Melbourne man follows GPS onto tracks, car gets hit by train

A Melbourne man's faith in his GPS may be wavering after he was forced to run for his life and watch his car get smashed by a train when he followed the device's directions onto a set of rail tracks.

The 25-year-old driver became stuck on the tracks at Coburg around 10.30pm (AEST) last night, the ABC reports.

Once he realised he was on the tracks it was too late.

The motorist tried in vain to extricate his car but to no avail.

With a train approaching the driver jumped out of the way just in time to see his Commodore get totalled.

A local resident named Robert said it was not a unique occurrence.

"His GPS has turned him left onto the railway lines. It looks a lot like a road at night," he said.

"It's happened before.

"I'm just glad he's alright and everything is good."

None of the 13 passengers on the train were injured.