Ballarat commuters experienced significant disruption after a technical issue affecting the Public Transport Victoria (PTV) Journey Planner app displayed incorrect travel information, leading some passengers onto lengthy and unnecessary detours. The incident caused confusion for travellers relying on the app to reach Melbourne and other destinations, with several commuters reporting delays of more than two hours.

The problem occurred when the digital journey planner generated incorrect travel routes for V/Line passengers. Instead of directing commuters along the most direct service, the application suggested alternative journeys that included unnecessary transfers through Geelong, dramatically increasing travel times. Many passengers only became aware of the error after beginning their journey, resulting in frustration and missed appointments.

Public Transport Victoria acknowledged the technical issue and confirmed that its teams investigated the fault soon after reports were received. Officials said the problem was related to incorrect journey-planning data rather than disruptions to train operations themselves. V/Line services continued to operate, but inaccurate digital information caused confusion for passengers using the app.

Transport authorities apologised for the inconvenience and encouraged passengers to check station information displays, official service updates or speak with station staff if travel advice appears unusual. Officials also reminded commuters that service alerts are available through multiple official channels when technical issues affect digital systems.

Many Ballarat residents expressed frustration on social media after discovering the incorrect travel advice. Some commuters reported arriving significantly later than expected after following the suggested routes, while others decided to seek alternative transport once they realised the journey planner information was incorrect. The incident highlighted how heavily many passengers now rely on mobile applications for daily travel planning.

Transport experts say digital journey planners have become an essential part of modern public transport, providing real-time updates, service changes and route recommendations. However, they note that technical faults can occasionally occur and recommend passengers verify unusual travel instructions through official announcements or station staff when possible.

V/Line and Public Transport Victoria continue to review the incident to identify the cause of the incorrect journey information and prevent similar issues in the future. Officials said maintaining accurate passenger information remains a priority, particularly for regional commuters who depend on reliable transport services for work, education and healthcare.

Despite the disruption, train services continued operating throughout the day, and authorities worked to restore accurate information to the journey planner as quickly as possible. Commuters were advised to continue checking official travel updates before departing and to allow additional travel time if service information appeared inconsistent.

The incident serves as a reminder of the importance of reliable digital transport systems as more passengers use mobile technology to plan their journeys. Authorities say improvements to monitoring systems and ongoing technical reviews will help reduce the risk of similar problems affecting travellers in the future.