The Bendigo and Echuca Line Upgrade is complete, with local passengers set to benefit from journey time savings of up to 12 minutes.
Trains can now travel at up to 100/km/h between Goornong and Echuca, an increase of 20km/h, after the project’s recent improvements to 60 kilometres of track.
More than 230 people worked for more than 30,000 hours, replacing close to 15,000 sleepers and 21,000 tonnes of ballast while trains were not running in April, May and June.
The line is more reliable after upgrades to bridges and drainage were also completed during this time.
Passengers between Bendigo and Echuca have been saving up to 5 minutes on their journeys since trains returned to the line in late June.
Further time savings of up to 7 minutes will be delivered later this year as part of a timetable change.
Trains have been travelling at up to 130km/h between Epsom and Goornong since December 2021.
This increase of 50km/h was enabled by the project’s earlier track upgrades.
The project has tripled the number of return services between Bendigo and Echuca on weekdays.
New stations at Goornong, Raywood and Huntly were delivered months ahead of schedule, giving people in growing communities access to trains close to where they live.
Improved train detection technology at 10 upgraded level crossings between Bendigo and Eaglehawk has improved safety for passengers and road users.
Trains can use the full length of the extended platform as historic Eaglehawk Station thanks to new signals.
Extra services for Epsom and Eaglehawk will be introduced as part of a future timetable change.
Learn more about the Bendigo and Echuca Line Upgrade.