Victoria Announces Free Weekend Public Transport for Two Months
In a move aimed at thanking passengers for years of disruption during the Metro Tunnel works, the Victorian government has announced that weekend travel across trains, trams and buses will be free for two months. The policy will take effect from the moment the Metro Tunnel opens in early December and run until 1 February, offering Victorians a no-charge option for weekend trips on public transport.
How the Free Weekend Service Works
During the two-month period, passengers will not be required to tap on or off with their Myki cards. If they do tap on or off, they won’t be charged for travel. Some regional V/Line services will still require a reservation, but that reservation will be free of charge. The government emphasised that this is a temporary measure designed to ease the transition into a new era of Melbourne and regional services.
Why Now?
Premier Jacinta Allan described the initiative as a “thank you” to passengers who have endured ongoing disruptions caused by the Metro Tunnel project, one of the state’s most complex infrastructure undertakings. The two-month window also aims to encourage Victorians to explore the updated network and experience the benefits of the new tunnel and timetabling changes.
What to Expect During the Free Weekend Window
The Metro Tunnel, which links the Sunbury line to the Cranbourne and Pakenham lines via five new underground city stations, is set to open in early December pending approval from the national rail safety regulator. For the initial two weeks after opening, the tunnel will operate at reduced capacity and only outside peak times as testing continues.
On weekdays during this initial phase, trains will pass through the tunnel roughly every 20 minutes, with services from Westall (Cranbourne-Pakenham line) and West Footscray (Sunbury line) running between 10am and 3pm. Weekends will see trains operating on a 20-minute cadence from 10am to 7pm, with services to East Pakenham every 40 minutes and Sunbury every 60 minutes. Existing services on both lines will continue to operate, ensuring that the City Loop remains functional throughout the period.
The Big Switch: A Major Timetable Overhaul Ahead
From 1 February, the Cranbourne-Pakenham and Sunbury lines will move out of the City Loop and operate exclusively through the Metro Tunnel, while the Frankston line will join the loop. The government has dubbed this phase the “big switch,” which includes a significant timetable overhaul and additions of about 1,000 extra weekly services on the Cranbourne-Pakenham and Sunbury lines. During this period, trains are planned to run every 10 minutes from 6am to 10pm on major corridors, extending to as frequent as every three to four minutes during peak periods—a genuine “turn up and go” service.
Budget Impact and Future Plans
Officials estimate the two months of free weekend transport will cost around $15 million in forgone revenue. The transport department indicated that the cost will be absorbed within its existing budget, reflecting a short-term investment in confidence-building and network testing ahead of the full launch.
What This Means for Commuters and Visitors
For daily commuters and weekend travelers alike, the policy offers a low-risk opportunity to trial the reopened network and explore new routes that the Metro Tunnel enables. It also acts as a practical way to ease the transition into the revised timetable and to celebrate a milestone in Melbourne’s public transport evolution.
