Geelong residents warned to expect lengthy wait for faster train to Melbourne

Geelong locals hoping for a faster train to Melbourne have been warned to expect a decade-long wait before it becomes a reality.

The Herald Sun reports the $4 billion Geelong Faster Rail project is unlikely to open until 2029, because it is tied to the Melbourne Airport train link.

The project involves a more direct route through Werribee and Newport, and a dedicated express track for Geelong services from Werribee to Laverton.

It will cut the travel time between the two cities by about 10 minutes.

Public Transport Users Association spokesperson, Daniel Bowen, says the changes “make sense”.

“It does address a couple of the big issues around the Geelong line,” he told Tony Jones, filling in for Neil Mitchell.

“It boosts capacity which obviously, pre-COVID was a really bad issue every weekday, packed trains, but it also cuts the travel times.

“Speeding up the trains by having them run a more direct route and giving them more dedicated track does make sense.”

Press PLAY below to hear more about the train upgrade