The passenger rail service to Echuca was the only long distance passenger service reinstated by the Kennett Government in contrast to passenger services on other lines that were discontinued in 1993. When reinstated in the mid 1990s it ran only on weekends and was targeted for Melbourne passengers travelling to Echuca for a weekend holiday.
Little attention was paid to this service under the early years of the Bracks Government and it was suspended indefinitely in 2004 due to poor track condition. The weekend passenger service was reintroduced in 2006 and was finally upgraded to a daily service in 2007 with a morning train from Echuca to Melbourne and a return train in the evening.
Freight trains through Echuca have dropped off in recent years due to drought conditions, with a rice mill in Echuca closing and less frequent services running further north to Deniliquin. Following the Regional Fast Rail project and due to the single tracking of the line between Kyneton and Bendigo, most freight trains to Echuca have been redirected away from Bendigo to operate via Toolamba.
Echuca station contains a large brick station building, with a brick goods shed, freight gate, water tank, locomotive shed and footbridge. The station is manned with an indoor waiting room.
