Williamstown line

Williamstown
Railways in Melbourne
Platforms at Williamstown Beach railway station, Melbourne.
Platforms at Williamstown Beach station in 2019.
Overview
Service typeCommuter rail
SystemMelbourne railway network
StatusOperational
LocaleMelbourne, Victoria, Australia
First service17 January 1859; 165 years ago (1859-01-17)
Current operator(s)Metro Trains
Former operator(s)
Route
TerminiFlinders Street (some continue to Frankston)
Williamstown
Stops12 (excluding City Loop stations)
Distance travelled16.2 km (10.1 mi)
Average journey time27 minutes
Service frequency
  • 20 minutes weekdays peak
  • 20 minutes weekdays off-peak and weekend afternoons
  • 20–30 minutes at nights and weekend mornings
  • 60 minutes early weekend mornings
  • Triple frequency daytime between Flinders Street and Newport in combination with Werribee line
  • Shuttle-only operation at nighttime and weekends between Newport and Williamstown
  • Certain trains continue or start from Frankston
Line(s) usedWilliamstown
Technical
Rolling stockComeng, Siemens, X'Trapolis 100
Track gauge1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in)
Electrification1500 V DC overhead
Track owner(s)VicTrack

The Williamstown line is a commuter railway line in the city of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.[1] Operated by Metro Trains Melbourne, it is the city's third shortest metropolitan railway line at 16.2 kilometres (10.1 mi).

The line runs from Flinders Street station in central Melbourne to Williamstown station in the inner west, serving 12 stations via Footscray, Yarraville, and Newport.[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 hours, the line operates with headways of up to 20 minutes, ensuring frequent service for commuters. During off-peak hours, the service intervals are adjusted to provide service every 20–30 minutes, accommodating the lower demand.[3] Trains on the Williamstown Line run with two three-car formations of Comeng, Siemens Nexas, and X'Trapolis 100 trainsets.[4]

Together with the Southern Cross to Sunbury portion of the Deniliquin railway line, it is the first and oldest government-built line in Victoria, having opened on 13 January 1859.[5] The line was built to serve the port at Williamstown, giving it economic importance to the then-colony as it established itself as an important international passenger port.[5] The line has played an important part in the development of Victoria's railways, with the first workshops opening along the line in the 1800s.[6]

Since the 2010s, due to the heavily utilised infrastructure of the Williamstown line, improvements and upgrades have been made. Works have included replacing sleepers, upgrading signalling technology, the removal of level crossings, the introduction of new rolling stock, and station accessibility upgrades.[7]

  1. ^ "Williamstown Line". Public Transport Victoria. Archived from the original on 7 September 2018. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  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 :5 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference theme was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).