Rail cash still on Vic budget wish list

Victoria wants $4.5 billion for a major rail project - but if Canberra does not hand over the cash, it's getting built anyway.

The $11 billion Melbourne Metro Rail originally needed a huge federal contribution, but in Wednesday's 2016/17 state budget, Victoria announced it would fully fund it without help.

Public Transport Minister Jacinta Allan said Melbourne Metro funding came up at a meeting with federal Infrastructure Minister Darren Chester and Major Projects Minister Paul Fletcher.

"We made it absolutely clear to the federal ministers that the door is well and truly open for them to partner with the Victorian government on (Melbourne Metro)," Ms Allan told reporters on Thursday.

"We just didn't have a moment to wait in delivering the Metro tunnel."

Victorian Treasurer Tim Pallas has been arguing for an increase in the state's federal infrastructure funding allocation, which is about 9 per cent.

NSW is getting about 36 per cent.

Mr Pallas previously called it "unsustainably low" and said Victorians deserved respect from the federal government.

Victoria has also called for health and education funding to be reinstated after it was cut in previous federal budgets.

The federal budget will be handed down on May 3.