Melbourne 408 Bus Expands Hours and Sunday Service

Melbourne's 408 bus route to add extended hours and increased Sunday service frequency

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Melbourne 408 Bus Gets Longer Hours, More Service

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Melbourne's 408 bus route will run longer hours with more frequent Sunday service under the state budget, transit officials said. The route serves Maidstone and Maribyrnong in the city's inner west. Officials didn't specify exact start times for the expanded service or how many additional trips will be added.

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The service expansion is part of broader transit improvements in Melbourne's inner-west region announced in the state budget. Transit agencies typically extend operating hours and increase Sunday frequency to better serve riders on weekends and during early morning or late evening periods. Officials said the changes aim to improve connectivity for residents in the Maidstone and Maribyrnong areas. Specific ridership data for the 408 route wasn't included in the budget announcement.

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The budget also includes improvements to routes 496 and 498, which will provide a more direct link between Laverton and Aircraft stations. Officials haven't detailed what routing changes will create the more direct connection or how much travel time will be reduced. Funding was allocated to maintain the Westgate Punt service between Spotswood and Port Melbourne, though specific dollar amounts for individual transit projects weren't provided. The West Gate Freeway is included in a $36.9 million package to clean up the state's 10 busiest roads.

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Officials didn't announce a timeline for when the 408 route improvements will take effect. Transit agencies typically implement service changes at the start of a new schedule period, but whether these modifications will roll out together or separately wasn't specified. The budget announcement didn't include details about how riders will be notified before the changes begin.

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Riders on the 408 route can expect more flexibility for weekend travel and extended weekday access once changes take effect. Officials said additional service details will be released closer to implementation. Moovit provides real-time schedule information and service alerts for Melbourne bus routes including the 408, 496, and 498.