[1] Operated by Metro Trains Melbourne, it is the city's seventh shortest metropolitan railway line at 27.0 kilometres (16.8 mi).

[3] Trains on the Craigieburn line run with a two three-car formations of Comeng or Siemens Nexas trainsets.

[5] Since the 2000s, due to the heavily utilised infrastructure of the Craigieburn line, improvements and upgrades have been made.

In April 1872, the line was extended to a temporary terminus outside Seymour, awaiting completion of a bridge over the Goulburn River.

In January 1924, an extra pair of tracks, including a flying junction, opened between North Melbourne and Kensington, enabling the separation of passenger and goods traffic in the busy section.

[9] A branch line was opened during the Second World War to Broadstore, designed to connect Broadmeadows station with the Maygar Barracks.

The line opened on 12 October 1942 and remaining in operation until 1982, when usage of the base began to cease.

An additional set of projects were delivered later on, with a new station at Coolaroo opened in 2010 and the construction of a fully-fledged train maintenance facility under the Brumby government.

[17] In addition, Glenroy station was rebuilt with a modern, wheelchair accessible, lowered design.

Since the business case in 2018, there has been little developments despite the 'Metro Tunnel Day One' milestone of the 2018 Plan fast approaching.

Only a small amount of attention has been given by local residents, council, an action group and some political parties.

[22] Train services on the Craigieburn line are also subjected to maintenance and renewal works, usually on selected Fridays and Saturdays.

[30] Exiting the city, the line steadily rises after leaving North Melbourne until after Essendon, when it then drops slightly to cross Moonee Ponds Creek.

Soon after the line encounters the Glenroy Bank, a continuous rising gradient of 1 in 50 for almost 3 kilometres (1.9 mi).

[33][17] The Craigieburn line uses two different types of electric multiple unit (EMU) trains that are operated in a split six-car configuration.

The primary rolling stock featured on the line is the Comeng EMUs, built by Commonwealth Engineering between 1981 and 1988.

The new trains will feature:[40] In compliance with the Disability Discrimination Act of 1992, all stations that are new-built or rebuilt are fully accessible and comply with these guidelines.