Weekday commuters have more chance of finding a seat these days as an extra six train carriages are added across four peak hour services on the Ballarat line.
The new carriages put almost 900 extra seats in service during the weekly rush hours, doubling the number of places available to Brimbank commuters.
From Monday last week, three extra carriages were added to the 7.39am train from Wendouree to Southern Cross (SC), and to the 4pm from SC to Ballarat.
Three extra carriages were also added last Tuesday to the 9.14am from Wendouree to SC and the 4.54pm SC to Wendouree. Each expanded service makes an extra 220 seats available.
Public transport minister Jacinta Allan said the new carriages are the first of 48 the state government has ordered
to reduce crowding and make the daily commute more comfortable.
Passenger numbers have increased by 15 per cent on the Ballarat line over the past 15 months, Public Transport Victoria data indicates, jumping from 310,592 passengers in June last year to 349,349 in September this year.
The upgrades come as the Melbourne Metro Rail Authority was slated to oversee a $518 million upgrade of the Ballarat line, duplicating it between Deer Park and Melton.
Ms Allan said the upgrade would make the “electrification to Melton [train station] possible”.
