Rhys Nicholson has revealed he endured a homophobic rant on a Melbourne train last week while on his way to perform at a local gig.

The comedian was on a city-bound Upfield train on Thursday night when three men and a women boarded at Coburg station and was told: "If there was no one here I'd bash you to death."

Nicholson said one of the men looked him up and down and remarked: "You can always spot a faggot in Melbourne."

"I rolled my eyes," the comedian said. "Then he said, it's looking at me, something's going to happen. It was between the back and forth that the 'beating me to death' comment happened. He wasn't in my face, but that was more terrifying. They were just well-dressed, regular people."