Victoria’s long-awaited Metro Tunnel will open in early December, adding five new underground stations and faster connections across Melbourne’s busiest train lines.

“EXCLUSIVE: Metro Tunnel is opening in early December,” Jacinta Allen confirms on X. 

Two, nine kilometre tunnels will run beneath the city from Kensington in the west to South Yarra in the inner-southeast, connecting the busy Sunbury, Cranbourne, and Pakenham lines. In addition to improving service frequency from Sunbury to Cranbourne and Pakenham, it will free up space in the City Loop and bring Frankston train lines back into the loop. 

The massive project’s early development started in April 2017, and tunnelling started in August 2019. Anzac, Arden, and Parkville stations were joined by the last two completed stations, Town Hall and State Library. Building two long tunnels beneath the existing City Loop made the two stations the most complicated to construct.

The platforms at both stations are large and open. Primarily because of the 220 metre long, 18 metre wide platforms designed to eventually handle 10 car trains. Each has a cathedral-like appearance because of its 10 metre tall arched ceilings with chandelier lights. 

Large concrete passages above the platforms will enable underground transfers between the State Library and Melbourne Central.  As well as between Town Hall and Flinders Street, without requiring passengers to tap their Myki on or off. 

Securing final approvals from the national train safety regulator is the next step.  

Photo: by Lachlan Tsang found HERE and used under a Creative Commons license. This image has not been modified.