Melbourne Airport Rail is a transformational public transport project connecting Melbourne Airport to Victoria’s regional and metropolitan train network for the first time.
Following detailed analysis, the Australian and Victorian Governments have agreed on a solution that maximises the benefits of Melbourne Airport Rail for all Victorians by delivering the best connections to the state’s regional and metropolitan rail network.
Melbourne Airport Rail will run on dedicated, new tracks from a new premium station at Melbourne Airport through to Sunshine Station, where it will then travel through the Metro Tunnel into the heart of the CBD before continuing on to the Cranbourne and Pakenham lines.
This solution will provide passengers with a 10-minute turn-up-and-go service from Melbourne Airport and an under 30-minute continuous journey into the CBD, with trains stopping at Sunshine to connect to the key regional centres of Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo. Gippsland passengers need only change trains once between Pakenham and Caulfield to access airport services.
Melbourne Airport Rail will use the new fleet of High Capacity Metro Trains (HCMTs). The HCMTs will be the most modern, highest capacity and passenger friendly trains operating on the Victorian network with more carriages, more space, better accessibility features and more hand-holds than existing trains.
Thirty (30) stations in the city and along the Cranbourne and Pakenham lines – Melbourne’s busiest – will have direct access to Melbourne Airport without needing to change trains. Passengers on all other metropolitan lines are only one interchange away from the airport.
The Victorian and Australian governments have committed $5 billion each in funding. Detailed planning and development work is currently underway, which will inform more detailed cost estimates.
Significant progress has already been made on planning and development behind the scenes, including extensive geotechnical studies and site investigations. Work in this space will continue in consultation with key stakeholders.
Melbourne Airport Rail will support up to 8000 jobs during construction.
The solution via the Metro Tunnel, which is already under construction, provides the Australian and Victorian governments with greater certainty on costs and delivery time, ensuring the benefits of this transformational project are delivered to Victorians as quickly and efficiently as possible.
