A new timetable which commences this Thursday will see The Overland train stop at several centres in the Wimmera, including Nhill for the first time, but it will bypass the Stawell station.

The new timetable is from Thursday through to March 31 next year and will include stops for The Overland at Ararat, Horsham, Dimboola and Nhill.

The fact that Stawell station has been left off the list of stops has angered Shadow Transport Minister Terry Mulder.

"Although former Transport Minister Peter Batchelor promised to reopen Nhill railway station for The Overland train, new Minister for Public Transport Lynne Kosky and Member for Ripon Joe Helper have failed to do the same for Stawell station," Mr Mulder said.

Mr Mulder said that Labor provided a large $1.5 million annual subsidy to Great Southern Railway, operators of The Overland between Melbourne and Adelaide, but the service had now been cut from four days a week to three in each direction.

"Stawell is too important a town to be bypassed by The Overland," Mr Mulder said.

"Nhill is far smaller than Stawell. Why is Nhill's station reopening when Stawell residents have to content themselves with waving at The Overland?

"Does Joe Helper think that Stawell residents should have to drive to Ararat to join or alight from The Overland?

"Stawell is The Grampians gateway. Many international backpackers travel from Darwin to Adelaide and on to Melbourne or vice versa," Mr Mulder said.

"Some would use The Overland before or after exploring the Grampians if the train stopped at Stawell.

"With the devastating affect bushfires have had on Grampians tourism, why hasn't Joe Helper reopened Stawell station to this standard gauge passenger train?"

Mr Mulder said that Labor had claimed it would introduce common fares between V/Line trains and coaches and The Overland, although it had yet to do so.

"If this happens, Stawell travellers will still lack a train that stops at Stawell," Mr Mulder said.

"The Overland will speed through Stawell, despite its passenger platform. Stawell residents will only have V/Line coaches."

Mr Mulder said that when his staff member used The Overland on a recent weekday, passengers boarded and alighted at Ararat.

"This will also happen at Stawell if Labor comes to its senses and negotiates with The Overland operator to ensure that the train again stops at Stawell," Mr Mulder said.