Vic rail crisis to continue until June

Regional rail commuters in Victoria face at least another four months of pain as authorities work to find the cause of problems plaguing its trains.

Public Transport Minister Jacinta Allan on Thursday admitted the crisis could continue until June as authorities try to fix a wheel wear issue that has forced numerous regional trains out of service.

Suburban rail operator Metro in mid-January also banned trains from coming into Melbourne after one failed to trigger boom gates at a level crossing in Dandenong.

"Significant work has gone on in the last week to address and understand the issues with the wheel wear rate," Ms Allan told reporters in Geelong.

"It is obviously a period of frustration ... We have the expectation that we will have a restoration of a full timetable in June this year."

She said work along the Gippsland line could see the line restriction lifted in Pakenham by mid-March.

Just five days in the job, new V/Line acting chief Gary Liddle said dry weather in December could be to blame for the increased wheel wear rate, and actions to mitigate that, including lubricating the rails and looking at appropriate train speeds, were under way.

A interim timetable will be in place for Bendigo, Ballarat, Geelong and Gippsland services for five weeks from Monday and buses replacing trains will continue to be free.

Those travelling by train will be charged as usual.