ONE of the few passenger routes to Melbourne from Mildura is an "exhausting" mode of travel, says Mildura councillor Mark Eckel.

On September 22, Cr Eckel embarked on the 3.45am V/Line bus route to Swan Hill, followed by a connecting train to Melbourne, to test the mode of transport firsthand.

Cr Eckel's decision to experience the route firsthand follows the release of a new regional transport s...