Free Weekend Public Transport: A Summer Welcome to the Metro Tunnel
Victorians will enjoy free weekend public transport for two months this summer, from the Metro Tunnel’s opening in early December until 1 February. Premier Jacinta Allan described the plan as a heartfelt “thank you” to passengers who’ve endured years of travel disruptions tied to the construction and testing of the city’s most ambitious rail project yet.
The policy means no need to tap on or off with a Myki card for weekend travel across trains, trams and buses. If passengers do tap, they won’t be charged for their journey. Some regional V/Line services will still require a reservation during this period, but it will be free of charge.
Allan emphasised that the initiative is about acknowledging disruption while encouraging Victorians to explore the new Metro Tunnel and the benefits it will bring to the network in the long run.
“You don’t build the most complex infrastructure project in our city’s history without some disruption along the way,” Allan said. “This is a way of saying thank you. It’s a way of encouraging Victorians to come and try the new Metro Tunnel.”
The Metro Tunnel itself is a major milestone, linking the Sunbury line in Melbourne’s west to the Cranbourne and Pakenham lines in the southeast via five new underground city stations. It is set to open in early December after receiving the necessary regulatory approvals from the national rail safety regulator.
During the initial two-month free period, the tunnel will operate with reduced capacity and only outside peak times. Weekend services will run every 20 minutes from 10am to 7pm, with tranches extending to East Pakenham every 40 minutes and Sunbury every 60 minutes. Weekdays will also feature 20-minute services on the lines that run through the new tunnel, though the overall network will continue to operate its existing City Loop services in parallel.
From 1 February, a broader timetable overhaul will come into effect, with the Cranbourne-Pakenham and Sunbury lines moving out of the City Loop and into the Metro Tunnel. The Frankston line will join the loop, culminating in a major “big switch” that will see about 1,000 extra weekly services added to the Cranbourne-Pakenham and Sunbury corridors. Under the new schedule, trains are planned to run at 10-minute intervals from 6am to 10pm between Watergardens and Dandenong, with peak periods bringing frequencies to every three to four minutes—a true turn-up-and-go service for many commuters.
Allan defended the phased rollout, noting the complexity of integrating a new tunnel, trains, and advanced technology with the existing network. The two-phase approach is designed to allow continued testing and smoother integration as demand and usage grow with the new timetable.
Officials estimate the two months of free weekend travel will cost about $15 million in forgone revenue, a cost that will be absorbed within the transport department’s budget. The administration stresses that the cost is an investment in encouraging passengers to experience the Metro Tunnel’s benefits and to support a successful, long-term transition to a more efficient public transport system.
What riders can expect
- Free weekend travel across trains, trams, and buses from December to February.
- No need to tap on or off with Myki during the free period.
- Continued free travel for most regional V/Line services, with reservations still required at no charge.
- A, later, expanded timetable with more frequent services and upgraded capacity starting February 1.
For commuters, the summer trial represents both immediate relief and a preview of a faster, more reliable network in the years ahead. As passengers begin to navigate the Metro Tunnel, the government hopes the free weekend period will boost confidence in the new system and help people adapt to a transformed public transport landscape.
