| Ararat | |
|---|---|
 A train entering Ballarat | |
| Overview | |
| Connecting lines | Geelong-Ballarat and Mildura (at Ballarat); Geelong via the Regional Rail Link (at Deer Park), Bendigo and Sunbury (at Sunshine) |
| Former connections | See Former branch lines section |
| Stations | 14 in service (not including Southern Cross)[1] |
| Service | |
| Type | V/Line passenger service |
| System | V/Line passenger services to Ballarat and Ararat |
| Rolling stock | V/Line VLocity diesel multiple-unit trains in either 3- or 6-car configurations. Locomotive-hauled services withdrawn in 2023.[2] |
| History | |
| Opened | 1887 (to Serviceton); 1889 (direct route to Melbourne via Melton); 1994 (services past Ballarat withdrawn); 2004 (reopened to Ararat) |
| Completed | to Serviceton in 1887; truncated to Ararat in 1994 with the line beyond converted to standard gauge and reopened as part of the Western standard gauge railway line |
| Closed | 1994 (for conversion beyond Ararat to standard gauge) |
| Technical | |
| Number of tracks | Duplicated up to Melton, single track with crossing loops the rest of the way |
The Ararat railway line (formerly known as the Serviceton and Western lines) is a railway line in Victoria, Australia. It links the state capital of Melbourne to the cities of Ballarat and Ararat via the Regional Rail Link. It once extended to Serviceton railway station at the then-disputed South Australian border as part of the Melbourne–Adelaide railway until 1995 when the broad gauge (1600 mm (5 ft 3 in)) line beyond Ararat was converted to standard gauge and reopened as part of the 1435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) Western standard gauge railway line.
- ^ https://www.vline.com.au/getattachment/47b8738a-1891-47a9-8fae-c64b6e66c2f4/Ararat-Melbourne- [bare URL]
- ^ Wong, Marcus (19 February 2024). "Farewell to V/Line's H type carriage sets".