The Metro Tunnel project in Victoria, Australia is set to open later this year, one year ahead of its original timeline after completing a series of trials, with trains covering over 35,000km and conducting more than 2,600 trips over a 10-day period.
Acting Premier Ben Carroll and Acting Minister for Transport Infrastructure Melissa Horne announced the progress during a visit to Anzac Station. Crews conducted 160 hours of operational testing as part of the trial phase.
Trains operated between Hawksburn and West Footscray through the new tunnels, connecting the Sunbury and Cranbourne/Pakenham lines. Services were run at intervals ranging from eight to 12 trains per hour. Trial frequencies are expected to increase in the coming months as system refinements continue.
The trials also included staff training, with 46 additional train drivers learning to operate the new High Capacity Metro Trains. This brings the total number of trained drivers to approximately 200.
Trial operations will continue throughout the year, with over 100 planned exercises simulating various operational scenarios. These include testing manual opening and closing of platform screen doors, intruder detection protocols, and large-scale evacuation drills for trains and stations.
Construction work is ongoing at the remaining two stations, Town Hall and State Library, located beneath Melbourne’s central business district.
The Metro Tunnel is being developed to expand the capacity on Melbourne’s train network, alleviate congestion on the City Loop, and provide improved transport links to employment, healthcare, and education hubs.
Acting Premier Ben Carroll said: “Our test trains have travelled further than the distance to London and back in 10 days, passing their biggest test yet before the project opens this year – one year ahead of schedule.”
“While the Liberals rejected this project and said it would be disastrous for Melbourne, we’re getting on with delivering it – we build, they block.”
Acting Minister for Transport Infrastructure Melissa Horne said: “Thousands of Victorians will use this tunnel every day and we’re powering ahead, training staff and testing advanced technology that has never been used on our rail network before.”
