The Victorian government is set to add 450 train services every week under a major timetable update designed to boost capacity and allow for physical distancing measures.
Transport minister Ben Carroll on Tuesday announced 280 new metropolitan and 170 regional services would be added to the network each week from January 31.
"This will be the biggest change to the timetable since the City Loop opened in 1981," Mr Carroll told reporters.
Mr Carroll also said off-peak fares would be discounted for three months, with passengers saving 30 per cent between 9.30am and 4pm or after 7pm on weekdays.
"We know COVID normal will see people travelling differently than in the past - working from home arrangements, more services and a discount for off-peak travel will make it easier for people to stagger their trips," he said.
"This is just the first step in the massive improvements Victorians will see to our transport network, with new bigger, better trains as we prepare to deliver the Metro Tunnel and our upgrades of every regional rail line still to come."
The Ballarat line regional upgrade would be completed once the new timetable begins, he said, delivering trains to Melbourne every 20 minutes during the morning rush and every 40 minutes during off-peak times.
Meanwhile, the timetable changes will allow 45 extra services each week for Geelong line passengers, more morning express services to reduce travel time on the Bendigo Line and extra stops to cater for communities along the Traralgon line.
But passengers on some lines, including Cranbourne and Pakenham, will need to adjust the way they travel.
While the two south-east lines will gain 90 new services per week, they will travel in an anti-clockwise direction through the City Loop all day to pave the way for the upcoming high capacity metro trains.
Passengers on the Frankston line will gain 45 new services each week, but will not run via the City Loop until the Metro Tunnel opens in 2025, instead running straight to Flinders Street and Southern Cross then through to Werribee.
Werribee and Sandringham weekend services will also leave the City Loop for more consistent services through the week.
Extra weekday services on the busy Craigieburn, Sunbury and Werribee lines will mean passengers will have a train at least every 10 minutes for more than three hours in the busy morning and afternoon peaks.
Williamstown services will extend to Flinders Street on weekends, meaning passengers no longer have to change trains at Newport.
