While the state government said major construction was complete in December 2019, several new sections of the line - including passing loops and connections to new platforms at Bacchus Marsh, Ballan, and Wendouree - were left unfinished.

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Works to finally connect these sections will begin on December 28, and are expected to be complete by January 30.

As part of the works, the Bungaree rail loop will be taken out of commission, removing five level crossings.

However, some level crossings, including one at the Geelong-Ballan Road, will be duplicated.

Commissioning, critical safety testing, and driver training will take place during the five-week disruption - this could only happen at the same time as the final construction push.

The new passing loops, track duplications, and rebuilt stations will help create a new timetable, with the state government promising services to and from Ballarat every 20 minutes during peak and every 40 minutes in off-peak.

Independent rail advocate Nick Beale said news of the work finishing is a "positive sign".

"I take note the completion is one year overdue, but I do understand there'd been some complications," he said.

"It is great to see things will be up and going from the end of the school holidays in January - we now await the new timetable."

More lobbying will need to be done to finally get journey times to less than an hour, he added, including planning for the Western Rail Plan's proposed quadruplication and electrification between Melbourne and Melton - Committee for Ballarat chief executive Michael Poulton concurred.

"It's crucial Melton gets electrified - if we don't do that, our trains will just go slower despite the hundreds of millions of dollars invested," he said.

READ MORE: Ballarat fast rail: What next after federal budget

In a statement, Deputy Prime Minister and federal Minister for Infrastructure Michael McCormack said "it's been more than three years in the making and nearly 1.6 million hours of work by dedicated crews, and we're now on the home stretch to delivering huge benefits for passengers", while state Minister for Transport Infrastructure Jacinta Allan said "our rail experts have continued complex and extensive signalling design and planning work throughout the year in preparation for the commissioning, and passengers will soon enjoy the benefits of this hard work".

Wendouree MP Juliana Addison said new train passing loops at Ballan and Millbrook will help services recover faster from unexpected delays and improve reliability by providing more options for trains to pass each other on the line.

"Following the completion of the commissioning and safety testing, Ballarat passengers will experience improved services to and from Melbourne," she said in a statement.

"Those alighting at the redeveloped Wendouree Station will have access to the newly constructed second platform via the pedestrian overpass. The duplicated track for the second platform is an important addition to the Wendouree station and will allow trains to pass each other preventing unexpected delays."

Buninyong MP Michaela Settle welcomed the major construction on the Ballarat line that was completed at the end of last year, with a new station at Cobblebank, a rebuilt Rockbank station, and upgraded stations at Bacchus Marsh, Ballan and Wendouree.

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"Passengers are already enjoying a new station, improved station facilities and two extra peak weekday services between Melton and Southern Cross Station, and we're excited about the rest of the project benefits," she said.

Passengers can find out if they're affected by the disruption at bigbuild.vic.gov.au and find more information about the project at regionalrailrevival.vic.gov.au/ballarat

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