wanting to travel with their bike, and this service is free. (As part of the usual train and coach fare.)
- Passengers must ensure that they get their bikes loaded onto the Trail Transporter so it can leave 15 minutes before the V/Line service is due to depart.
- See below for details about how to book your bike on the Melbourne–Ballarat Trail Transporter.
- For information and bookings for the Melbourne–Leongatha/Menniyan Trail Transporter, which will run in conjunction with V/Line's corresponding coach services, click here.
The Melbourne–Ballarat Trail Transporter
The Melbourne–Ballarat Trail Transporter will run through to the end of autumn, to provide riders with opportunities to explore the Ballarat area, which is perfect for weekend excursions, and to test the feasibility and efficiency of a bike-specific transport service.
The Melbourne–Ballarat Trail Transporter will enable riders to travel to Ballarat on a Friday evening, ride the Ballarat–Skipton rail trail over the weekend, and then return to Melbourne on the Sunday evening. The Trail Transporter will run at different times on public holidays.
The Melbourne–Ballarat Trail Transporter is operated by Ballarat Coachlines, and will run in conjunction with corresponding train services operated by V/Line. V/Line advises passengers to book their place on these services so they can arrive at their destination with their bikes.
- The Trail Transporter will run alongside the V/Line services that depart from Southern Cross Station at 6.25pm on Fridays and from Ballarat Station at 4.12pm on Sundays.
- V/Line passengers travelling to Ballarat can load their bikes onto the Trail Transporter in the coach loading area at Southern Cross Station between 5.25pm and 6.10pm. (Look for a car with a bike-specific trailer.)
- V/Line passengers returning to Melbourne on the Sunday can load their bikes onto the Trail Transporter in the coach loading area at Ballarat Station between 3.15pm and 4pm.
- The Trail Transporter will meet the train at its destination so riders can collect their bikes from trailer.
- On Easter weekend the Trail Transporter will operate alongside train services that leave Southern Cross at 8.25am on Good Friday, and Ballarat Station at 5.07pm on Easter Monday. (Riders can load their bikes between 7.30am and 8.10am on Good Friday, and 4.15pm and 5pm on Easter Monday.)
- On ANZAC Day, the Trail Transporter will run with the V/Line service that departs from Ballarat Station at 4.12pm on Monday 26 April. (Riders can load their bikes between 3.15pm and 4pm.)
Dates
The Melbourne–Ballarat Trail Transporter trial will run on the following weekends:
- Friday 19 – Sunday 21 March
- Friday 26 – Sunday 28 March
- Friday 2 – Monday 5 April (Easter weekend)
- Friday 9 – Sunday 11 April
- Friday 16 – Sunday 18 April
- Friday 23 – Monday 26 April (ANZAC Day)
Times
Melbourne to Ballarat: departing from Bay 72 at Southern Cross Station (at the Coaches and Airport Shuttles Terminal, off the Spencer and Bourke St entrance)
- at 6.25pm on Fridays (except on public holidays), loading bikes between 5.25pm and 6.10pm
- at 8.25am on Good Friday, loading bikes between 7.30am and 8.10am
Ballarat to Melbourne: departing from Ballarat Station
- at 4.12pm on Sundays (except on public holidays), loading bikes between 3.15pm and 4pm
- at 5.07pm on Easter Monday, loading bikes between 4.15pm and 5pm
- at 4.12pm on ANZAC Day, loading bikes between 3.15pm and 4pm
Bookings
To book your bike on the Melbourne–Ballarat Trail Transporter, click on this link.
To book a passenger fare on the corresponding V/Line train service, click here.
Bikes on V/Line trains
4 March 2010 Currently passengers may carry bikes on all V/Line trains, subject to space availability.
There is storage space for bikes on all locomotive-hauled services, but on the Sprinter and VLocity trains, this space is limited. So if you want to carry your bike on the Traralgon–Bairnsdale, Seymour–Albury (when this service resumes), Bendigo–Swan Hill or Geelong–Warrnambool lines, we suggest you look for a service that has a First Class carriage because these carriages have more space for luggage. First Class carriages are indicated by a star on V/Line timetables.
Locomotive-hauled services run at least two times a day on all V/Line train lines except the Ballarat line.
V/Line bends to bike demand
9 September 2009 The battle to get more bike tourists on country trains has scored an important victory with news that trains on the Melbourne–Wodonga connection will carry additional bike storage from next year.
An additional carriage will be added to each train, acting as both back-up power supply and a de facto bike rack, according the the Albury Border Mail.
A Department of Transport spokeswoman told the newspaper the additional carriage was recognition of the North East's bike-riding tourism trade.
"As part of the provision of upgraded and refurbished train sets for the North East Rail Revitalisation Project, V/Line will be introducing an additional carriage on each train set," she said.
"The additional carriage will provide back-up power supplies to improve reliability of the train and, equally as important, additional storage space will also be available for the carriage of bicycles in recognition of the growing popularity of cycle-based tourism in North East Victoria.
"V/Line and Department of Transport acknowledge that cycle-based tourism in North East Victoria requires capacity for the carriage of bicycles on these services."
Currently tourism in Victoria's north-east is suffering because bikes are restricted on the interim train and bus service operating on the line from Melbourne while the standard gauge duplication is under construction.
The member for Murray Valley Ken Jasper has welcomed the news, telling the Border Mail that cycling was a growing part of the North East tourism trade.
"Under the present situation the only way to get them on the train was to take them apart and put it in a box. People need to be able to get off the train and onto a bike."
No change to V/Line rules
21 May 2008 The Opposition Transport spokesman Terry Mulder issued a press release today titled "Kosky hits country train users with anti-bike rules," has been called "factually wrong" by the Government.
"There has been no change to the rules governing bikes on trains. Country travelers may still take their bikes without the need to pack in boxes or modify them."
The Government claims that Mr Mulder based his press release on the Travel Tips section of the V/Line website. There is advice in V/Line's Travel Tips about adapting and packing bikes in cardboard to protect the bike in transit. (Boxing bikes for travel is not compulsory but it is recommended.)
Minister announces that bikes are allowed on all V/Line services
15 February 2008 The Minister today announced that bikes are allowed on all V/Line services. Passengers will be advised where the bikes are best carried and riding and non-riding passengers will be informed of the code of conduct. Some services have a large baggage area and others such as the new VLocity trains do not. Passengers will be able to find from the timetable which services have more space.
Riders who often travel with their bike on crowded VLocity trains might find it more convenient to use a folding bike.
General update on bikes and public transport
31 January 2008 A summary of our meeting with the Minister. Link to page.
V/Line is changing its rules for carrying bikes in 2008
January 2008 V/Line have announced a reprieve on the banning of bicycles on peak hour trains until 1 February 2008. Cyclists are asked to write to V/Line and to Minister for Public Transport, Lynne Kosky, asking for bicycles to be allowed on peak hour trains. Please keep it polite and positive.
December 2007 We have not seen a copy of V/Line's final rules but we believe that it will not permit passengers to carry bikes on V/Line trains in the peak direction to major commuter destinations. (A peak service is one that terminates during the peak times 7–9am and 4–6pm.) Counter-peak travel with a bicycle–for example from the CBD to a regional centre in the morning–will be permitted. This rule will, we expect, be similar to the metro train rule. That is Geelong (V/Line) and Frankston (Connex) will have the same rules.
Bikes will be permitted on long distance V/Line trains which all arrive and depart in off-peak times. So, for example, the three train services between Warnambool and Melbourne will accept passngers with bikes because these services are all off-peak.
We have talked to Public Transport Division staff in the Department of Infrastructure about these changes. The rules are being changed because the trains are full or filling rapidly. It will take a while before we all–riders and train staff–have digested and understood the new rules, so we all need to be patient.
We explored with the Division ways that bikes could continue to use V/Line peak service trains into the CBD. The Division made the point that it needs a clear and unambiguous rule for the staff and customers to follow. It is true that some V/Line trains have facilities to carry baggage, but unfortunately not all do. It is also true that some riders wanting to board a V/Line CBD peak service may not intend to travel all the way into the CBD, but this is difficult for staff to determine.
The new rules have clearly reduced service to some bike riders. Our survey will help us understand how many riders have been taking the bikes on the train or would like to.
We have weighed up the issues from all points of view and have agreed to support the changes. We will try and improve this situation. For example we will try to see if the guards can be given discretion to allow a bike on the train when there is space. Train travellers who need a bike in town during the day are encouraged to keep one at work.
We think–and are checking through the survey–that more riders are interested in riding to the station than taking their bike on the train. This means our first priority for train-travelling riders is to get bike routes to stations and secure parking.
We are working with the Public Transport Division to:
- have bike cages installed at regional train stations. We have South Geelong Station in mind as a regional pilot.
Riders who wish to carry the matter further are encouraged to:
- Collect and submit passenger number data. It may be that your line is not over crowded in the peak.
- Contact the V/Line feedback service listed on the right
- Complete our survey attached on the right.
No booking system for bikes
January 2005 
Under the current system, there is no way for V/Line staff to know how many people will arrive at the station with bicycles (unless they are travelling in a group and made a group booking).
If a ticketing system for bikes was implemented the numbers of bicycles on trains would be known in advance, rather than a first come, first served basis.
For example on Easter Monday 2005, thirteen people arrived with bicycles at Wangaratta station for their return trip to Melbourne. Whilst they were given assurances by station staff that bicycles could be carried, five bicycles had to be transported on a later service four hours later.
Whilst V/Line knows how many people they are carrying, they do not know how many bikes they are carrying. Implementing a ticketing system would enable V/Line to know when bookings exceed two bikes so that they can add a D-Van to the train. Current policy is that a D-Van will be placed on the train if a group booking is made, but this is no use if a number of individuals turn up at the station with bikes.
This would also enable V/line to gather more data such as how many requests for carrying bicycles are received, how many bicycles are actually being carried and how many have been refused or held over?
Disparity in charges for bikes
June 2005 On Great Southern Railway services pensioners can travel on the Overlander train from Melbourne to Adelaide at a discounted rate. However it costs an exta $80 for their bikes.
Many airlines and all Melbourne metro trains will allow you to carry your bike at no extra cost.
A Bicycle Victoria Member wrote to Peter Batchelor's office in June 2005 highlighting the cost of carrying bikes on the Overlander train and compared it to that of other modes of transport.
Peter Batchelor's office agreed to forward the Member's recommendations to the operators of Great Southern Railway (GSR).
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