Melbourne Metro Tunnel Goes Live with 1,200 New Train Services
Melbourne's long-awaited Metro Tunnel project has reached a pivotal milestone, fully coming online today with sweeping changes to the city's train network. This $15 billion infrastructure marvel, first announced in 2015, promises to revolutionize public transport in Victoria by alleviating congestion and providing more reliable services. As of February 1, 2026, over 1,200 new weekly train services will roll out, marking what the Victorian government dubs "the big switch." These enhancements aim to connect outer suburbs more efficiently to the CBD, reducing wait times and improving overall network flow.
What is the Metro Tunnel?
The Metro Tunnel is a 9-kilometer underground rail project that links key parts of Melbourne's train network, featuring five new stations: Arden, Parkville, State Library, Town Hall, and Anzac. Opened partially in November 2025 amid celebrations, the tunnel now integrates fully with existing lines, bypassing the crowded City Loop for faster journeys. By diverting trains underground, it frees up surface tracks, allowing for higher frequencies and less disruption during peak hours. Transport Victoria estimates this will cut end-to-end travel times by up to 50% for some commuters, particularly those traveling from the northwest to the southeast suburbs.
The project's completion aligns with broader initiatives like level crossing removals and regional bus optimizations, creating a more seamless transport ecosystem. While initial services were limited, today's full activation unleashes the tunnel's potential, with services running every 10 minutes on weekdays through the core corridor.
Key Changes to Melbourne's Train Lines
Frankston Line: Dedicated City Loop Access
From today, all Frankston Line trains will operate through the City Loop, routing via Parliament, Melbourne Central, Flagstaff, Southern Cross, and Flinders Street stations. This shift ends the line's previous extensions to Werribee or Williamstown, giving it a dedicated path for enhanced reliability. A new timetable introduces more consistent services, with an additional 12 weekly trains planned once level crossing works wrap up later in 2026.
Commuters from Frankston will notice smoother rides into the CBD, avoiding the bottlenecks that plagued older routes. This change is part of a broader strategy to prioritize direct CBD access, benefiting the 100,000+ daily users of this busy line.
Cranbourne and Pakenham Lines: High-Frequency Metro Connections
The Cranbourne and Pakenham lines are set for a major upgrade, now linking with the Sunbury Line via the Metro Tunnel. Expect services every 10 minutes on weekdays, ramping up to every 4.5 minutes during peaks. This adds a whopping 100 new weekly services, skipping stops at Armadale, Toorak, Hawksburn, South Yarra, Richmond, and the City Loop to prioritize speed.
For residents in Melbourne's growing southeast, this means quicker commutes to jobs in the university precincts of Parkville and Arden. The tunnel's integration turns these lines into a high-capacity metro-style service, potentially reducing overcrowding by 30% based on early projections.
Werribee and Williamstown Lines: Flinders Street Terminus
Werribee and Williamstown services will now start and end at Flinders Street, no longer extending to Frankston. A temporary timetable accounts for ongoing level crossing removals until late April, but the government pledges extra peak-hour trains later this year. By year's end, these lines will merge with the Sandringham Line for a new cross-city route, enhancing connectivity across Port Phillip Bay.
This reconfiguration addresses long-standing complaints about unreliable timings, offering more predictable schedules for the 50,000 weekly passengers on these routes.
Sunbury Line: Boosted Frequencies and New Links
The Sunbury Line gains 1,000 new weekly services, with trains every 5-10 minutes in peak periods. Connected to the Cranbourne-Pakenham corridor through the Metro Tunnel, it skips North Melbourne station—passengers there can transfer at Footscray to Werribee or Williamstown trains. For City Loop access, new pedestrian links between Melbourne Central-State Library and Flinders Street-Town Hall provide easy interchanges.
Sunbury commuters stand to gain the most, with wait times halved. This northwest line, serving growing areas like Sunshine and Footscray, will see reduced pressure on the V/Line interface, smoothing regional-urban transitions.
Broader Impacts: V/Line, Buses, and Commuter Benefits
Beyond the metro lines, regional V/Line coaches and inner-city buses in Victoria receive timetable tweaks to minimize wait times and align with train schedules. These changes, detailed on the Transport Victoria website, include optimized routes in areas like Geelong and Ballarat, ensuring feeder services sync with the upgraded rail network.
The overall impact? Less congestion citywide, with modeling suggesting a 20-40% drop in peak-hour delays. Environmentally, the shift encourages more rail use over cars, supporting Victoria's net-zero goals. However, early teething issues like transfer adjustments may require commuter adaptation—apps like PTV Journey Planner will be invaluable.
Looking Ahead: Future Enhancements
While today's launch is transformative, more is on the horizon. Completing level crossing removals will unlock further services, and the eventual Sandringham integration promises even broader cross-city options. The Metro Tunnel isn't just tracks—it's a blueprint for sustainable urban growth in Melbourne, handling the city's projected population boom to 10 million by 2050.
As Melbourne evolves, this project underscores the value of bold infrastructure. Commuters, brace for a faster, greener ride— the future of public transport has arrived.
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