Regional Victorian train passengers should expect significant delays to their morning commute as V/Line workers walk off the job over stalled pay negotiations.
The protected industrial action will take place between 3am and 7am on Thursday, with Rail, Train and Bus Union members stopping work in their fight for better pay and conditions.
No V/Line trains will run during the stoppage and major delays are expected throughout the rest of the morning as services gradually return to their normal timetable.
V/Line commuters should avoid travelling on Thursday morning as only limited replacement coaches will be available until 8am.
The coaches will not stop at metro train stations.
Metropolitan, freight and the Sydney-Melbourne XPT train services will still operate during planned industrial action.
"We're focusing on trying to limit the disruptions to passengers," V/Line chief executive officer Matt Carrick said on Wednesday.
"We share the frustration of regional Victorians about this totally unnecessary strike.
"We'll continue to negotiate in good faith to try and get an acceptable outcome, which means that there is an agreement that is fair, that is reasonable and that's affordable."
Union members have been fighting since June for job security and decent conditions, with the main sticking point the introduction of the new ticketing system, Rail, Train and Bus Union branch secretary Vik Sharma said.
"Members are concerned that there is a greater risk to the frontline ticket-related roles and therefore we want to enshrine in the enterprise agreement the job security," he said on Wednesday.
"They are just not taking this bargaining seriously and we keep ending up in a situation where our members are extremely frustrated and they feel they don't have any other choice."
V/Line was committed to expanding its workforce saying no jobs were at risk of the new ticketing system and the union's claim jobs would be cut was merely "fear mongering", Mr Carrick said.
"There's been talk about the effect of driverless trains and things like that - we're not planning driverless trains," he said.
"It's a really important point that the drivers want nothing to do with this action.
"Progress is being made on an agreement with drivers which demonstrates good faith."
Mr Sharma said the government, which will ultimately make the decision, should step in to end the seven-month dispute.
"The industrial action is going ahead so if there is a good time for government to intervene, the time, we suppose, is now," he said.
Commuters have been warned to expect more disruptions should the issue not be resolved.
"If we don't see any progress, we will keep taking industrial action until our members get the best outcome they deserve," Mr Sharma said.
