Victorian Prime Minister Daniel Andrews announced that on August 26, rail passenger operations will start at Mernda station, for the first time in almost 60 years. New Mernda line will offer rail transport access for Melbourne’s north communities.
“This is the first new rail line in 60 years. We said we’d deliver better public transport to get people in Melbourne’s north where they need to go, sooner, and that’s exactly what we’ve done,” Andrews said.
The first test train ran to Mernda earlier this month, testing the track, overhead wiring and rail infrastructure, confirming passenger trains can commence in late August, well ahead of schedule.
Following the success of the test trains, the construction team has been working along the rail corridor, including putting the finishing touches on the three new stations. Driver training along the new Mernda line will begin in the coming weeks.
With a date now locked in for the opening of the Mernda rail line, this will also mean new services for the metropolitan train timetable will commence on 26 August with new weekday services added to the Mernda, Werribee, Hurstbridge and Dandenong Corridor lines.
190 new metropolitan train services will be added every week across these lines as well as hundreds of extended services. The new Mernda Station will give passengers access to 982 services to the city every week, with two new and seven realigned bus routes connecting passengers with the three new stations on the Mernda line.
The three new stations will cater for up to 8,000 commuters a day, helping to ease congestion along Plenty and Yan Yean roads. New shared walking and cycling paths will connect the stations and provide alternative transport options.
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