Wedoany.com Report-Dec.2, Melbourne's Metro Tunnel officially opened to passengers on Monday, with the first services departing East Pakenham at 9:03 am and Sunbury at 9:28 am. The two trains arrived almost simultaneously at the new Town Hall Station in the city centre before continuing to their respective destinations.

Melbourne's Metro Tunnel opened yesterday

The 9-kilometre twin tunnels and five new underground stations – Arden, Parkville, State Library, Town Hall, and Anzac – have doubled the capacity of Melbourne's underground rail network. Passengers can now travel from Arden in the north to Anzac on St Kilda Road in just 12 minutes, significantly reducing cross-city journey times.

Delivered by the Cross Yarra Partnership (Capella Capital, Lendlease, John Holland, Bouygues, and John Laing), the project was announced in 2015. Construction involved excavating 1.8 million cubic metres of material, placing 754,000 cubic metres of concrete, installing 157,000 tonnes of steel, and laying 140 kilometres of track.

To celebrate the opening, travel on the entire Metro Tunnel network will be free on all weekends throughout December 2025 and January 2026.

The Metro Tunnel forms a key component of Melbourne's expanding public transport system. Later this year, the city's West Gate Tunnel road project is also scheduled to open, further improving metropolitan connectivity for both rail and road users.