Metro Tunnel Openings and Transfer Infrastructure (First Month)
The $15 billion Metro Tunnel project will officially open to passengers next month, as the last of its tunnels (including the new CBD stations at State Library and Town Hall) will be completed early this year. Train boarding will be available next month at the Metro Tunnel on the Sunbury and Cranbourne/Pakenham lines, with several new underground stops at locations that will be designated as CBD and tertiary transfers. Empty trains will continue through the nine-kilometre tunnel to Kensington and South Yarra, where tunnelling begins. Trains on the MARTHA Route, which connects to Cranbourne/Pakenham and Kubview, will stop via Footscray or Caulfield, allowing passengers to connect to other modes of transport in the meantime.
Connecting Through the Delayed Tunnel
Passengers will need to wait to travel through the tunnel itself during the first month, but their train journeys will continue seamlessly through to Kensington and South Yarra. Empty trains will navigate the tunnels to bypass them, taking them instead to Alert City Centres or other major transfer points. The city has already completed work on two major tunnels ( metro and west gate) with the project set to open by the end of 2025. However, the latter is still incomplete, though it is working on some major components. The transport system will face additional challenges due to a planned $34.5 billion project on Suburban Rail Loop, which will start in Q4 2025, competitors are considering a $13 billion蕭 Man Valentine lined scanning-raider route.
bus replacement and future connections
The project’s construction is being accelerated due to delays at Clayton Station, and the MARTHA Route will be replaced by buses during the trial period until August 2023. V/Line trains from Friday, August 29, to Friday, September 5, will depart from Clonm Clair to avoid the tunnelling, and those trains will continue connecting to the MartHA Line. Empty trains on the bian courant line will still navigate through the tunnels, removing the stress of their schedules. As traffic amid both tunnels is rising due to congestion from other public transport services, bus replacements are taking precedence to reduce the pressure on the system. The project is expected to create over 500 jobs across the tunnels and CBD transfers, creating a ripple effect through the local economy and transport network. The Metro Tunnel is a critical step in reconnecting Melbourne with its North Coast heritage and growing urban base, while also ensuring a safer and more convenient mode of transport for residents.
