As the summer heat approaches, V/Line urges regional train passengers to stay informed about extreme heat timetables, available on the company's website.
These timetables offer greater certainty for travel plans on very hot days.
V/Line chief executive Matt Carrick said heat speed restrictions were enforced on the regional network when the temperature was forecast to reach 36°C or above due to the steel tracks expanding in the heat.
“On these days, some services will run at slower speeds or may be replaced by coaches for all or part of the journey,” Mr Carrick said.
“Extreme heat timetables are available to give V/Line passengers the opportunity to plan their trip with confidence on really hot days, when temperatures reach 36°C or above.
“These timetables can be easily accessed from the V/Line website and we will be working hard to minimise disruptions on days of extreme heat to provide a safe and reliable service for passengers.”
During the summer season, V/Line actively monitors weather forecasts, activating extreme heat timetables as needed.
While heat can impact services across the network, extreme heat timetables are more common for trains in northern parts of the state where temperatures tend to be hotter.
For passengers on the Albury Line, the management of extreme heat timetables is overseen by the Australian Rail Track Corporation.