{"id":580379,"date":"2026-10-19T11:06:35","date_gmt":"2026-10-19T01:06:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/?p=580379"},"modified":"2026-10-19T11:08:53","modified_gmt":"2026-10-19T01:08:53","slug":"victorian-liberal-nationals-promise-to-bring-v-line-trains-back-to-mildura-and-horsham","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/?p=580379","title":{"rendered":"Victorian Liberal Nationals promise to bring V\/Line trains back to Mildura and Horsham"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Victorian Liberal National Coalition has promised to bring passenger train services back to Mildura<\/a> for the first time in more than 30 years, if it wins the state election. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

V\/Line<\/a> train services between Melbourne and Mildura were axed in 1993 by the former Liberal premier Jeff Kennett.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Coalition said passenger services would return to Mildura and Dimboola by mid-2029 as part of its $51.2 million Wimmera Mallee Rail plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Mildura train service would stop at Red Cliffs, Ouyen, Birchip, Donald, St Arnaud and Dunolly before connecting with Melbourne-bound trains at Maryborough. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Dimboola service would stop at Horsham, Murtoa and Stawell, before connecting with the wider train network at Ararat.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
The former Kennett Liberal government axed Mildura’s train service 33 years ago. (ABC News: Wade Stephens)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The Coalition said there would be three return services a week on each corridor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Decades-long campaign<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Mildura remains the largest regional city in the state without access to a passenger rail service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Currently, the nearest passenger train service is based in Swan Hill, two and a half hours away, with passengers required to catch a coach service from Mildura to Swan Hill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alternatively, residents can take the overnight bus to Melbourne, but both options take about eight hours each way.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
Passengers wait at the Mildura bus station, hoping to get a seat on a 3:55am coach to Swan Hill. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Liberal leader Jess Wilson said bringing back passenger rail would give people across the Wimmera and Mallee a more-affordable way to travel and stay connected to the rest of Victoria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Their voices have been heard and now the Liberals and Nationals have a plan to make it happen,” Nationals member for Mildura Jade Benham said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The coalition said its initial investment would fund infrastructure improvements, potential train acquisition and operating costs over four years. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Coalition said passenger services would return to Mildura and Dimboola by mid-2029 as part of its $51.2 million Wimmera Mallee Rail plan.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":21,"featured_media":185785,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[35,47,186],"tags":[21387,8],"class_list":["post-580379","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-breaking-news","category-rail-news","category-v-line","tag-dimboola","tag-victoria"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t