New Milestone for Melbourne’s Metro Tunnel
Melbourne’s ambitious Metro Tunnel project has crossed another milestone as Premier Jacinta Allan confirmed an early December opening. The five-year wait for a cross-city rail line that will link the Sunbury and Pakenham/Cranbourne lines is approaching its final phase, with a measured rollout designed to test the system before a full timetable comes into effect.
Soft Opening: What to Expect in December
During the initial “summer start” period, the tunnel will see trains running every 20 minutes, but only during limited windows on weekdays and weekends. On weekdays, services will operate between 10am and 3pm, with trains passing through the new underground corridor at a modest pace as authorities monitor performance and passenger demand.
Weekend operations expand slightly, running every 20 minutes from 10am to 7pm. The service will then extend with limited frequencies to outer destinations: East Pakenham will see trains every 40 minutes, and Sunbury every 60 minutes. This phased approach mirrors the government’s plan to ramp up operations gradually while ensuring reliability and safety as the underground network comes online.
February 1: A Fuller Timetable on the Horizon
From February 1, Melbourne will shift toward a fuller timetable. Although the government has not published the exact February schedule, officials have signaled a much more frequent service pattern: trains on the stretch between Watergardens and Dandenong are expected to run at least every 10 minutes from 6am to 10pm in the peak parts of the day. During peak hours, services could run every three to four minutes, a dramatic improvement over the soft-opening pattern and a significant upgrade for the city’s commuting public.
Frankston trains will return to the City Loop as part of the enhanced timetable, underscoring the project’s goal of integrating the new tunnel with the broader metropolitan network. The full timetable represents the government’s commitment to delivering rapid, reliable transit that reshapes travel across Melbourne’s inner and outer suburbs.
What This Means for Passengers
The staged rollout is designed to ensure operational stability before the citywide timetable changes go live. For riders, the December period offers a glimpse of the new tunnel’s potential and the chance to adapt to changes in station access and transfer patterns. As with any major rail unveiling, initial hiccups are possible, but the government stresses that the soft opening is a controlled, data-driven process.
Two CBD Stations Ready to Welcome Fans
In parallel with the timetable news, transport authorities announced that major CBD stations to the tunnel’s path are ready. Town Hall Station will connect directly to Flinders Street, while State Library Station links to Melbourne Central, marking critical steps in the tunnel’s integration with the city’s transit hub network. The project’s completion has been a long time coming, with the Andrews Labor government first announcing the nine-kilometre cross-city rail tunnel in 2015.
Why the Timing Matters
The cautious ramp-up strategy aims to balance passenger demand with capacity limitations as the new line bed-ins. Officials emphasize that opening the tunnel first and then upgrading the timetable minimizes service disruptions and builds confidence in the system’s reliability. The government has also pledged improvements to timetables for buses, trams, and V/Line services, signaling a comprehensive upgrade to Melbourne’s broader transport network.
Looking Ahead
As Melbourne awaits the December opening and the February timetable upgrade, commuters can expect a transformed city rail experience. The Metro Tunnel’s first stage will link major lines and unlock five new inner-city underground stations, setting the stage for faster, more frequent travel across Melbourne’s sprawling metropolitan area.
Stay tuned for updates as the government releases the official February timetable and final operational details. The Metro Tunnel represents a landmark shift in Melbourne’s public transport landscape, with the promise of faster commutes and better connections across the city.
