๐ ๐ฉ๐ถ๐ฐ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฎโ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ป ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ถ๐น ๐ณ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐ ๐ฝ๐น๐ฎ๐ป: ๐ฝ๐๐๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ป๐ฒ๐๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ธ โ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐ ๐ผ๐ป ๐ง๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ธโ ๐
Victoria has launched ๐๐ณ๐ฆ๐ช๐จ๐ฉ๐ต ๐ฐ๐ฏ ๐๐ณ๐ข๐ค๐ฌ: ๐๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐๐ช๐ค๐ต๐ฐ๐ณ๐ช๐ข๐ฏ ๐๐ข๐ช๐ญ ๐๐ณ๐ฆ๐ช๐จ๐ฉ๐ต ๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ 2026โ2036, setting out a 10-year framework to expand rail freight capacity, improve reliability and resilience, attract private investment, and encourage more businesses to use rail.
Victoriaโs freight task is set to more than double, from approximately 440 million tonnes in 2020โ21 to 908 million tonnes by 2050โ51. At the same time, freight operators are managing rising costs, supply-chain disruption, congestion and the need to reduce transport emissions.
Rail already plays a significant role in moving agricultural commodities, grain, paper products, mineral sands and containerised freight across the state. Regional freight trains transport more than $2 billion worth of freight annually.
The Victorian Government says it has invested almost $600 million in the regional rail freight network.
The broader Victorian Freight Plan notes that previous rail upgrades have increased train lengths from around 650 to 800 metres and lifted axle loads from 19 to 20 tonnes. This has increased payloads from approximately 2,000 to 3,000 tonnes per train, the equivalent of around 25 B-double movements.
The next decade will be less about choosing โroad or railโ and more about designing the right combination of modes for each freight task.
For freight forwarders, importers, exporters and transport operators, several issues will be worth monitoring:
1. ๐๐ฆ๐ณ๐ฎ๐ช๐ฏ๐ข๐ญ ๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ท๐ฆ๐ญ๐ฐ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ต
The delivery of Dandenong South and the wider Port Rail Shuttle Network will be critical. Industry will need clarity around terminal capacity, operating hours, service frequency and connections to major industrial precincts.
2. ๐๐ฆ๐ญ๐ช๐ข๐ฃ๐ช๐ญ๐ช๐ต๐บ ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ฎ๐ข๐ช๐ฏ๐ต๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ข๐ฏ๐ค๐ฆ
Rail customers need predictable services. Ongoing maintenance, removal of temporary speed restrictions and improved network planning will be just as important as new construction.
3. ๐๐ฐ๐ณ๐ต ๐ค๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ฏ๐ฆ๐ค๐ต๐ช๐ท๐ช๐ต๐บ
Railโs ability to connect efficiently with the Port of Melbourne will influence whether customers can achieve genuine end-to-end savings.
4. ๐๐ฏ๐ต๐ฆ๐ณ๐ด๐ต๐ข๐ต๐ฆ ๐ช๐ฏ๐ต๐ฆ๐ณ๐ฐ๐ฑ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ข๐ฃ๐ช๐ญ๐ช๐ต๐บ
Victoriaโs rail network does not operate in isolation. Connections with neighbouring states and the national interstate network must be efficient, compatible and resilient.
5. ๐๐ณ๐ข๐ค๐ต๐ช๐ค๐ข๐ญ ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ-๐ด๐ฉ๐ช๐ง๐ต ๐ช๐ฏ๐ค๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ต๐ช๐ท๐ฆ๐ด
Government support may help overcome the initial commercial barriers to using rail, but long-term modal shift will require sustainable services that remain viable after incentives end.
Victoria has now established the long-term direction.
A stronger rail network will not replace road freight, but it can make Victoriaโs entire freight system more capable, resilient and sustainable.
https://www.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2026-09/DTPC0013-Victorian-Rail-Freight-Plan_RGB_FA.pdf