John Sheely travelled on the 5.43pm train to Southern Cross on Tuesday and paid $94 for a return seat in a first class carriage that he said felt like it was falling apart.

"I wouldn't usually complain but it was a sub-standard service," he said.

"The whole trip was really jerky, it felt like the rail had corrugation and it wasn't just the seat, it was the whole carriage.

"On some occasions I was actually thrown upwards and I don't mean a gentle nudge, I was actually displaced from my seat. It was so uncomfortable. I usually catch the train about 12 times per year and that's the worst I've ever experienced.

"It was just hopeless."

Mr Sheely said he couldn't believe he paid so much money for an "average trip".

"The outdated carriages are probably as good as you can get for what I assume is still the 1970s rolling stock but when you pull up to Southern Cross and see the new trains running on a shorter journey to Bendigo and Ballarat, it's pretty disappointing," he said.

"The train used to be a viable option but with the conditions of the service, it's actually a lot easier to drive yourself. And when you look at it from a cost point of view, it's probably cheaper to take the car now too."

A V/Line spokeswoman said track and rolling stock on the Warrnambool line was maintained to the strictest safety standards.

"We regularly monitor the Warrnambool line for any defects to ensure we can maintain a safe and smooth journey for passengers," she said.

"Trains will occasionally encounter bumps and movement throughout the journey, however there were no reports of rough riding by staff or other passengers on this Tuesday service."

Earlier this year V/Line completed a $4.5 million package of major maintenance on the Warrnambool line, with track, signalling and station upgrades completed between Waurn Ponds and Warrnambool.

An $18 million sleeper replacement project was also finished in February, which saw 45,000 timber sleepers on the line replaced with concrete sleepers.

READ more:

Have you signed up to The Standard's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in the south-west.