Rail Patronage
Post - Fare Cap
24 April 2024
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Still evolving, but COVID is behind us
• Overall patronage now regularly
resembles pre-COVID levels.
Weekly Rail Patronage (to 13-Apr-24)
• March 2024 was our highest on record,
eclipsing May 2019. February was the
highest for that month on record. Both
benefitted from significant special events
(incl. Taylor Swift, P!NK, F1 GP)
• The composition is now different with
fewer commuter trips (e.g. AM Peak) offset
by a rise in off-peak, weekend, and public
holiday travel.
• The South-West Corridor continues to
Note: Excludes patronage aboard coach replacement services
dominate patronage, although the
Western has increased its share courtesy of
increased growth in outer-Western
Melbourne.
• Intensive infrastructure works across the
network will continue to impact results (as
they did in 2019).
Note: Data is for calendar year 2024
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Weekends
Weekend Patronage : Weekly
• Steep rise experienced in weekend
patronage following the introduction of
Fare Cap
fare cap.
Long-Haul
Long-Haul Patronage : Weekly
• Customers coming from, and heading to,
Fare Cap
locations further afield experienced very
significant reductions in fares. Patronage
has responded accordingly. This built
upon the COVID recovery that was still
underway.
‘Long-Haul’ refers to those boarding beyond the myki boundary
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Day of Week Shift
Distribution of Patronage throughout the Week : 2019 vs 2023
• The balance of patronage across the week has
changed, due to a change in post-COVID
commuter behaviour and the effect of the fare
cap.
• The shift is largely observed across all corridors,
albeit the increase on weekends is more evident
on the Northern and North-Easter Corridors.
• Monday has always been relatively quieter, but
more so now.
Time of Day Shift
Distribution of Patronage throughout the Weekdays : 2019 vs 2023
• Changes in the distribution of patronage across
the day have also occurred.
• Lower average trip volumes amongst commuters
have reduced volumes in the AM Peak (particularly
out of the Geelong region).
• The decline in the AM Peak has been offset by
higher Interpeak travel (very large increase on the
Western Corridor).
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Patronage Post-Fare Cap : Our Response
What’s been done…
Additional ‘Fare Cap Specials’
Origin/Destination
Services
Services
Patronage
• Additional weekly services for Wyndham Vale, Albury, Bacchus
per Week
12mth to Mar’24
12mth to Mar’24
Marsh, and Bendigo (yet to secure permanent funding).
• Additional services are not currently on any printed public
Albury
2
42
7k
collateral (as unfunded), but are available via Journey Planner
• Additional standby coaches to alleviate loadings, particularly on
Bacchus Marsh
2
45
5k
the Albury Line.
Bendigo
2
40
7k
• Warrnambool line has also seen stand by coach support on
weekends and school holidays
Wyndham Vale
18
448
40k
Still to come…
• Election commitment of 200 additional weekend services will further alleviate loadings. The first tranche of weekend service
uplift to come into effect later this year
• The election commitments include a significant uplift on the South-West (+22 trips per day Waurn Ponds)
• The Northern line will see a modest benefit from weekend service uplifts (additional Saturday & Sunday night services)
• V/Line continues to review patronage data to identify any services with recurring overcrowding or standing time in excess of 45
minutes. Potential mitigations are assessed based on resource availability (rolling stock, drivers and conductors) and costs.
• ‘Fare Cap Specials’ are funded by V/Line for FY24, continuation thereafter is subject to a State budget submission.
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Document Outline
