New Connex suburban train timetable starts today (over 200 weekly trips added)

Includes major peak train service additions for Cranbourne, Pakenham and Epping (193 total) and a smaller number on the Sydenham and Frankston lines (22 total). Ringwood gets a 15 minute service until nearly 10pm weeknights with three extra 3 carriage services running. 

In a sign of more to come, Werribee line peak services are removed from the City Loop to travel direct to Flinders Street. This was to 'untangle the network' and create space for higher peak frequencies. Noting that at this time Werribee, Sydenham and Upfield shared one Loop portal. Clifton Hill group trains (ie Epping and Hurstbridge) were changed to operate clockwise through the City Loop all day, no longer reversing at midday. This was the first City Loop portal to go single direction all day; the next was to be the Caulfield group in 2021. 

https://web.archive.org/web/20081120085650/http://www.metlinkmelbourne.com.au/news/service_alterations/metropolitan_trains/november_timetable_changes_from_9_november_2008

Also see below for a preview from earlier in the year: 

https://web.archive.org/web/20080416015740/http://www.connexmelbourne.com.au/news.php?newsid=243&g=Array

Note: Item added retrospectively for posterity.

10 years of Service Improvements: What and When

The table below shows the time and mode of the public transport service improvements by time of day and day of week. Thick lines are for major network-wide frequency and span improvements with thinner lines for more localised or smaller upgrades.

The largest changes in summary are:

* Improved span and frequency of regional trains (2006)
* Local buses running longer hours, particularly early evenings and Sundays (2006-)
* After midnight train, tram and bus services (2007 & 2008)
* Sunday trains and trams (2000)
* Five SmartBus routes (2002 - 2008)

The next large patronage gains are likely to come from a different set of improvements. These are likely to include: (i) shoulder peak and evening train and tram services, (ii) Orbital trunk and restructured local bus routes, and (iii) boosted weekend trains and buses.

NightRider upgraded

The small hours of last Saturday saw the first operation of the upgraded after-midnight NighRider network. Frequency doubled from hourly to half-hourly and new routes extended reach to Doncaster, Healesville and Narre Warren/Cranbourne.

Over the last five years no part of Victorian public transport (except regional rail and local buses in some areas) has received bigger upgrades than NightRider. The improvements have been so great that some outlying areas now get a more frequent service from NightRider than on their normal daytime routes.

The recent NightRider service improvements follow fare reform about 18 months ago. Previously NightRiders were subject to a seperate (higher) fare and Metcards were not accepted. Now they are, with the same zones applying as with any other route. Route numbers are also being standardised and signage is being renewed (below).