Melbourne's Metro Tunnel, a $15 billion project, is fully operational today with new timetables and over 1,200 additional weekly train services, marking a significant shift in the city's transportation network. The government has dubbed this transition 'the big switch.'
The Metro Tunnel, first announced in 2015, began operations in November 2025 with limited services through five new stations. However, from Sunday, the introduction of new timetables will unlock the full potential of the tunnel, promising reduced congestion across the network.
Here's a breakdown of the changes:
- Frankston Line: Starting February 1, all Frankston Line trains will traverse the City Loop, passing through Parliament, Melbourne Central, Flagstaff, Southern Cross, and Flinders Street. This change eliminates the continuation to Werribee or Williamstown, and the line will have its own dedicated City Loop tunnel.
- Cranbourne, Pakenham, and Sunbury Lines: From February 1, these lines will connect through the Metro Tunnel, offering services every 10 minutes on weekdays. This includes 100 new weekly services, with trains running every four and a half minutes during peak hours. Services will not stop at Armadale, Toorak, Hawksburn, South Yarra, Richmond, or the City Loop.
- Werribee and Williamstown Lines: Effective February 1, these lines will commence and terminate at Flinders Street Station. Services will no longer extend to Frankston and will operate on a new timetable. The Department of Transport plans to connect the Werribee and Williamstown lines with the Sandringham line later this year, creating a new cross-city service.
- Sunbury Line: A new timetable will be introduced from February 1, connecting the Cranbourne, Pakenham, and Sunbury lines through the Metro Tunnel. This will result in 1,000 new weekly services on the Sunbury Line, with trains running every 5-10 minutes during peak hours. The Sunbury Line will no longer stop at North Melbourne, requiring passengers to change at Footscray.
- V/Line and Buses: From February 1, new timetables will be implemented for coaches and buses in regional Victoria, aiming to reduce wait times and improve journey smoothness. Over 270 bus and coach timetables will be updated to align with the new train services. Additional services will be introduced on the Traralgon, Seymour, and Echuca lines.
Despite the significant increase in services for some lines, many commuters will experience minimal changes. Daniel Bowen, a spokesperson for the Transport Users Association, highlights the ongoing work required to bring all of Melbourne's train lines up to standard.
The development of the new timetables has been a meticulous process, involving hundreds, if not thousands, of iterations. The Department of Transport's executive director, Stuart Johns, emphasizes the importance of humanizing the timetables, using real-world examples to ensure practical and efficient service.
As the Metro Tunnel's full potential is realized, the government aims to enhance Melbourne's train timetables, with Bowen expressing hope that 'the big switch' is just the beginning of these improvements.
