No snacks and less seats on Warrnambool train line's long-awaited VLocity

Warrnambool line passengers have been waiting for the replacement of the line's current ageing fleet since mid-2017 when the high-speed VLocity trains were announced as part of a $114 million upgrade.

The current long-haul trains, some of which are more than 30 years old, offer staffed catering facilities.

The cafe bar is a bespoke feature that won't be included in the current design of the new broad VLocity gauge trains, the transport service confirmed this week.

A V/Line spokesman said the overwhelming feedback from passengers was they wanted a fast, reliable train service.

"Which is why we're delivering more modern VLocity trains to give passengers the better services they deserve," he said.

"We understand there are some passengers who would prefer to have catering facilities on board during their journey - we acknowledge this will be a change and will work with them to see what alternative options are possible."

Information obtained from V/Line revealed the fast trains didn't service any one line exclusively, meaning a service on the Warrnambool line may also be required to provide higher patronage and shorter commuter services on the Geelong line.

That means the new trains aren't designed with bespoke features, such as the catering facilities, but according to V/Line will hopefully see less disruptions and coach replacements.

Warrnambool train user Peter Brown said the near-four-hour trip from Warrnambool to Southern Cross was too long without a cafe.

"Everyone I've spoken to have thought 'gee whiz, that is just ridiculous'," he said.

"You want something on board, it's four hours. Soon it'll be like over in India, they'll pull in at the station for five minutes and someone will be standing out with a bag of chips."

Mr Brown said he'd travelled via VLocity to Bairnsdale and he believed the state government had made a "one size fits all" approach to their long haul services.

"They are not comfortable at all," he said.

Once introduced, the VLocity trains will run as either a three or six -carriage train, providing either 222 or 444 seats for passengers, depending on the demand for individual services.

V/Line modelling shows 42 seats would need to be removed from the three-carriage VLocity train to install a catering facility, or 84 seats per six-carriage train.

A three-carriage train will have two toilets, including one accessible, and features such as storage spaces for luggage and bikes, six mobility aid spaces and power points for device charging.

Mr Brown said he'd counted the seats on a current long haul train from Warrnambool and the five-carriage trains had more than 400 seats.

"That's a lot more than the Vlocity trains will ever carry," he said.

The V/Locity trains were first expected to run 12 to 18 months after premier Daniel Andrews announced the upgrades at the city's train station in 2017.

Now, five years after the premier's visits, works on the first stage of the track upgrades are still continuing, with delays pushing the expected completion date back until later this year.

Delivery of the second stage started in late 2021.

The project's upgrades to level crossings need to be completed before VLocity trains can travel on the Warrnambool line.

But those upgrades will only allow the VLocity trains to run at the same speed as the current diesel trains - 115km/h.

Further track upgrades are required to allow VLocity trains to travel up to 160 km/h.

Those upgrades are not included in the current investment in the Warrnambool Line Upgrade.

The estimated cost of the current works is $510 million.

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