Public transport usage is down by about 90 per cent across Victoria and Metro Trains is bleeding up to $12 million a week as more people stay at home to stop the spread of coronavirus.

Intense discussions about a rescue package to save thousands of jobs are now under way between the Andrews government and the transport operators, with services set to be cut to a weekend timetable in coming weeks amid tightening containment measures.

A near-empty tram travels along St Kilda Road. Credit:Daniel Pockett

Leaked figures show the number of people using Melbourne's trams nosedived by 88 per cent this week, with just 81,600 passengers compared with an expected 708,300. The week before, about 285,000 passengers used the tram network.

Passenger numbers on city and country trains are understood to have similarly dropped by between 85 and 90 per cent.