Melbourne uses "clock-face" timetables in off-peak periods, but generally not in peak periods, due to operating near to the capacity of the infrastructure and having to accommodate single-line sections, flat junctions, and regional diesel-hauled trains. Even in off-peak periods, however, frequencies vary according to time of day and day of week, and by line. In some places, services on two lines combine to provide more frequent services on common sections of tracks. Saturday and Sunday services are identical during the day, but differ during the evening on some lines. Sunday morning services however start later than on Saturdays, and run less frequently until around 10am.
Metro Trains Melbourne operates several passenger rail lines and one special events railway line, under operating groups as follows.
Burnley Group
Lilydale and Belgrave trains operate through the City Loop, running anticlockwise on weekday mornings, and clockwise on weekday afternoons and weekends. Most trains run express during peak hours, with increased frequency in both directions, but more frequent in the direction of peak. Using the triple track from Box Hill to Burnley, express trains can overtake local trains in the direction of the peak.
Glen Waverley trains run direct to and from Flinders Street on weekday mornings. On weekday afternoons and weekends, Glen Waverley trains operate clockwise via the Loop, with Belgrave and Lilydale services.
Alamein trains operate anticlockwise via the Loop during weekday morning and afternoon peaks, and as shuttles to and from Camberwell during weekday off-peak and weekends.
Caulfield Group
All trains operate through the City Loop in an anti-clockwise direction from Richmond Station.
The Caufield Group previously consisted of the Cranbourne & Pakenham lines, until the full opening of the Metro Tunnel and their removal from the City Loop on 1 February 2026. The Frankston line had been part of the Caulfield Group until 2011 when it joined the Cross-City Group, with limited City Loop services continuing until 2021.
Stony Point line services operate as shuttles from Frankston station with passengers to and from Flinders Street required to change trains as there is no electrification beyond Frankston. It is the only non-electrified line operated by Metro Trains, with services being operated using Sprinter diesel multiple units leased from V/Line.
Clifton Hill Group
All trains (with the exception of those departing the city after midnight, all services after midnight run direct from Flinders Street) operate through the City Loop (in a clockwise direction from Jolimont station on weekdays and weekends). On most occasions in peak hour, Hurstbridge line trains operate express between Jolimont and Victoria Park, with the Mernda trains serving the intermediate stations.
Cross-City Group
The Cross-City Group was formed in 2011 by through-running the Frankston line with the Werribee and Williamstown lines, formerly parts of the Caulfield and Northern Groups respectively. Limited services on these lines continued to run through the City Loop until 2021 when all services changed to run direct to and from Flinders Street with most services continuing through to the other side.
Upon the full opening of the Metro Tunnel on 1 February 2026, the Frankston line returned to the Caulfield tunnels in the City Loop. The Sandringham line is planned to take the Frankston line's place in the Cross-City Group later in 2026; until then, Werribee and Williamstown services end at Flinders Street.
Werribee services stop all stations via Altona on weekends only. On weekdays, they run express between Footscray, Newport and Laverton, and all stations between Laverton and Werribee. Weekday services stopping all stations between Footscray and Laverton via Altona terminate at Laverton.
Metro Tunnel Group
Trains operating in the Metro Tunnel through-run under the CBD.
The Metro Tunnel soft-opened on 30 November 2025 running limited services alongside the existing timetable until 1 February 2026, when these services were removed from the City Loop and began running full-time through the Metro Tunnel.
During night network (Saturday 12:30am-5am, Sunday 12:30am-7am), all services skip Arden, Parkville, State Library and Anzac.
Northern Group
The Northern group operates through the City Loop at all times except during Night Network (Saturday & Sundays Midnight - 5AM).
When services do operate via the City Loop they run under the following patterns
The Sunbury line was previously part of the Northern Group, until the full opening of the Metro Tunnel and their removal from the City Loop on 1 February 2026.
- Clockwise: Weekday Mornings (Until 12:30pm) and all day on Weekends
- Anti Clockwise: After 12:30pm on Weekdays
Special services
There are no regularly scheduled services on the Flemington Racecourse line, but services are run to the Racecourse whenever race meetings are held at the racecourse. Services also run to the Showgrounds platform during the Royal Melbourne Show every September, as well as during large events such as University Examinations. Services to Flemington Racecourse can also be run on occasions of closures on the Craigieburn line, such as during the Buckley Street Level Crossing Removal in 2018 when replacement buses to Craigieburn departed Flemington Racecourse Station.
