Smart Passengers proposes that the current train timetable be completely replaced, and a new one implemented with the following goals:

• To introduce two-tier services on longer lines, for faster journeys and higher capacity
• To reduce fleet usage to 90% (that is, at all times at least 10% of the fleet will be available for preventative maintenance)
• To withdraw the remaining non-air conditioned Hitachi trains and any Comeng and Siemens trains which have poor reliability or recurring major faults
• To increase service frequencies to a minimum of six trains per hour (ie a train every 10 minutes) except where track and signalling infrastructure will not allow it:
  • Beyond Greensborough/Eltham
  • The Altona and Williamstown sections
  • The Stony Point line
• To take full advantage of the delivery of 38 Xtrapolis and the new Fifth Generation trains
• To standardise all stopping patterns by line (eg all Moorabbin trains would run direct to Flinders Street and then form Williamstown trains, while Pakenham trains run via the City Loop and back to Pakenham)
• To streamline the network operationally. A major problem today is that trains from different lines, operating on different patterns, interfere with each other at junctions. This is why trains sometimes stop between Richmond and Flinders Street. Also, these problems can cause a chain reaction of late running onto other lines - delays at Newport may affect Upfield line services, for example.
• To introduce clockface timetables, where trains depart at regular intervals and at the same time past each hour
• To take full advantage of all the infrastructure improvements proposed in this book

The proposed timetable removes the operationally complex daily reversal of the City Loop. Due to technical issues it is necessary that all four tracks change direction at some point during the week, and for this reason the weekend services will run in the opposite direction to weekday services:

As a guide, most stations will receive six trains per hour during the daytime off-peak period, and three trains per hour during early mornings (toward the city) and late evenings (from the city). During morning and evening peaks trains will run at the highest possible frequency (subject to operational reliability), with some stations receiving up to thirty-five services (in the peak direction) over the two hour peak period.

Although it is called the 2020 timetable, certain parts of it will be implemented sooner, as infrastructure, trains and drivers become available. This includes two-tier services on the Caulfield group and the Werribee line.

To run the timetable, the driver pool will have to be increased by approximately 230 people. In order to achieve this by 2020 (taking retirees into account), the rate of driver recruitment and training will need to be doubled.

There will be three new timetable-patterns:

1. Day - Applies 6am to 10pm Monday to Friday excluding morning and evening peak. Most services will run from 4:30am to 1am but at lower frequencies than those stated below.
2. Weekend - Applies weekends and public holidays. Differs from the Day pattern by the reversal of the City Loop only - all stations outside the centre of Melbourne will have the exact same timetables.
3. Peak - Applies during weekday peak hours. During this time, services may be unevenly spaced or counterpeak services run at a slightly reduced frequency to allow for increased overall passenger capacity. For the purposes of this timetable, morning peak time is defined as trains arriving at Flinders Street from 7am to 8:59am and evening peak as trains departing Flinders Street from 5pm to 6:59pm.

Please note that this table is a summary only. Some services on these lines may run to a slightly altered stopping pattern due to varying passenger needs or infrastructure limitations, for example adding an extra stop or finishing short of the terminus. Some stations may receive extra services outside of peak time to cater for school starting times or other patronage increases.

¹ These lines may require up to half of all services terminating at the second location named rather than the first due to infrastructure limitations such as sections of single track, or to avoid blocking V/Line trains.

² Most trains on these inner-tier lines will terminate at the location named. Some trains may start or finish further away from Melbourne; in these cases the corresponding outer-tier service may run express over the affected section. For instance, when a Box Hill train runs to Blackburn, a Lilydale or Belgrave train may run express from Box Hill to Blackburn.