View source for Geelong line

{{Short description|Passenger rail service in Victoria, Australia}}
{{about|the V/Line service|the physical railway|Warrnambool railway line}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Use Australian English|date=May 2015}}
{{Infobox rail service
| name               = Geelong
| box_width          = 300px
| color              = {{rcr|V/Line|Geelong}}
| logo               = {{ric|V/Line|Geelong|size=100px}}
| image              = Geelong-morning.jpg
| image_width        = 
| caption            = Various V/Line trains wait at Geelong Station for departure.
| type               = [[Regional rail]]
| status             = Operational
| system             = [[Rail transport in Victoria|Victorian railway network]]
| locale             = [[Victoria (state)|Victoria]], [[Australia]]
| predecessor        = {{Plainlist|
* [[Geelong Flier]] (1926–1927)
* [[Geelong Flier|The Flyer]] ^ (1927–{{circa|1967}})
* [[Geelong Flier|The Flyer]] ({{circa|1967}}–?)
}}
^ outbound extended to Port Fairy
| first              = {{Start date and age|1957|6|25|df=y}}
| last               = 
| successor          = 
| operator           = [[V/Line]]
| formeroperator     = {{Plainlist|
* [[Geelong and Melbourne Railway Company|Geelong and Melbourne Railway (G&MR)]] (1857–1860)
* [[Victorian Railways|Victorian Railways (VR)]] (1860–1974)
* VR as VicRail (1974–1983)
* [[State Transport Authority (Victoria)|STA (V/Line)]] (1983–1989)
* [[Public Transport Corporation|PTC (V/Line)]] (1989–1995)
* [[Public Transport Corporation|PTC (V/Line Passenger)]] (1995–1998)
* [[V/Line|V/Line Passenger]] (1998–2010)
}}
| ridership          = 10.22 million (FY2023-2024)<ref name="Annual Report">{{cite report |author=V/Line Corporation |title=Annual Report 2023-24 |date=24 September 2024 |url=https://corporate.vline.com.au/getattachment/9da78dc6-1430-48e4-8bb8-95920257130f/Annual-Report-2023-24 |page=11 |access-date=13 February 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250213120131/https://corporate.vline.com.au/getattachment/9da78dc6-1430-48e4-8bb8-95920257130f/Annual-Report-2023-24 |url-status=live |archive-date=13 February 2025}}</ref>
| ridership2         = 
| website            = {{twitter|vline_geelong|V/Line Geelong}}
| start              = {{rwsa|Southern Cross}}
| stops              = 15
| end                = {{rwsa|Waurn Ponds}}
| distance           = {{Convert|93.0|km|abbr=on}}
| journeytime        = 1 hours 19 minutes
| frequency          = Approx. every 20 minutes weekdays, 40 minutes weekends.
| line_used          = [[Deer Park–West Werribee railway line|Deer Park–West Werribee]], [[Warrnambool railway line|Warrnambool]]
| class              = 
| access             = 
| seating            = 
| catering           = 
| baggage            = 
| otherfacilities    = 
| stock              = {{plainlist|
* [[V/Line VLocity|VLocity]]
}}
| gauge              = {{Track gauge|1600 mm}}
| el                 = 
| owners             = [[VicTrack]]
| routenumber        = 
| maintenance        = 
| map                = {{Geelong V/Line rail service|inline=yes}}
| map_state          = collapsed
}}

The '''Geelong line''' is a regional passenger rail service operated by [[V/Line]] in [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]], [[Australia]]. It serves 15 stations towards [[Waurn Ponds railway station|its terminus]] in [[Waurn Ponds, Victoria|Waurn Ponds]], a southern suburb of [[Geelong]], via the [[Deer Park–West Werribee railway line|Regional Rail Link]]. It is the most used regional rail service in Victoria, carrying 10.22 million people in the 2023–2024 [[financial year]].<ref name="Annual Report" />

Beyond Waurn Ponds, the service continues as the '''[[Warrnambool line]]''' to [[Warrnambool railway station|Warrnambool]] in the state's south-west.

==History==
{{Main|Warrnambool railway line}}

=== 19th and 20th centuries ===
{{See also|Warrnambool V/Line rail service}}
The line to Geelong was originally built by the [[Geelong and Melbourne Railway Company]] and opened on 25 June 1857. The line was designed by English engineer [[Edward Snell (engineer)|Edward Snell]], and originally built as a [[single-track railway]]. 

The line was sold to the [[Victorian Railways]] in 1860.<ref>{{cite web |title=Rail Geelong – Geelong Line History |url=http://railgeelong.com/lineguide.php?line=geelong |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071007032233/http://www.railgeelong.com/lineguide.php?line=geelong |archive-date=7 October 2007 |access-date=28 March 2008 |publisher=railgeelong.com}}</ref> Following its sale, the line was progressively extended south-west, to [[Winchelsea railway station, Victoria|Winchelsea]] in 1876, [[Colac railway station|Colac]] in 1877, [[Camperdown railway station|Camperdown]] in 1883, [[Terang railway station|Terang]] in 1877, and lastly to [[Warrnambool railway station|Warrnambool]], Dennington, and Port Fairy in 1890. The line is now closed beyond Warrnambool, with the last train leaving Port Fairy in September 1977.<ref name=":9">{{cite web |title=The Geelong Story |url=http://www.historyvictoria.org.au/pdf/Geelong.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060620095457/http://historyvictoria.org.au/pdf/Geelong.pdf |archive-date=20 June 2006 |access-date=7 June 2006 |publisher=History Victoria}}</ref><ref name=":11">{{cite magazine |date=June 1998 |title=Closed Line – Dennington to Port Fairy |magazine=Newsrail |publisher=Australian Railway Historical Society |page=185}}</ref>

In February 1959, the line from [[North Geelong railway station|North Geelong]] to [[Corio railway station|Corio]] was duplicated.<ref name="RailGeelong">[http://www.railgeelong.com/location/corio Corio Station] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160420011412/http://www.railgeelong.com/location/corio/ |date=20 April 2016 }} Rail Geelong</ref><ref name="VRHistory">[http://www.vrhistory.com/Locations/Lara.pdf Lara, Corio, North Shore] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160228225510/http://vrhistory.com/Locations/Lara.pdf |date=28 February 2016 }} Victorian Station Histories</ref> [[Werribee railway station|Werribee]] to [[Little River railway station|Little River]] was duplicated in October 1970, and [[Little River railway station|Little River]] to [[Lara railway station|Lara]] was duplicated in June 1981.<ref name="RailGeelong" />

=== 21st century ===
There have long been calls to [[railway electrification system|electrify]] the line, but plans were put on hold by the State Government in 2002,<ref>{{cite web |date=4 April 2002 |title=Electrification of the Geelong rail line not to proceed at this stage |url=http://www.dtf.vic.gov.au/domino/Web_Notes/MediaRelArc02.nsf/4d9fa39283ff510d4a256b36001bd4e0/11b5c8e2c61a8dbaca256b910082752e!OpenDocument&Click= |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120207213820/http://www.dtf.vic.gov.au/domino/Web_Notes/MediaRelArc02.nsf/4d9fa39283ff510d4a256b36001bd4e0/11b5c8e2c61a8dbaca256b910082752e%21OpenDocument%26Click%3D |archive-date=7 February 2012 |publisher=Minister for Transport}}</ref> with [[diesel locomotive]]s and [[diesel multiple unit|railcars]] utilised instead. 

==== Regional Fast Rail ====
{{Main|Regional Fast Rail project}}
Train services between [[Melbourne]] and [[Geelong]] received a package of upgrades under the [[Regional Fast Rail project]], primarily focusing on upgrading the line to support 160 km/h running and the introduction of [[V/Line VLocity]] [[diesel multiple unit]] train sets. [[V/Line VLocity|VLocity]] trains entered service on the line in 2006.<ref>{{cite web |date=3 February 2006 |title=V/Line – First VLocity Services to Geelong |url=http://wongm.fotopic.net/c848826.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071110173830/http://wongm.fotopic.net/c848826.html |archive-date=10 November 2007 |access-date=20 December 2006}}</ref>

Construction of [[Waurn Ponds railway station]] was completed in 2014, with several [[Geelong]] line services being extended to terminate at [[Waurn Ponds railway station|Waurn Ponds]].<ref>{{cite web|title=New $26 million Grovedale station a boost for public transport in Geelong|url=http://www.premier.vic.gov.au/media-centre/media-releases/6593-new-26-million-grovedale-station-a-boost-for-public-transport-in-geelong.html|publisher=Premier of Victoria|access-date=15 July 2014|date=26 April 2013|archive-date=14 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140514010317/http://www.premier.vic.gov.au/media-centre/media-releases/6593-new-26-million-grovedale-station-a-boost-for-public-transport-in-geelong.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

==== Regional Rail Link ====
{{Main|Regional Rail Link project}}
In the late 2000s and early 2010s, trains on the Geelong – Melbourne corridor were chronically late. As of March 2010, trains had officially run late for 44 consecutive months on the line.<ref>{{cite news |date=17 June 2010 |title=V/Line misses targets on Geelong line |url=http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/article/2010/06/17/183221_news.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100818101604/http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/article/2010/06/17/183221_news.html |archive-date=18 August 2010 |access-date=26 August 2010 |newspaper=[[Geelong Advertiser]]}}</ref> The poor performance of V/Line was well documented in the local [[Geelong]] press.<ref>{{cite news |date=23 August 2010 |title=Taking the work train with trepidation |url=https://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/article/2010/08/23/203891_opinion.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121011211524/https://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/article/2010/08/23/203891_opinion.html |archive-date=11 October 2012 |newspaper=[[Geelong Advertiser]]}}</ref> Recurring issues on the line included poor communication,<ref>{{cite news |date=22 April 2010 |title=V/Line passengers rail against bosses |url=http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/article/2010/04/22/166241_news_pf.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100428000728/http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/article/2010/04/22/166241_news_pf.html |archive-date=28 April 2010 |access-date=6 September 2010 |newspaper=[[Geelong Advertiser]]}}</ref> commuters worried about losing their jobs in [[Melbourne]] due to delays,<ref>{{cite news |date=22 March 2010 |title=Late trains keep commuters away from home: Mulder |url=http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/article/2010/03/22/156861_news.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121012013823/http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/article/2010/03/22/156861_news.html |archive-date=12 October 2012 |access-date=6 September 2010 |newspaper=[[Geelong Advertiser]]}}</ref> and overcrowding.<ref>{{cite news |date=3 June 2010 |title=Train seating report blasted |url=http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/article/2010/06/03/178781_news.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100912025424/http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/article/2010/06/03/178781_news.html |archive-date=12 September 2010 |access-date=6 September 2010 |newspaper=[[Geelong Advertiser]]}}</ref>

In 2008 the Regional Rail Link project was announced, consisting of a [[Deer Park–West Werribee railway line|new pair of tracks]] exclusively for V/Line services, avoiding the need to share tracks with [[Metro Trains Melbourne|Metro]]'s electrified suburban services. The tracks begin west of [[Werribee railway station|Werribee]], following an alignment up to [[Deer Park railway station|Deer Park]], then running into two new platforms at [[Southern Cross railway station|Southern Cross]], completely bypassing [[Tottenham railway station|Tottenham]], [[West Footscray railway station|West Footscray]], [[Middle Footscray railway station|Middle Footscray]], [[South Kensington railway station|South Kensington]], and [[North Melbourne railway station|North Melbourne]]; but still stopping at [[Sunshine railway station, Melbourne|Sunshine]] and [[Footscray railway station|Footscray]] at two platforms dedicated to [[V/Line]] services.

The main benefit of the project was for the Geelong line service, which used to run along the same tracks as [[Metro Trains Melbourne|Metro]]'s [[Werribee line]], resulting in significant congestion. [[Ballarat V/Line rail service|Ballarat]] and especially [[Bendigo V/Line rail service|Bendigo]] services benefited less, only being separated from [[Metro Trains Melbourne|Metro]]'s [[Sunbury line]] service between [[Sunshine railway station, Melbourne|Sunshine]] and [[Southern Cross railway station|Southern Cross]]. While the project was overall well-received for increasing service reliability, the choice to bypass [[North Melbourne railway station|North Melbourne]] was especially criticised.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Planning |date=2023-06-09 |title=Regional Rail Link |url=https://www.planning.vic.gov.au/environmental-assessments/major-transport-project-facilitation-in-victoria/regional-rail-link |access-date=2024-06-28 |website=Planning |language=en}}</ref>

The [[Regional Rail Link project|Regional Rail Link]] included two new stations to be served by Geelong [[V/Line]] trains: [[Tarneit railway station|Tarneit]] and [[Wyndham Vale railway station|Wyndham Vale]]. Since its opening, overcrowding has become a persistent and chronic issue, especially at Tarneit, which is the most-used V/Line station other than [[Southern Cross railway station|Southern Cross]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-10-04 |title=How an infrastructure drought forces Radhika to battle Victoria's second busiest train station everyday |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-10-05/melbourne-western-suburbs-train-shortage/101501628 |access-date=2024-06-29 |work=ABC News |language=en-AU}}</ref> 

==== Regional Rail Revival ====
{{Main|Regional Rail Revival}}
The line received another significant package of works as part of the Regional Rail Revival project. Most notably, the line was duplicated from [[South Geelong railway station|South Geelong]] to [[Waurn Ponds railway station|Waurn Ponds]]. To support this duplication, a new stabling facility was to be constructed at Waurn Ponds and three level crossings to be removed. These upgrades would allow 5 trains per hour during peak and 3 trains per hour off peak.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Build |first=Victoria’s Big |date=2024-05-01 |title=Geelong Line Upgrade |url=https://bigbuild.vic.gov.au/projects/geelong-line-upgrade |access-date=2024-06-29 |website=Victoria’s Big Build |language=en}}</ref>

Between June and August 2024, the railway line was closed for duplication. The upgrades were completed on 26 August 2024, with new second platforms added to [[South Geelong railway station|South Geelong]] and Marshall stations.<ref>{{Cite web |date=26 August 2024 |title=Winter blitz complete, level crossings gone, new stations open |url=https://bigbuild.vic.gov.au/news/regional-rail-revival/geelong/winter-blitz-complete,-level-crossings-gone,-new-stations-open |access-date=28 August 2024 |website=Victoria's Big Build |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=South Geelong to Waurn Ponds Duplication|url=https://bigbuild.vic.gov.au/projects/geelong-line-upgrade/about/geelong-line-duplication|access-date=28 August 2024|website=Victoria's Big Build|date=16 January 2024 |language=english}}</ref> 

As of 1 December 2024, 68 new weekend services run to Waurn Ponds, 20 Wyndham Vale services have been extended to start/terminate at Waurn Ponds, 15 extra services a weekday "have been added" to Marshall station and 4 extra services per weekday "have been added" to Waurn Ponds station.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Victoria |first=Public Transport |title=2024 regional timetable change |url=https://www.ptv.vic.gov.au/footer/about-ptv/improvements-and-projects/train-and-rail/2024-regional-timetable-change/ |access-date=2024-12-01 |website=Public Transport Victoria |language=en-GB}}</ref> all of which has been enabled by the duplication of the South Geelong to Waurn Ponds corridor.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2024-12-01 |title=Wayback Machine |url=https://www.vline.com.au/getattachment/d55b9d9d-36ee-4d75-bba4-410041a16864/Geelong-Melbourne |access-date=2024-12-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241201093753/https://www.vline.com.au/getattachment/d55b9d9d-36ee-4d75-bba4-410041a16864/Geelong-Melbourne |archive-date=1 December 2024 }}</ref> 

== Network and operations ==

=== Services ===
On weekdays, there are five express services per day. All Melbourne-bound services operate express between [[Geelong railway station|Geelong]] and [[Southern Cross railway station|Southern Cross]], stopping only at [[Footscray railway station|Footscray]]. On weekends and public holidays, there are a total of five services per day.

Train services on the line are also subjected to maintenance and renewal works, usually on selected Fridays and Saturdays. Shuttle coach services are provided throughout the duration of works for affected commuters.

==== Stopping patterns ====
'''Legend — Station status'''

* ◼ [[Premium station|Premium Station]] – Station staffed from first to last train
* ◻ [[Host station|Host Station]] – Usually staffed during morning peak, however this can vary for different stations on the network.

'''Legend — Stopping patterns'''

* ● – All trains stop
* ◐ – Some services do not stop
* ▲ – Only inbound trains stop
* ▼ – Only outbound trains stop
* | – Trains pass and do not stop

{{Table alignment}}
{| class="wikitable defaultcenter col1left"
! colspan="7" style="background:#{{rcr|V/Line|Warrnambool}};" |<span style="color:white;">Geelong Services<ref>{{cite web |title=V/Line Train & Coach timetables |url=https://www.vline.com.au/getattachment/892e2d02-e62c-463f-834f-b3bae129b47c/Geelong-Melbourne|url-status=live }}</ref></span>
|+
!Station
!Local
!Express
!Marshall
!South Geelong
!Geelong
!Wyndham Vale
|-
|◼ {{rwsa|Southern Cross}} || ● || ● || ● || ● || ● || ●
|-
|◼ {{rwsa|Footscray}} || ● || ● || ● || ● || ● || ●
|-
|◼ {{rwsa|Sunshine}} || ● || ◐ || ● || ● || ◐ || ●
|-
|{{htxt|◻}} {{rwsa|Deer Park}} || ● || I || ● || ● || I || ●
|-
|◼ {{rwsa|Tarneit}} || ● || ● || ◐ || ● || ◐ || ●
|-
|◼ {{rwsa|Wyndham Vale}} || ● || ◐ || ● || ● || ◐ || ●
|-
|{{rwsa|Little River}} || ● || I || ◐ || ◐ || I
| rowspan="9" |
|-
|◻ {{rwsa|Lara}} || ● || ● || ● || ● || ●
|-
|{{htxt|◻}} {{rwsa|Corio}} || ● || I || ◐ || ◐ || ● 
|-
|{{htxt|◻}} {{rwsa|North Shore}} || ● || I || ● || ● || ◐ 
|-
|◻ {{rwsa|North Geelong}} || ● || ● || ● || ● || ● 
|-
|◼ {{rwsa|Geelong}} || ● || ● || ● || ● || ● 
|-
|◼ {{rwsa|South Geelong}} || ● || ● || ● || ●
| rowspan="3" |
|-
|◻ {{rwsa|Marshall}} || ● || ● || ●
| rowspan="2" |
|-
|◼ {{rwsa|Waurn Ponds}} || ● || ●
|
|}


==Services==
The current V/Line timetable has weekday services operating approximately every 20 minutes from [[Southern Cross railway station|Southern Cross]] to either [[South Geelong railway station|South Geelong]] or [[Waurn Ponds railway station|Waurn Ponds]] in an alternating pattern. Some services originate and terminate at [[Wyndham Vale railway station|Wyndham Vale]].<ref name=Timetable>{{cite web|url=https://www.vline.com.au/getattachment/892e2d02-e62c-463f-834f-b3bae129b47c/Geelong-Melbourne |title=Geelong Line: Melbourne to Geelong |last= |first= |date= |website=vline.com.au |publisher=Department of Transport and Planning |location=1 Spring Street, Melbourne |access-date=8 September 2024 |quote=}}</ref>

Weekday peak services towards Southern Cross typically originate at either South Geelong or Waurn Ponds in an alternating pattern, and most stop all stations.

Off-peak services to and from South Geelong usually run express through Corio, while off-peak services to and from Waurn Ponds run express through Little River. 

Since 1 December 2024, weekend service frequency is approximately every 20 minutes, with all trains timetabled to originate and terminate at [[Waurn Ponds railway station|Waurn Ponds]] and alternating between stopping all stations except Little River and stopping all stations except Corio.<ref name=":0" /> 

All Geelong services run express through [[Ardeer railway station|Ardeer]]; it is only served by [[Ballarat V/Line rail service|Ballarat services]].

=== Rolling stock ===
All services are run using [[V/Line VLocity]] [[diesel multiple unit]] trains in either a 3- or 6-car configuration. Some services originating and terminating at Wyndham Vale are operated with a 9-car VLocity set. [[S type carriage|S type carriages]] were used until 2010 and [[H type carriage|H type carriages]] were used until 2024.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Oates |first1=Alex |title=Notorious old 4.55pm train to be replaced |url=http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/article/2010/07/17/192351_news.html|access-date=15 July 2014|work=[[Geelong Advertiser]]|date=17 July 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120415210306/http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/article/2010/07/17/192351_news.html|archive-date=15 April 2012}}</ref>

==Future==

=== Electrification and quadruplication to Wyndham Vale ===
The 2018 [[Western Rail Plan]] identified a need to [[Railway electrification|electrify]] the [[Deer Park–West Werribee railway line|line up to Wyndham Vale]], which would significantly resolve the overcrowding problem due to the fact [[Metro Trains Melbourne|Metro]]'s trains can hold more people than V/Line's. The plan also featured [[Quadruple-track railway|quadruplication]], avoiding the problem of a new electric service causing congestion for V/Line services along the corridor. In 2023, it was widely reported that track quadruplication was no longer part of the Western Rail Plan, and there is no concrete plan for electrification.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hatch |first=Patrick |date=2023-08-01 |title=New train lines to Melton and Wyndham axed from rail plans |url=https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/new-train-lines-to-melton-and-wyndham-axed-from-rail-plans-20230728-p5drzl.html |access-date=2024-06-29 |website=The Age |language=en}}</ref>  

=== Geelong Fast Rail ===
Geelong services used to run on the same tracks as Metro's [[Werribee line]] until the Regional Rail Link was opened in 2015, diverting trains along a new alignment completely bypassing it. In 2020, the Geelong Fast Rail project was announced, which planned to reroute Geelong trains back to the Werribee corridor, this time with an express track exclusively for Geelong services between Werribee and Laverton, potentially reducing travel times by up to 15 minutes.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Build |first=Victoria’s Big |date=2021-01-27 |title=Faster rail services for Geelong on the way |url=https://bigbuild.vic.gov.au/news/geelong-fast-rail/faster-rail-services-for-geelong-on-the-way |access-date=2024-06-29 |website=Victoria’s Big Build |language=en}}</ref> In 2023, the [[Australian Government|Federal Government]] cut funding to various infrastructure projects, resulting in Geelong Fast Rail being shelved.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Taylor |first=James |date=2023-11-16 |title=Geelong Fast Rail axed in federal infrastructure review |url=https://timesnewsgroup.com.au/geelongtimes/news/geelong-fast-rail-axed/ |access-date=2024-06-29 |website=Geelong Times |language=en-AU}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Carmody |first=Kieran Rooney, Shane Wright, Najma Sambul, Broede |date=2023-11-16 |title=Funding feud looms for Victoria's two biggest rail projects |url=https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/the-12-victorian-road-and-rail-projects-axed-by-federal-government-20231116-p5ekfo.html |access-date=2024-06-29 |website=The Age |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Godde |first=Callum |date=2023-11-16 |title='Bitter blow': Geelong to Melbourne fast-rail link axed |url=https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/8425884/bitter-blow-geelong-to-melbourne-fast-rail-link-axed/ |access-date=2024-06-29 |website=The Canberra Times |language=en-AU}}</ref>

== Gallery ==
{{Gallery|File:N456_"City_of_Colac"_with_Y156_at_North_Melbourne_Flyover.jpg|V/Line N class N456 running over the Regional Rail Link's elevated North Melbourne bypass|File:R711_at_Geelong_Station.jpg|Victorian Railways R class steam train on a heritage tour at Geelong Station, run by volunteer group Steamrail Victoria|File:Tarneit_Railway_Station.jpg|Platforms at Tarneit, 2015|File:Mixed-gauge-trackwork-north-geelong.jpg|Dual-gauge track in North Geelong|||title=|align=center|footer=|style=|state=|height=|width=|perrow=|mode=|whitebg=|noborder=|captionstyle=|alt1=|alt2=|alt3=|alt4=|alt5=}}

== Line guide ==
{{Geelong railway line|collapse=yes}}

==See also==
* [[Geelong and Melbourne Railway Company]]
* [[V/Line]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
<!-- Per [[WP:ELMINOFFICIAL]], choose one official website only -->
* [http://www.vline.com.au http://www.vline.com.au]
* [http://www.railgeelong.com/lineguide.php?line=geelong Rail Geelong: Line History]
* https://bigbuild.vic.gov.au/projects/mrpv/barwon-heads-road-upgrade/stage-1

{{Victorian Railway Lines|vline}}
{{Regional Victoria public transport}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Geelong V Line rail service}}
[[Category:V/Line rail services]]
[[Category:Transport in Geelong]]
[[Category:Transport in Barwon South West (region)]]