At V/Line, we aim to make your journey as comfortable and safe as possible.

Your accessible journey with V/Line

The short videos below explain what to expect at the station and onboard V/Line train services.



Wheelchair and mobility aid access

Most V/Line stations and train services can be used by customers with mobility aids. Additionally, most scheduled V/Line coach services have a lift and an allocated space for customers with mobility aids. To check whether your station or service is accessible please contact the call centre on 1800 800 007, use the plan a journey tool, or use the virtual station and train tours.

You can reserve an accessible space on long-distance reserved services including Warrnambool, Swan Hill, Shepparton, Albury, and Bairnsdale services when booking your ticket. You can also inform us of any accessibility requirements you have prior to travel by contacting the call centre on 1800 800 007. If required, we will make alternative travel arrangements for you as long as your mobility aid meets the dimension requirements listed below.

Conductors and station staff are available to assist you throughout your journey.

Accessible toilets are available on all Sprinter and VLocity trains. Limited accessible toilets are available on locomotive-hauled services. To find out more about V/Line’s fleets types visit the On board page.

To travel on V/Line services with a mobility aid or wheelchair, it must:

  • Fit within an allocated space of 1300mm (length) and 800mm (width)
  • Be no more than 750mm wide at a height of 300mm above the ground to fit between the wheel axles of a coach
  • Have a total combined weight of less than 300kg, including the mobility aid, its user and any attendant
  • Have anchor points for travel on a V/Line coach which will be used to secure the mobility aid to ensure safety.

Visit the Public Transport Victoria website for full mobility aid specifications.

Customers are not permitted to travel on their mobility aid in the conductor’s van on locomotive–hauled services. If you are at an unstaffed station and the service is not accessible you can travel in the conductors van until the next staffed station where alternative transport will be arranged. You can store your mobility aid in the conductor’s van if you are able to move to a seat in the carriage.

Replacement services

In the event that we have to replace trains, not all coaches and buses will be accessible. We will make alternative travel arrangements for you as long as your mobility aid meets the dimension requirements and can be safely secured.

If there are planned service changes for your journey and you would like to discuss your needs before you travel, please call 1800 800 007 (6am-midnight)

Boarding Assistance Zone

Customers who require assistance to board a V/Line service can approach V/Line staff or wait in the Boarding Assistance Zone for help.  
 
Boarding Assistance Zones are located on platforms 3A and 15A at Southern Cross Station.
 
They are also on all other V/Line platforms across the network.

Staff can still assist customers who wait in other areas of the platform but waiting in the zone makes it easier for our staff to see that you need help. 


Quiet Carriage

A quiet carriage is a dedicated zone on VLocity trains for customers who want to travel in a quieter environment. The quiet carriage is usually the leading or rear carriage of the train.
 
The quiet carriage is a customer-regulated initiative, where travellers voluntarily turn down the volume on electronic devices, switch mobile phones to silent and speak quietly.
 
V/Line staff do not enforce quiet carriage courtesy.

Quiet Carriage Diagram 

Please note that using headphones or earphones may not prevent other customers hearing very loud music, so it’s a good idea to check if people around you can also hear your music.


Help keep the peace

Virtual station tours

Our virtual station tours provide customers with a better understanding of the layout, look and feel of stations prior to travel.

You can explore key areas of the station, such as the ticket offices, myki machines, parkiteer cages and replacement coach bays with quick links to easily navigate each part of the station.

Customers who use a mobility aid can also explore the accessible features available at stations, such as accessible parking, toilets and elevators along with boarding assistance zones on platforms. 

Access virtual station tours

Southern Cross Station

Southern Cross Station is V/Line's hub station with all train and coach services originating here. V/Line staff are available to assist customers and provide any direct assistance that may be required, including guiding customers with vision impairment upon request.

Staff can be found at the following locations:

  • Booking office at Collins Street
  • Booking office at coach interchange
  • Ticket barriers at Collins Street entrances to platforms 2-8
  • Ticket barriers on the Burke Street bridge

If you require special assistance or you have any concerns, please call 1800 800 007 (6am-midnight) to discuss your needs before you travel.

Try Before You Ride

Join us to learn more about how to safely travel on trains, coaches, buses and taxis.

You can have the opportunity to boost your confidence by practicing how to board and alight a V/Line train, coach and a low floor bus.

If you would like more information on the next Try Before You Ride session please email accessibility@vline.com.au.

Assistance animals

The Assistance Animal Pass has been developed to assist people with a disability who are unable to use public transport without a trained assistance animal.

A seat must be booked for your assistance animal on reserved V/Line services, however they travel for free.

More information about assistance animals can be found on the Public Transport Victoria website.

Luggage assistance

If you have difficulty carrying your own luggage on board, you can book it through to some destinations using V/Line's checked luggage system. Please call us on 1800 800 007 to check if this is available on your service.

Conductors, station staff and coach drivers are available to assist you throughout your journey.

Travellers Aid has services at Southern Cross, Flinders Street and Seymour stations.

For more information about these services, visit the Travellers Aid website.

Hidden Disabilities

V/Line hasproudly parnered with the Hidden Disabilities Program to deliver awareness training to all V/Line staff members and roll out the program across our network.  

The program uses the sunflower, an internationally recognised symbol for people with hidden disabilities, to help passengers discreetly let service staff know that they have higher needs which may not be immediately visible.

Sunflower lanyards and pins will made available to passengers at selected service windows across the network. See below for locations.
  • Southern Cross Station
  • Geelong
  • Tarneit
  • Bendigo
  • Ballarat
  • Bacchus Marsh
  • Seymour
  • Traralgon
 

Communication tools

Communication tools have been developed to help customers and staff communicate about travelling on V/Line.

The tools are available at staffed stations and on trains. You can also download and print them by clicking the link below.

These communication tools are copyright material and must not be used or replicated for commercial purposes unless expressly agreed to by V/Line.

Social Scripts

Social scripts are a tool to better understand the experiences and environments you can expect on the V/Line network.

The social scripts can assist you to prepare for your trip.

Our Social Scripts cover:

  • Who is V/Line?
  • Your V/Line Journey
  • Disruptions and Changes to V/Line Services
V/Line worked with Amaze and our Accessibility Reference Group to develop the social scripts. Click here to find out more about the Communications Access Symbol.

Accessibility Action Plan 2022 - 2025

V/Line’s Accessibility Action Plan 2022 to 2025 has been developed to continue to improve access for regional public transport services. The plan aims to support the objectives of the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA) and the Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport 2002 (DSAPT). 

V/Line’s 2022 to 2025 Accessibility Action Plan aims to support the Victorian Government’s Accessible Public Transport in Victoria Action Plan 2020 to 2024.  

To achieve this, V/Line’s four key priority areas are:

1.    Our Customers
2.    Our People
3.    Our Network
4.    Our Community

Download a copy of the Accessibility Action Plan 2022-2025 to below.

For more information about what we're doing to improve accessibility around the network, click here. 

Temporary exemption reporting


Stations and Stops Accessibility Maps