Introduction to V/Line coaches
While rarely talked about, did you know that V/Line's coach network is vastly more extensive than its train network? Coaches took up the slack as the rail network shrunk and quiet stations were closed in the 1950s through to the 1990s. The result is an extensive co-ordinated coach network typically operated under contract by local bus companies. Travel is a bargain if the times suit as the $9.20 fare cap applies.
Most V/Line coach routes leave from large regional hubs like Ballarat and Bendigo but some start from Melbourne's Southern Cross Coach terminal (the same bleak concreted place that you get Skybus from). Not only that but some stop in Melbourne suburbs. That's today's topic as I don't think these stops are widely known.
Network maps
Our starting point were the V/Line network maps. The state-wide map shows that coaches exist but is just a tangle if you want to know where routes start and finish.
V/Line's area by area maps are only slightly better. That's because because individual routes are shown with the same colour, even when many converge. Several years ago the Metlink/PTV metropolitan train and tram maps had that problem but thankfully that got fixed. V/Line has yet to catch up here.
Suburban locations where you can catch V/Line coaches
With maps unhelpful it was time to hit the online timetable books. These were more useful, with listings and descriptions of stopping locations. Most were on highways, so as not to delay through passengers like an off-street bus interchange would. This meant that their locations were easily missed, typically not being at or near the suburb's railway station.
Going roughly clockwise from west to south-east, I found the following:
* Deer Park V/Line station. Served by:
- Short distance coach route operating to Caroline Springs. This is because weekday peak direction trains tend to stop at either of those two stations but not both. The coach operates in peak direction only, ie inbound in the morning, outbound in the evening.
- At time of writing served by a temporary shuttle to Tarneit during construction works
* Caroline Springs V/Line station. Served by:
- Abovementioned coach to Deer Park.
- Wendouree Night Network coach in the small hours of Saturday and Sunday mornings from Southern Cross.
* Coburg/Bell St near primary school. Street view. Served by:
- Barmah to Melbourne via Heathcote coach stops Monday - Saturday mornings. The return trip to Barmah via Heathcote stops there on weekday afternoons only. Connection from ex Barham coach available at Heathcote.
* Campbellfield opposite Kmart. Street view. Served by:
- Barmah via Heathcote coaches that also stop at Coburg (see above). Connection to Barham coach available at Heathcote.
-Some Moama/Deniliquin via Heathcote coaches
* Melbourne Airport/near T4. Served by:
- Barham via Heathcote coach
- Some Deniliquin via Heathcote and Moama coaches (sometimes requiring changing at Heathcote or Rochester)
* Box Hill/Maroondah Hwy & Watts St. Street view. Served by:
- Some Mansfield via Yea coaches. Coach connections to Mt Buller operate in snow season.
* Nunawading/Front of tennis courts, Walker Park, Whitehorse Road. Street view. Served by:
- Some Mansfield via Yea coaches. Coach connections to Mt Buller operate in snow season.
* Ringwood/Ringwood – Warrandyte Road near Eastland Entrance. Street view. Served by:
- Some Mansfield via Yea coaches. Coach connections to Mt Buller operate in snow season.
* Croydon/ Croydon – Corner Exeter Road and Maroondah Highway. Street view. Served by:
- Some Mansfield via Yea coaches. Coach connections to Mt Buller operate in snow season.
* Lilydale. Served by:
- Some Mansfield via Yea coaches. Coach connections to Mt Buller operate in snow season.
* Yarra Glen/Toy Library. Street view. Served by:
- Some Mansfield via Yea coaches. Coach connections to Mt Buller operate in snow season.
(Note: Box Hill - Yarra Glen served by same service)
* Bundoora RMIT/Plenty Rd. Street view. Served by:
- Some Mansfield via Yea coaches. Coach connections to Mt Buller operate in snow season.
* Whittlesea/Amcal chemist, Walnut St. Street view. Served by:
- Some Mansfield via Yea coaches. Coach connections to Mt Buller operate in snow season.
(Note: Bundoora RMIT and Whittlesea served by same service)
* Dandenong Station. Served by:
- Coaches to Cowes and Inverloch via Anderson.
- Some coaches to Yarram via Leongatha
* Cranbourne/near level crossing. Street view. Served by:
- Coaches to Cowes and Inverloch via Anderson.
- Some coaches to Yarram via Leongatha
* Cranbourne/Lyall St. Street view. Served by:
- Coaches to Cowes and Inverloch via Anderson.
- Some coaches to Yarram via Leongatha
Street view links are provided above for stop locations not at stations or in formal interchanges.
Conclusion
The above are, to my knowledge, all the Melbourne suburban stops served by V/Line coaches. Especially for those in outer suburbs using them could save time compared to going into the CBD and out again. Service frequencies are typically limited but there are some cases where day return trips are possible, notably South Gippsland from Dandenong and Cranbourne.
Unlike a suburban bus you can't just rock up at a coach stop with your myki; instead you will need to book ahead and get a paper ticket. Booking can be a foreign process, especially if you're used to unbooked myki train travel and you want to avoid paying a double fare on the day. You are probably best off booking the trip and getting a paper ticket from a premium Metro station a few days prior. (Info at PTV & V/Line).
Comments on your travel experiences with V/Line coaches from suburban stops are appreciated and can be left below.
3 comments:
Typically the Yarram/Cowes bus meet each other in Koo Wee Rup and wait for each other as the Yarram bus generally goes direct to Southern Cross (an artefact of a Kennet promise after shutting down the Leongatha line) whereas the Cowes bus terminates at Dandenong. So it's a networked bus that allows you to access several areas of South gippsland! Often there's also a non Vline bus that provides the missing connection between Pakenham and Koo Wee Rup timed to the Vline too. There is also generally a connection at Anderson for those travelling to Inverloch and Wonthaggi instead of Phillip Island.
Hoping against hope that one day the Cranbourne line is reextended a little bit further into South Gippsland 🥹
Whilst not a Vline service per se, the 684 Melbourne to Eildon is very much a country bus. It starts at the Southern Cross coach station and has suburban stops at East Melbourne, Ringwood, Churnside Park and Lilydale. This portion of the route will be cut from later this year so now is the time to catch this unusual route from the suburbs!
https://www.ptv.vic.gov.au/route/15241/684-eildon-melbourne-via-lilydale-station/
Since the fare cap came in I've taken more trips on v/line services than the rest of my lifetime. I actually don't think it's any cheaper for where I'm going but it made me look into it more than I had previously. I am planning a much longer trip at some point to visit somewhere I would have otherwise never have gone as well.
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