Hurstbridge line

Hurstbridge line
Railways in Melbourne
An X'Trapolis train on an outer, single-track section of the Hurstbridge line near Diamond Creek station, February 2021
Overview
Service typeCommuter rail
SystemMelbourne railway network
StatusOperational
LocaleMelbourne, Victoria, Australia
Predecessor
  • Heidelberg (1888–1912)
  • Eltham (1889–1902)
  • Hurstbridge (1902–1926)
  • Heidelberg ^ (1921–1923)
  • Eltham ^ (1923–1926)
^ are electric services
First service8 May 1888; 136 years ago (1888-05-08)
Current operator(s)Metro Trains
Former operator(s)
Route
TerminiFlinders Street
Hurstbridge
Stops28 (including City Loop stations)
Distance travelled36.7 km (22.8 mi)
Average journey time1 hour 9 minutes (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
  • Double frequency between Flinders Street and Clifton Hill in combination with Mernda line
  • Some services only run between Flinders Street and either Heidelberg, Macleod, Greensborough or Eltham
Line(s) usedHurstbridge
Technical
Rolling stockX'Trapolis 100
Track gauge1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in)
Electrification1500 V DC overhead
Track owner(s)VicTrack

The Hurstbridge line is a commuter railway line in the city of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.[1] Operated by Metro Trains Melbourne, it is the city's seventh longest metropolitan railway line at 36.7 kilometres (22.8 mi). The line runs from Flinders Street Station in central Melbourne to Hurstbridge Station in the north-east, serving 28 stations via Clifton Hill, Heidelberg, Macleod, Greensborough, Eltham and Diamond Creek.[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 15 minutes are operated with services every 20–30 minutes during off-peak hours.[3] Trains on the Hurstbridge Line run with a two three-car formations of X'Trapolis 100 trainsets.[4]

Sections of the Hurstbridge Line opened as early as 1888, with the line fully extended to Hurstbridge by 1912. The line was built to connect Melbourne with the rural towns of Greensborough, Eltham, and Hurstbridge, amongst others.

Since the 2010s, due to the heavily utilised infrastructure of the Hurstbridge Line, significant improvements and upgrades have been made. An upgrade of the corridor from Heidelberg Station onwards began construction in 2016 and mostly completed by 2023, with improvements including the removal of level crossings, rebuilding stations, and the duplication of more than 4.5 km (2.8 mi) of track.[5] Other works have included replacing sleepers, upgrading signalling technology, the introduction of new rolling stock, and station accessibility upgrades.[5]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference :10 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. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference :11 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).