In short:
The Metro Tunnel opened and delivered faster cross-city travel and new access for Melbourne’s western suburbs. Transport advocates warned that full car parks by 7am may prevent many residents from benefiting unless bus services improve.
The Metro Tunnel officially opened today, marking the largest change to Melbourne’s rail network in 40 years and delivering a significant uplift for passengers travelling from the western suburbs.
Premier Jacinta Allan and Minister for Transport Infrastructure Gabrielle Williams travelled on the first timetabled service through the new tunnels, which linked the Sunbury, Cranbourne and Pakenham lines via five new underground stations: Arden, Parkville, State Library, Town Hall and Anzac. The first train from Sunbury entered the tunnel at 10:04am, following morning services that departed Sunbury and East Pakenham and converged under the CBD.
High-capacity signalling and the removal of every level crossing along the Cranbourne, Pakenham and Sunbury corridors enabled more frequent, turn-up-and-go services. More than 240 additional weekly services began running as part of the “Summer Start” timetable, with free travel offered today and on weekends until 1 February. Full integration, known as the Big Switch, was scheduled for 1 February, when the three major lines would run exclusively through the Metro Tunnel.
Advocacy groups said the tunnel offered major benefits for the west, improving direct access to the Parkville medical precinct, the University of Melbourne, and cross-city destinations such as Malvern and Caulfield without requiring a city transfer. However, they also warned that many residents may struggle to access the improved network if they could not reach local stations.
Commuter car parks across the western suburbs regularly filled before 7am, forcing some passengers to park long distances from stations or drive the entire way to work. Demand was expected to increase further with the Metro Tunnel’s opening. Sustainable Cities spokesperson Adam Bain said those working late shifts faced particular challenges. “They arrive at the train station later than office workers, and the car parks are full,” he said.
He noted that night-time bus services remained limited, with many returning home after 10pm needing to rely on a lift, a parent or an expensive rideshare option. Transport advocates said improving bus frequency and operating hours across the west would be essential to ensuring residents could benefit fully from the Metro Tunnel. They pointed to the Sydney Metro example, where car parks reached capacity early in the morning, but upgrades to bus services helped absorb demand.
Supporters of the project said the strong early interest in the Metro Tunnel demonstrated the level of demand for fast, direct public transport from the west. They hoped the improved rail capacity, alongside future bus upgrades, would allow more commuters to take advantage of the new connection.
After more than a decade of construction involving more than 7,000 workers, the Metro Tunnel opened, doubling Melbourne’s underground rail network and reshaping the way passengers moved across the city.
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