More Trains to Boost Donnybrook to Southern Cross Connectivity
From February 1, a new morning peak service will depart Donnybrook at 6:46 am, reaching Southern Cross by 7:35 am to fill a gap in early-morning city-bound train services.
In the evening, a 5:57 pm train from Southern Cross will arrive at Donnybrook station by 6:46 pm.
Speaking to the North Central Review, Member for Yan Yean, Lauren Kathage said “This extra service gives more options for people heading into the city for work and study – but more than that, it means we have more seats across the peak services.
“We are investing in lots of rail, road and bus services across Donnybrook: the 501 shuttle to Craigieburn station, the 524 from Donnybrook to Kalkallo shops, the new dedicated school buses and of course Stage 1 of the Donnybrook Road upgrade.”
This timetable expansion coincides with major network changes across Victoria’s rail system driven by the opening of the Metro Tunnel, which has freed up suburban rail capacity and allowed for additional regional services to be inserted into busy peak periods.
According to VLine, “These changes are part of the Big Switch network changes, where a new timetable with over 1,000 extra services will be introduced on the Cranbourne, Pakenham and Sunbury Line and all services will run exclusively through the Metro Tunnel.”
Until Sunday 1 February 2026 public transport is free on weekends as part of the new Melbourne Metro Tunnel opening.
Route 524 through Peppercorn Hill
A dedicated bus loop, introduced in March 2025, now connects Peppercorn Hill and Donnybrae to Donnybrook station.
It’s part of a growing local network around Donnybrook station as a transport hub, linking residential growth areas with rail and bus options.
Route 524 will operate in a clockwise loop, providing daily services to and from Donnybrook station starting in Hillview Drive, Peppercorn Hill.
Schedule
- Weekdays: 5:30 am to 9:00 pm
- Every 30 minutes during peak times (7:00 am–9:00 am and 3:00 pm–8:00 pm)
- Every 40 minutes during off-peak times
- Weekends: 6:30 am to 7:00 pm, services every 40 minutes
At Donnybrook station, passengers can transfer to the Route 501 shuttle for direct access to Craigieburn station or board V/Line services (train and bus) to reach metro or regional areas.
Upgrades to Donnybrook station were completed 2024, including an expanded car park with approximately 150 extra spaces, enhanced accessibility features, better lighting and CCTV security, and a dedicated bus interchange area that will become increasingly important as multi‑modal transport usage grows.
For commuters in Peppercorn Hill, the combination of extra peak trains and better feeder bus services means a more reliable and adaptable commute into the city, with Southern Cross station serving as the major interchange for onward connections throughout Melbourne.
View the Donnybrook train station timetable.
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View the Peppercorn Hill masterplan
Feature image: “VLine Vlocity at Southern Cross station (cropped)” by Thebusofdoom is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.