Rising airfares forcing travellers to turn to trains and buses to get home for Christmas
Scarlet Kohane says public transport from Melbourne to Broken Hill is the only affordable option. (ABC Shepparton: Ethan Seiderman)
In short:
Travellers are opting for public transport to visit loved ones in regional areas this Christmas as an alternative to expensive airfares and fuel.
The Victorian government says additional services will be available to travel to major events in the holiday period.
Public transport will be free for under-18s from the beginning of the new year.
It is an 11-hour journey by train and bus from Melbourne to Broken Hill, but for Scarlet Kohane, whose family moved to the regional town a couple of years ago, it is the only affordable option.
"As a young person with a casual job, the thought of spending over $800 on a round-trip flight ... I just couldn't justify it," she said.
Her one-way trip cost $64 — comprising an $11 train ticket from Melbourne to Mildura via Swan Hill, and a $53 ticket from Mildura to Broken Hill.
Scarlet Kohane is taking the 11-hour public transport journey from Melbourne to Broken Hill to see her family this Christmas. (ABC Shepparton: Ethan Seiderman)
Ms Kohane said the five-hour trip to Swan Hill on a packed train, followed by six hours on buses through Mildura to Broken Hill, was worth it.
"Saving [for the airfare] would take time and if I were to drive, petrol is costly too," she said.
But the journey is not without its challenges.
"It can get pretty cramped on the V/Line this time of year," Ms Kohane said.
"I used to catch the train to Castlemaine for family Christmas and sometimes I had to sit on the floor."
Not meeting holiday demand
Ms Kohane’s journey is becoming increasingly common, as rising airfares and fuel costs push more Victorians onto regional rail.
But while demand for V/Line services has surged, capacity has largely remained unchanged, leaving passengers to deal with packed carriages and fully booked services.
Victorian Nationals MP Annabelle Cleeland said the Albury line was strained on a normal weekday and demand exceeded supply during holiday periods.
"Even one extra return service on the busiest days would make a real difference,"Ms Cleeland said.
She said trains offered a safer, affordable option for older people and those with a disability, and not everyone could, or should have to, drive.
"Improving rail is about providing a reliable alternative, not forcing people onto it," Ms Cleeland said.
Euroa MP Annabelle Cleeland is pushing for increases to services on the Albury line to meet demand. (Supplied: Annabelle Cleeland)
A Victorian government spokesperson said extra services were added to the Albury V/Line bus and train network last year.
"We've given Albury Line passengers more options to get where they need to go, with two weekend train services and more coach options added to the timetable," the spokesperson said.
"And with free weekend travel this summer, we continue to encourage passengers to plan ahead and make a reservation before travelling," the spokesperson said.
Public transport will be free today and on New Year’s Eve and extra services will be available to help regional travellers get to the Boxing Day Test cricket at the MCG.
Daniel Bowen says Victorian commuters are welcoming an increased investment in public transport. (ABC News: Costa Haritos)
A busy year for V/Line
A record 26 million passengers boarded V/Line services last financial year, up from 24 million the year before.
Public Transport Users Association spokesperson Daniel Bowen said it made sense to keep investing in the system.
"Normally in Victoria the maximum fare you'll pay is $11 a day and that's not bad value for travelling long distances," he said.
He said more services were needed to reduce a high strain on the system especially on north-east Victorian services.
Public transport will free for children in Victoria from New Year's Day. (Ethan Seiderman)
Victoria will offer free public transport for children under the age of 18 from the beginning of 2026.
Paul Strickland, La Trobe University senior lecturer in sport, tourism, hospitality and events, said the fare incentives would help the hospitality industry and the environment.
But he warned such decisions were also conditioning children not to pay for public transport.
"If you're a seven-year-old and you're taking public transport, you're doing that for free for [over a decade] and then all of a sudden you have to pay, there's going to be an issue,"Dr Strickland said.
"I don't know any model around the world where public transport is absolutely free."
Transport Victoria announced last week it would increase the fare cap to $11.40 for both metropolitan and regional trains from January 1.