V/Line spokesperson Dione Lew said public transport was likely to become more popular after the announcement that crude oil had fetched a record $US70 per barrel in the United States.

"We don't have any hard figures yet, but from speaking to customers who are planning their transport budgets, using the train is becoming a more attractive option," Ms Lew said.

"It is an excellent time for people to hop on the train and we're certainly taking the opportunity to encourage them to take public transport."

A return ordinary fare between Ballarat and Melbourne is $33.60 and a monthly pass is $370.

The RACV RoyalAuto 2005 report revealed that while petrol was an obvious cost associated with car ownership, depreciation made an even bigger dent in the hip pocket.

The average weekly cost to run even the cheapest light car for a week is more than $100, with petrol and depreciation costing a commuter much more.

A worker that drove from Ballarat to Melbourne daily for work would travel 1200km each week and 624,000km a year.

RACV spokesperson David Cummings said the level that prices would reach depended on international factors, particularly the hurricane that was expected to hit the US.

"It depends very much on what happens in America in the next 48 hours, and the impact of the tornado there," he said.

"Whenever there is any threat to supply, futures traders tend to push prices up and that has a flow-on effect on prices in Australia."

Public Transport Association acting secretary Beth Driscoll said the government and private operators needed to respond to increasing public transport use that would result from high petrol prices.

"It makes sense that people would turn to public transport as petrol becomes more expensive," she said.

"It's up to government and private businesses to make it a priority so that we have sufficient and reliable services so that can happen."