Caroline Springs/Fraser Rise/Aintree/Rockbank
Funded through the 2025 State budget and/or the Growth Area levy, these are major service changes, including more frequent service, longer hours and reformed routes.
New route 464 and the extended 463 replace the 461.
Route 464 is notable in that it provides a direct east-west connection from Rockbank to Watergardens via Aintree. Previously this was a difficult trip involving a lot of switching between buses and trains. It runs along Taylors Rd, an increasingly important corridor in this part of the west. The Watergardens end operates via the eastern part of the 461.
The growth suburb of Aintree is worth discussing in detail. Previously Aintree just had the 444 bus to Rockbank station. A problem with this (and which also applies to Mount Atkinson's short 140A route) is that there is basically nothing there. So if people want to go to destinations even in the next suburb they are typically up for a convoluted trip involving a train and two buses. As a long cross-regional route the 464 helps a lot, even if it still needs a change to another route to reach the Caroline Springs Town centre. As for the Route 444, some speculated it might have been incorporated into the 464 but, according to the Transport Victoria website its route and timetable are not changing.
Route 463 was previously a dead-end Watergardens - Hillside route. The extension, which takes in the western part of the 461, provides a simple connection to Caroline Springs Town Centre which is significant for its commercial activity and schools. In addition a section of Aspire Bvd gets a bus for the first time. This has been a long time coming and will be welcomed by many.
The timetables of both 463 and 464 are remarkable. Operating hours are wide, with services starting around 5 or 6 am - even on Sundays. Finish times are typically around 11pm (about an hour earlier on Sunday).
Like growth area bus routes in Wyndham (but not Craigieburn or Clyde!) there is a 20 minute service for most of the week, even on weekends. This finishes around 7 or 8pm. Both routes even have better Sunday morning service levels than many trams and trains with the 20 minute frequency starting a little after 6am.
In the local context this gives the 463 and 464 superior frequencies to other main routes including the 460 to Caroline Springs Station (particularly on weekends) and 420 (with regards to operating hours on most evenings).
Weekend service is also twice as good as the Melton train line (still every 40 minutes on weekends). This means that there will be people in areas like Caroline Springs and Fraser Rise for whom the bus will be helpful in getting people to the more frequent train services at Watergardens.
Route 464 is notable in that it provides a direct east-west connection from Rockbank to Watergardens via Aintree. Previously this was a difficult trip involving a lot of switching between buses and trains. It runs along Taylors Rd, an increasingly important corridor in this part of the west. The Watergardens end operates via the eastern part of the 461.
The growth suburb of Aintree is worth discussing in detail. Previously Aintree just had the 444 bus to Rockbank station. A problem with this (and which also applies to Mount Atkinson's short 140A route) is that there is basically nothing there. So if people want to go to destinations even in the next suburb they are typically up for a convoluted trip involving a train and two buses. As a long cross-regional route the 464 helps a lot, even if it still needs a change to another route to reach the Caroline Springs Town centre. As for the Route 444, some speculated it might have been incorporated into the 464 but, according to the Transport Victoria website its route and timetable are not changing.
Route 463 was previously a dead-end Watergardens - Hillside route. The extension, which takes in the western part of the 461, provides a simple connection to Caroline Springs Town Centre which is significant for its commercial activity and schools. In addition a section of Aspire Bvd gets a bus for the first time. This has been a long time coming and will be welcomed by many.
The timetables of both 463 and 464 are remarkable. Operating hours are wide, with services starting around 5 or 6 am - even on Sundays. Finish times are typically around 11pm (about an hour earlier on Sunday).
Like growth area bus routes in Wyndham (but not Craigieburn or Clyde!) there is a 20 minute service for most of the week, even on weekends. This finishes around 7 or 8pm. Both routes even have better Sunday morning service levels than many trams and trains with the 20 minute frequency starting a little after 6am.
In the local context this gives the 463 and 464 superior frequencies to other main routes including the 460 to Caroline Springs Station (particularly on weekends) and 420 (with regards to operating hours on most evenings).
Weekend service is also twice as good as the Melton train line (still every 40 minutes on weekends). This means that there will be people in areas like Caroline Springs and Fraser Rise for whom the bus will be helpful in getting people to the more frequent train services at Watergardens.
Details at: https://transport.vic.gov.au/news-and-resources/news/route-464-and-route-463
As text-based rather than graphic oriented people, Transport Victoria has a reluctance to use even their own maps to explain network changes. Below is my go at annotating their existing local area map with the new or amended routes.
As text-based rather than graphic oriented people, Transport Victoria has a reluctance to use even their own maps to explain network changes. Below is my go at annotating their existing local area map with the new or amended routes.
Not all new bus stops will be operational on 4 October. Advice on that here: https://transport.vic.gov.au/disruptions/disruptions-information/article/route-463-some-planned-new-bus-stops-cannot-be-serviced-from-sunday-4-october-2026
These are the second last bus upgrades funded in the 2025 state budget to be implemented. The only remaining package is the substantial network reforms and route extensions in Epping/Wollert. If I was a betting man I would tip that there would be a great eagerness get this running very soon.
Other October 4 changes
Three bus routes, funded in the 2026 state budget will gain 7 day service and later finishes at night (typically 9pm). These are:
236: City - Fishermens Bend
551: Heidelberg - La Trobe University
885: Glen Waverley - Springvale (campaigned for by Fix Dandy Buses)
These continue recent themes of improving buses in the Fishermans Bend area (236) around universities (551) and around Dandenong. Of these routes the 885 possibly has the highest patronage potential due to its high productivity on Saturdays (which is a good indicator of how well a bus is likely to do on Sundays). And though it will only be hourly, the 885 will provide some relief to the underserviced and sometimes crowded 902 on Springvale Rd (every 30 min weekends).
Smaller adjustments will be made to some other bus routes. These include a small number of extra trips on routes 465, 467, 510 and 766.
And while Transport Victoria don't draw attention to it, the eagle-eyed may notice that public holiday arrangements on some non-standard routes appear to have been standardised. 558 for instance has the standard template (Saturday service on most public holidays except for Good Friday and Christmas Day when a Sunday timetable is in effect) on the 4 October timetable but not on the timetable prior. Public holiday arrangements have long been something that has confused passengers due to variations across routes though they are gradually being standardised.
Smaller adjustments will be made to some other bus routes. These include a small number of extra trips on routes 465, 467, 510 and 766.
And while Transport Victoria don't draw attention to it, the eagle-eyed may notice that public holiday arrangements on some non-standard routes appear to have been standardised. 558 for instance has the standard template (Saturday service on most public holidays except for Good Friday and Christmas Day when a Sunday timetable is in effect) on the 4 October timetable but not on the timetable prior. Public holiday arrangements have long been something that has confused passengers due to variations across routes though they are gradually being standardised.
Details at: https://transport.vic.gov.au/news-and-resources/news/better-bus-services-sunday-4-october
Cranbourne
Consultation is currently being done for a revised network for Cranbourne, Clyde and Westernport Bay towns. The emphasis is on simplifying the bus network. This is much needed due to some routes remaining very complex for a long time (like the tangled 795), the need for new growth area coverage and the tendency for growth area routes to be layered over each other with uneven services on main roads.
Bus funding under GAIC is highly conditional and limited term. But when this transitions to budget funding then there can be more flexibility for network planners, enabling simpler and more frequent routes.
Bus funding under GAIC is highly conditional and limited term. But when this transitions to budget funding then there can be more flexibility for network planners, enabling simpler and more frequent routes.
Details at: https://engage.vic.gov.au/casey-bus This has a helpful slider-style before and after map. Relating to previous comments, Transport Victoria has a better record of using maps to aid network consultation than to explain or sell a new network. However, especially as a state election is soon, there is potential to include the Caroline Springs area in the Love The Bus campaign 20 minute frequency maps.
The Engage item is somewhat vague on frequencies for most routes. But it is understood that the 888 will be getting a large improvement from hourly to every 20 min on weekdays, as reported previously:
https://cranbournenews.starcommunity.com.au/news/2026-05-19/new-casey-bus-routes-revealed/
This 888's frequency upgrade should offset a reduction in the number of routes on the Clyde Rd corridor. However, unlike the new Caroline Springs routes, weekend service on the 888 will only improve slightly to every 40 min.
Possibly most controversial is that the western part of the 897 (currently every 20 min) will be split off from the main route, with the western portion becoming a new (actually reused) route number 896. Affected areas will get a large service cut as 896 will be only every 40 minutes. Something else that might concern some is that access to Berwick's main street shops will be reduced from the south due to the removal of the 836 and not compensatory 846 northern extension.
The local MP has further information but note an error with 896 shown twice (should be 897)
https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1445875844018169&set=pcb.1445875900684830
If you thought that October 4 was a significant date for buses, this was true in 2010 when the Doncaster Area Rapid Transit (DART) started with four new SmartBus routes (905, 906, 907, 908). This has been a substantial success story. Details of DART's first day here.