Melbourne commuters are now riding on the next generation of suburban trains, with the first X’Trapolis 2.0 officially entering passenger service on the city’s rail network.
Built in Victoria by Alstom across its Dandenong and Ballarat sites, the train is the first of a planned fleet of 50 that will progressively replace some of the network’s oldest rolling stock in the coming years. The rollout is expected to improve both reliability and accessibility across the system.
The six-car electric train can carry up to 1,225 passengers and has been designed with Melbourne commuters in mind. It features a continuous walkthrough layout, wider doors to speed up boarding and a suite of accessibility upgrades shaped by consultation with passengers, drivers and advocacy groups.
Among the changes are 20 dedicated wheelchair spaces, areas for prams and bikes, semi-automated ramps, tactile signage and assistive hearing technology. In total, 58 design refinements were made during development to better suit local needs.n.
The new trains are based on Alstom’s Adessia commuter platform and form part of a broader pipeline of rolling stock being delivered in the state, including trams and regional trains already in service and more on the way.
More X’Trapolis 2.0 trains are expected to enter service progressively as the fleet continues to expand.
