Victorians now have 450 extra train services every week, as the biggest timetable change since the opening of the City Loop comes into place from today.

The Andrews Labor Government has added 280 metropolitan and 170 regional services to the network every week, alongside new capacity indicator technology that will give passengers on Melbourne’s trains access to information about how busy their train or station will be – helping people stay safe as we move through our recovery from the pandemic.

After four months of extensive testing and trials, the new online tool called RideSpace provides real-time information for passengers on metropolitan trains – showing them how busy, or quiet, their journey will be before they get on board.

RideSpace is now available via a dedicated, mobile responsive mini-site – and its capacity data will soon be made available in third party journey planning apps to help passengers make informed choices about travelling safely on the network.

The tool shows the current and predicted level of busyness for trains, stations and platforms using icons ranging from Very Quiet to Very Busy to support public health settings and help passengers decide which service they are comfortable using.

Work on RideSpace has been fast-tracked with partners including Telstra Purple and NTT DATA leveraging the private sector’s expertise in predictive data modelling, machine learning and technology development.

This new tool, as well as today’s train timetable boost, will combine with a 30 per cent fare discount for metropolitan passengers travelling outside of peak periods, giving passengers more confidence to return to public transport and encouraging people to travel on either side of the busy morning and afternoon periods.

The off-peak discount will be in place for the next three months, automatically providing 30 per cent off myki fares for passengers touching off between 9.30am and 4pm or after 7pm on weekdays.

The new timetable features new services throughout the day across metropolitan and regional lines – including 125 new services each week on the Ballarat line, and greater frequency outside of peak hours on most metropolitan train lines.

Frankston line trains will not run through the City Loop until the Metro Tunnel opens in 2025, while Cranbourne/ Pakenham trains will travel in one direction – anticlockwise from Parliament to Flinders Street – through the Loop all day.

RideSpace can be accessed at ridespace.coronavirus.vic.gov.au. Passengers can check the new timetables through the PTV website or the new PTV app.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Public Transport Ben Carroll

“RideSpace puts the information Victorians need to make smart travel choices directly into the palm of their hands. It’s innovative technology that will make COVID-Normal travel safe and easy.”

“This is the biggest timetable change since the opening of the City Loop, and the extra services give passengers in Melbourne and regional Victoria more options to get them where they need to go.”