The first test trains have entered the Melbourne Metro Tunnel, at the South Yarra tunnel entrance and travelled 1.7 km to Anzac Station, directly under St Kilda Road.
The journey marks the start of the project’s next major testing phase inside the new 9 km twin tunnels and stations, which will stretch into 2024.
Over the coming months, crews will run trains back and forth between the 5 stations. The basics, such as lining the trains up with the platforms, will be tested first. The team will then gradually increase the complexity, from one train at low speed using minimal power through to multiple trains at greater speeds. Various equipment and systems will be tested to make sure the Melbourne Metro Tunnel is safe and ready to open to passengers in 2025, a year ahead of schedule.
The Metro Tunnel will transform the way Victorians travel around our suburbs, city and state by freeing up space in the City Loop, slashing travel times and allowing for more than a half a million more passengers a week during peak times across Melbourne’s train network.
The Metro Tunnel will bring more trains to city’s suburbs and reduce travel times by running the busy Cranbourne, Pakenham and Sunbury lines through a new tunnel. By untangling the City Loop, more trains can run more often across Melbourne.
Works on the tunnels and stations package commenced in 2018 and will be completed in 2025. The contract was awarded to Cross Yarra Partnership (CYP) consortium, comprising Lendlease Melbourne Metro, John Holland, Bouygues Construction, John Laing and Capella Capital.
The first contract for rail infrastructure package was signed in 2018 with consortium comprising John Holland, CPB Contractors and Aecom in partnership with Rail Projects Victoria (RPV) and Metro Trains as the rail operator. In 2022 the remaining rail infrastructure works package was delivered by a consortium called the Rail Network Alliance, comprising John Holland, CPB Contractors, Alstom, AECOM, RPV and Metro Trains.
Rail infrastructure package covers works at the eastern and western portals including cut and cover tunnelling and realignment of existing lines.
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