Sunbury line

This article is about the Metro Trains Melbourne service. For the physical railway itself, see Deniliquin railway line. For the Norfolk Southern line in the United States, see Sunbury Line (Norfolk Southern).

Sunbury
Railways in Melbourne
A Comeng train comes to terminate at Sunbury station Platform 2.
A Comeng train terminates at Platform 2 at Sunbury station, September 2024
Overview
Service typeCommuter rail
SystemMelbourne railway network
StatusOperational
LocaleMelbourne, Victoria, Australia
Predecessor
  • Sunbury (1859–1861)
  • Woodend (1861–1862)
  • Bendigo (1862–2012)
  • St Albans ^ (1921–2002)
  • Sydenham ^ (2002–2012)
^ are electric services
First service10 February 1859; 165 years ago (1859-02-10)
Current operator(s)Metro Trains
Former operator(s)
Route
TerminiFlinders Street
Sunbury
Stops18 (including City Loop stations)
Distance travelled40.3 km (25.0 mi)
Average journey time49 minutes (not via City Loop)
Service frequency
  • 5–20 minutes weekdays peak
  • 20 minutes weekdays off-peak
  • 20 minutes weekend daytime
  • 30 minutes nights
  • 60 minutes early weekend mornings
Line(s) usedDeniliquin
Technical
Rolling stockComeng, Siemens, HCMT
Track gauge1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in)
Electrification1500 V DC overhead
Track owner(s)VicTrack

The Sunbury line is a commuter railway line in the city of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.[1] Operated by Metro Trains Melbourne, it is the city's fifth longest metropolitan railway line at 40.3 kilometres (25.0 mi). The line runs from Flinders Street station in central Melbourne to Sunbury station in the city's north-west, serving 18 stations via North Melbourne, Sunshine, St Albans, and Watergardens.[2] The line operates for approximately 19 hours a day (from approximately 5:00 am to around 12:00 am) with 24 hour service available on Friday and Saturday nights. During peak hour, headways of up to 5 minutes are operated with services every 20–30 minutes during off-peak hours.[3] Train sets typically used on the Sunbury line are the Comeng and Siemens Nexas trainsets[4] and, for two morning peak services, the High Capacity Metro Train.[5]

The Victorian Railways began services in February 1859 on the line originally built to serve the town of Bendigo by the Melbourne, Mount Alexander and Murray River Railway Company.[6] The line was progressively electrified over time, with electrification to St Albans in 1921, to Sydenham in 2002, and finally to Sunbury in 2012.[7][8][9]

Since the 2000s, due to the heavily utilised infrastructure of the Sunbury line, improvements and upgrades have been made. Works have included replacing sleepers, upgrading signalling technology, two line extension projects, the construction of new stations, the removal of level crossings, the introduction of new rolling stock, and station accessibility upgrades.[10][11]

In 2025, the line is planned to be through-routed to the Pakenham and Cranbourne lines via the underground Metro Tunnel.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference :4 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "Metro's paper timetables mess". Daniel Bowen. 3 September 2017. Archived from the original on 9 December 2022. Retrieved 9 December 2022.
  3. ^ "New timetable train line information – Public Transport Victoria". 1 March 2021. Archived from the original on 1 March 2021. Retrieved 18 December 2022.
  4. ^ Carey, Adam (7 November 2014). "Trains are working better but seating not guaranteed". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 6 February 2023. Retrieved 6 February 2023.
  5. ^ Build, Victoria’s Big (31 October 2023). "Bigger, better trains on the Sunbury Line". Victoria’s Big Build. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference :3 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference :1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference :5 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ "Extending Sydenham to Sunbury". Daniel Bowen. 24 March 2009. Archived from the original on 17 April 2023. Retrieved 17 April 2023.
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference :432 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. ^ Victoria’s Big Build (10 October 2022). "About the Sunbury Line Upgrade". Victoria’s Big Build. Archived from the original on 12 August 2021. Retrieved 17 April 2023.