More than half of Melbourne’s train fleet will be refitted with brand-spanking new seat covers, providing a cleaner, more pleasant trip for customers.

The first train to go through the refurbishment program was rolled out on 21 June with all 264 seats fully re-upholstered and ready for service.

In total, 169 units will undergo the VIP treatment, with a full internal clean and seat cover replacement.

“We carry nearly 300,000 passengers on our trains every day – that’s a lot of bums on seats. It is to be expected that the seats are going to experience some wear and tear,” said Connex CEO Bruce Hughes.

"This is just a small way that we can improve the comfort and safety of our customers, whilst also maintaining focus on issues of overcrowding,” he said.

By program’s end, over 45,000 seats will have been refitted with new fabric, ready to take the weight of Melbourne’s growing patronage numbers.

The seat cover replacement program is just one component of a multi-million dollar improvement program that was recently announced by Connex under the banner We Hear You.

For more information about the We Hear You program, go to connexmelbourne.com.au