Rail service set to improve in Melbourne

The Socialist Bulletin Staff - 1/2/2026

METRO rail services are set to improve today, as the government's 'Big Switch' finally happens.

The 'Big Switch' will move the Sunbury, Cranbourne and Pakenham lines into the Metro Tunnel for all services, and will move the Frankston line back into the City Loop. As a result, the Werribee/Williamstown lines will no longer through-run with the Frankston line, and in the future they will through-run with the Sandringham line.

While these reforms are undoubtedly a positive for our network, it is a shame that the government was unable to keep their promises that they stated would become a key part of the 'Big Switch' even just three weeks ago. Several major changes have been descoped, and the reasoning for that has not been communicated in any way. 

Werribee and Williamstown will no longer through-run with Sandringham from 1 February, as was previously planned, and most changes to timetables, outside the Metro Tunnel lines, will also no longer occur on 1 February.

These major changes to the 1 February 'Big Switch' with such short notice - the government was still advertising these changes in early January - has unquestionably damaged the Victorian government's popularity among rail enthusiast and public transit-using communities. The government has under Jacinta Allan, and to a lesser extent before her under Daniel Andrews, put significant effort into winning the trust and support of enthusiast groups. Accounts representing senior government ministers are in many cases some of the most active members of rail enthusiast groups online, and enthusiasts often get rail-related news given to them by the government before the media.

This positive relationship has been harmed by the 'Big Switch', and while it is extremely unlikely that a significant amount of this community will be lost to the Liberals - Kennett and his burn-it-all-down approach to rail in the 1990s has made sure of that - it is likely that votes will be lost by Labor to the Greens and actual left-wing solutions to the left of them, such as the Victorian Socialists, in this year's election.