Vic ALP promises rail extension

Eight kilometres of new railway track will extend the South Morang rail line to Mernda if Labor wins the Victorian election.

Opposition leader Daniel Andrews said the project would cost up to $600 million and would start some time before the 2018 state election.

"The time has come to extend the South Morang line to Mernda to cater for the significant growth in population in Melbourne's North," Mr Andrews said on Thursday.

Mr Andrews said the extension was only possible due to Labor's decision in 2009 to fund the duplication and extension of the Epping Line to South Morang.

He said a new station would be built on the line at a location to be determined.