They don’t appear on timetables, carry passengers or make daily commutes, but they’re among the hardest-working rolling stock on Melbourne’s railway.  This year, EV120, affectionately known as ‘Evie’, is celebrating her fifth birthday, while her electric-powered partner ‘Evette’ marks her first year in service.   Together, the pair travel across Victoria’s rail network collecting critical information to help Metro monitor rail infrastructure, identify potential issues early and plan maintenance works that keep trains running safely and reliably.    

  Metro has designed an exciting new experience to improve the safety of youth around Melbourne’s train network, called TIMELINE.  TIMELINE is a Virtual Reality (VR) safety experience that addresses high-risk behaviours across our network. Users wear VR goggles that place them in an immersive environment, allowing them to choose a character, make decisions, and see the outcomes of those decisions, such as taking shortcuts across railway tracks.  Metro Community Education Manager Madelaine Tragas says TIMELINE recreates authentic, high-pressure scenarios that spotlight the real consequences that can result from lapses of judgement when using public transport.  “Timeline is aimed at reducing incidents of young people acting dangerously around trains,” she said.  “We wanted to bring the personalised nature of video games into an important safety message that will really resonate with teenagers.”   The VR experience will be used by the Community Education team as an innovative engagement tool to connect with young people in priority trespass hotspot areas. They will take the technology to stations, schools, youth centres, shopping centres, and other community locations.  TIMELINE was developed using expertise from across Metro Trains Melbourne but particularly leaning on the firsthand experience of our frontline staff.  “Our frontline staff played a critical role in shaping the experience, sharing scenarios they have seen play out on our network to help us create the most authentic experience we could in a safe environment.”  

The 2026 Moving Melbourne Community Grants program recipients have been announced, supporting not-for-profit organisations doing important work to help improve people’s mental health.   Eight recipients share a grant pool of $100,000, a further two recipients have been awarded cultural grants for the first time worth a total of $10,000. An additional $100,000 worth of advertising at Metro train stations will be shared between four organisations.       The full list of 2026 recipients are:   Royal District Nursing Service Limited     Community Music Victoria Inc   Launch Housing Limited      Sufi Festival Inc.   The Kevin Heinze Garden Centre Inc    Able Australia Services   Oot and aboot outdoors Ltd   Mentis Assist Ltd     The following recipients have been awarded a cultural grant :  Djirra     Dardi Munwurro      The following recipients have been awarded advertising space at Metro stations:   International Nature and Forest Therapy Alliance   Gidget Foundation Australia     Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation Inc     Australian Kookaburra Kids Foundation Ltd    Recipient organisations all met the criteria of having a focus on:   Wellness – preventative care to reduce the risk of poor mental health.    Education – activities that inform and promote awareness of good mental health.   Support services – assistance like counselling, psychiatric support or crisis care that directly supports people experiencing mental health challenges.     Over the past seven years, Metro’s Community Grants program has provided $660,000 to community organisations.   

  One of Melbourne’s most retro stations has been given a new look, with the installation of a large-scale First Nations artwork at Flagstaff Station.  Created by Wadawurrung artist Madi Mercer, also known as Ghostgum, Symphony of Country transforms the station’s concourse, upper walkway and William Street entrance into an immersive reflection of Country, culture and movement.   With Melbourne’s rail network continuing to evolve, Metro saw an opportunity to refresh the station and create a space that reflects both its important role in the city’s transport network and the cultural significance of the land on which it sits.    

This Mother’s Day, Metro is taking the time to acknowledge the mums who help keep our network moving every day. 

Metro receives almost 2000 items to our lost property every month but recently, a truly remarkable item was handed in.   The team in lost property had World War II Service Medals handed in at Flinders Street Station in November last year, they are now hoping to reunite them with the owner’s family.  It has since been confirmed by the Australian War Memorial that they were awarded to a man named Herbert Hepburn, who served in the Australian military from January 1942 to March 1946.  Hepburn would be turning 122 in April and the only next of kin that could be located by the war memorial was his mother, meaning the team is now at a dead end.  Flinders Street Senior Station Master Gurbinder Dhillon is hopeful he can return the medals to its rightful owner.   “I am waiting for the day we can reunite it with its owner. That will be really joyful for us,” he said.  The team at lost property received more than 14,000 calls and emails in 2025 to reunite owners with their lost items.  Although Metro occasionally receives objects with deep emotional and historical value like the medals, most lost items are everyday objects such as mobile phones, wallets, headphones and handbags.  At present, the Flinders Street office is holding almost 1,700 items, including 90 mobile phones, more than 140 handbags and 110 sets of AirPods or headphones. Approximately 30 per cent of lost items were reunited with their owners last year.  The Metro Trains lost property office is located at Flinders Street Station. The opening hours are Monday to Friday 8am – 5pm. Passengers should direct all lost property queries to lost.found@metrotrains.com.au or call (03) 9610 7512. 

Metro’s Moving Melbourne Community Grants Program is open to not-for-profit organisations that are passionate about mental health.   Grants of $5k, $10k and $20k are available, and this year a new First Nations cultural grant is on offer.  With a total funding pool of $110k, along with a share of $100k worth of advertising at Metro train stations.  Submit applications at Metro Community Grants by 3 April.    Projects or initiatives must fall into one of the following focus areas:   Wellness – preventative care to reduce the risk of poor mental health.    Education – activities that inform and promote awareness of good mental health.   Support services – assistance like counselling, psychiatric support or crisis care that directly supports people experiencing mental health challenges.     Any not-for-profit helping to improve people’s mental health can apply – it could be a local sporting club, school, community centre or local health service.    Last year, Metro’s grants program helped community organisations such as the Camp Quality, The Royal Women’s Hospital, and Tandem to assist with their important initiatives. Over the past seven years, Metro’s community grants program has awarded more than $660,000 to community organisations.   Visit Metro Community Grants for more information and to apply.  

Metro is adding extra services as spring – and event season – gets Melbourne moving. With school holidays in full swing, this week also sees the start of the Melbourne Royal Show, running for 11 days from Thursday 25 September, and the AFL Grand Final, kicking off at the MCG on Saturday 27 September. Up to half a million visitors are expected through the gates of the Melbourne Royal Show, with many expected to take advantage of trains departing Flinders Street for Melbourne Showgrounds around every 15 minutes. On Friday 26 September, all public transport will run to a Saturday timetable, with extra train services operating for spectators keen to see the teams in the AFL Grand Final Parade. And for the big event on ‘the last Saturday in September’, there will be 60 train services added to metropolitan lines, getting fans to and from the MCG Precinct to watch the Brisbane Lions take on the Geelong Cats. Nathan Loriente, Head of Train Services, said the team at Metro works as one team to provide more services to more people. “September is always a busy month, and it’s a fantastic feeling to help passengers travel safely to and from their favourite events.”

Kicking off celebrations early, Metro is delighted to celebrate Victorian Seniors Month. Special guest Peter Hitchener drew in a fantastic crowd and helped us share important messages about safe and accessible travel across the network. Through our Community Education Program, we support older passengers to build confidence when travelling on public transport, from learning about […]

Hundreds of drivers are now trained and ready to take passengers through the Metro Tunnel ahead of the project opening later this year. Metro CEO Raymond O’Flaherty joined Minister for Transport Infrastructure Gabrielle Williams at Anzac Station to announce that nearly 500 drivers are ready to take passengers through the new twin tunnels and five underground stations. “Drivers are playing a critical role in the project’s trial operations phase, with trains running thousands of kilometres inside the tunnel to build reliability in the new systems,” O’Flaherty said.   “They’re a fantastic team and I’m so proud of the way they’re working systematically through the testing phase.” 

Springvale Station Officer David Luketic’s impressive collection of Metro Melbourne and Australian passenger trains is like a living history of rail transport. Even more impressive is that David has made all of them himself.  David hand-builds his models from plastic, or designing and 3D printing them. The trains are then moulded, cast and painted. “I was around 16 when I started making models,” David said. “It was basic stuff back then. Now the models I make are mainly passenger cars and various locomotives from Melbourne and around the country.” The intricate models are detailed and incredibly accurate, down to the livery and body shell to the bogies and couplers. David keeps some of his models but sells others to collectors. His love of trains has also seen him travel on some of the world’s most iconic railways. “I’ve been on the Indian Pacific and the Shinkansen in Japan. But I’d love to travel on the TGV in France, the Ghan in Australia and the Andean Explorer in Peru.” David says he’s not tempted to recreate international trains. “All of my models are Australian, and I’m not looking into other countries,” he said.

Metro has announced the recipients of its 2025 Moving Melbourne Community Grants program, not-for-profit organisations doing important work to help improve people’s mental health.  Eight recipients share a grant pool of $100,000 with an additional $100,000 worth of advertising at selected Metro train stations shared between four organisations.    The full list of 2025 recipients are:  Footscray Community Arts Centre LTD – $20,000  Outside the Locker Room Charity LTD – $20,000  Body Safety Australia LTD – $20,000  Camp Quality LTD – $10,000  The Royal Women’s Hospital Sunflower Program – $10,000  Tandem INC – $10,000  Solve-Tad LTD – $5,000  Serbian Community Association of Australia INC – $5,000   The following recipients have been awarded advertising space at Metro stations:  Griefline – at Flinders Street Station  Safe Steps Family Violence Response Centre INC – Melbourne Central   Amaze INC – Flinders Street Station  Youth Projects LTD – Werribee Station  

For aspiring actor and student Lukas Duffy, travelling on public transport is ‘a pilgrimage’ to the life he is building – work placements, theatre opportunities and study.   Lukas is a student at Melbourne Polytechnic, undertaking a Work Education qualification designed for people with an intellectual disability, autism, or cognitive impairment.   During this course, he has worked closely with Metro’s Community Education team, developing skills in journey planning, using the PTV app, and managing myki cards. Lukas says public transport is “always there for you”.  

Metro has several shortlisted nominations in the 2025 Australasian Rail Industry Awards. These awards recognise individual and company achievements in the rail industry, and celebrate projects or initiatives that demonstrate leadership, innovation, and success. It is great to see our people, innovation and hard work being recognised by the industry and our peers. We congratulate our Metro finalists and wish them all the best for the Awards ceremony in September.   Finalist name, team, or submission Award Category Darcy Bourke, Infrastructure     Young Rail Professional Award – recognises individuals with less than 10 years’ experience, for contributions to their company and the wider rail industry. Projects Disruptions: Implementation of new systems for planned rail replacement services     Passenger Operations Excellence Award – celebrates leadership, innovation and industry growth that improves efficiency, enhances customer and stakeholder outcomes, and fosters collaboration. Community Connectors Program: Metro’s Community Investment Program in conjunction with South East Community Links, providing support at Dandenong and Frankston Stations   Safety Excellence Award – recognises a program, team, or individual implementing world class safety strategies. Metro Tunnel Transformation Communications Program     Employee Engagement Excellence Award – celebrates the spirit of cooperation and respect between an organisation and its employees. North East Link Project Overhead Line Remote Isolation System   (joint submission with Major Road Projects Victoria) Rail Innovation of the Year Award – recognises leadership through the practical application of innovative solutions resulting in a commercial, environmental and/or social benefit. Leading Sustainability Excellence, including Metro’s Circular Economy Strategy. Sustainability Excellence Award – recognises and promotes progress towards sustainability excellence and innovation in the rail industry.