A new bus service for Ellenbrook residents has been announced by the State Government in a bid to cut down on the town's "nightmare" travel times.

Currently, a trip from Ellenbrook to Joondalup can take up to 94 minutes due to a series of connections, whereas the new bus service will take around 44 minutes to complete.

The service will launch on August 28, and will run from Ellenbrook to Whitfords Station every half hour.

The new service will also connect residents with direct access to the train line, an alternate route to the CBD and link them to 18 other bus services via Whitfords Station.

The new bus route is a big win for the Ellenbrook community, who have long fought the state government for a better link to Perth City.

Earlier this year, Premier Mark McGowan scrapped the former government's plans for a bus rapid transit service to Ellenbrook, announcing he would widen Lord Street at a cost of $57 million instead.

Mr McGowan said his government would focus on a rail line commitment instead, and announced a new train line and Ellenbrook station would be open and ready for use in 2022.

Transport Minister Rita Saffioti said while the new bus would help local commuters, her government would remain focused on their commitment to rail in the METRONET project.

"At the election, we promised Ellenbrook residents a better deal under METRONET, committing to build the Morley-Ellenbrook Line and to improving bus services in the area," she said.

"For some time, bus services in Ellenbrook have been focused on linking passengers directly to the Midland Line, so they can access the CBD.

"But with Joondalup's urban centre continuing to boom, numerous employment and educational opportunities, retail and high-quality services are now much closer to home.

"Route 355 will provide the missing link between the north-eastern suburbs and the Joondalup Line, as well as the CBD."

Member for Swan Hills Jessica Shaw said the link would help better connect Ellenbrook to the northern suburbs hub of Joondalup.

"There are a range of employment opportunities along this route, through Wangara and other areas. It will help young people access apprenticeships, jobs, education and traineeships," Ms Shaw said.

"The 355 route can provide better access to Joondalup Health Campus, shopping, entertainment, recreation and a range of other community services."

Issues with the Ellenbrook commute were first highlighted by local Tom O'Donovan in February last year.

Mr O'Donovan told WAtoday while his Osborne Park office was just a half-hour drive from his home, he spent nearly three-and-half-hours per day on public transport.

He detailed his daily commute, which began by catching a bus from Ellenbrook to Bassendean, then a train to Perth, then a train from Perth to Glendalough.

If the weather was poor, he would take another bus from Glendalough to work – and then he did it all again at night.

The young father launched a petition against his "horse-shoe shaped" commute, and his campaign gathered nearly 1000 signatures in a month.

"I'm basically doing a 'horseshoe' shape when it really should be a 'straightsh' line," he said.

The Ellenbrook train line is likely to be remembered as Colin Barnett's "biggest broken promise", after the Liberal Party announced their plans to upgrade the area's long-suffering public transport system in 2008.

However, plans were put on the backburner and locals were left furious as the party's attention turned towards Aubin Grove and Perth's southern suburbs.