Melbourne’s Metro Tunnel Opens, Marking Major Step Forward for Commuter Rail Network
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Melbourne’s 9km twin‑bore Metro Tunnel officially opened on 30 November, providing a new underground link between the city’s northern and southern commuter rail lines and marking one of Victoria’s most significant transport milestones in recent years. Around 70,000 passengers travelled through the new tunnel on its first day of operation.
The opening is being delivered under a soft‑launch period that will run until the end of January. During this phase, trains are operating every 20 minutes during the day, with all public transport across Victoria free on weekends until 1 February. The staged approach will pave the way for the Big Switch timetable changes, which will introduce services through the Metro Tunnel every 3 to 4 minutes in peak periods, adding more than 1000 extra weekly services to the metropolitan rail network.
A New Underground Spine for Melbourne
Running from Footscray to South Yarra, the tunnel sits as deep as 40 metres below ground, with one section passing just 1.5 metres beneath an existing rail tunnel. The twin bores are connected by 26 cross‑passages to support emergency access.
Five new underground stations have been constructed as part of the project. Each is fitted with platform screen doors and built to accommodate future 10‑car high‑capacity trains, although the current fleet operates in six‑car formations.
Delivered Ahead of Schedule Despite Cost Pressures
The Metro Tunnel project has opened slightly ahead of schedule. Final costs are estimated at A$15.5bn, up from the original A$10.9bn budget, with increases attributed primarily to Covid‑19 impacts and subsequent construction cost escalation.
The cost uplift has reportedly been shared between the Victorian Government and the Cross Yarra Partnership — comprising Lendlease Melbourne Metro, John Holland, Bouygues Construction, John Laing and Capella Capital — although the exact contributions remain undisclosed. As part of the financial agreement, the opening date was brought forward from 2026.
The new tunnel will serve as a central pillar of Melbourne’s growing rail network, enabling higher‑frequency operations, easing congestion in the City Loop, and supporting population growth across key transport corridors.