Karmactive Staff
Melbourne’s $15 billion Metro Tunnel project will not fully open this weekend as initially planned, with the Victorian government confirming a partial opening will occur instead. The twin nine-kilometer tunnels, which were slated to begin full operations on Sunday, June 29, will now open in stages, with regular peak-hour services delayed until early 2026.
Government officials had previously plastered advertisements across train stations promising the project would open in 2025. However, construction delays at two key CBD stations – Town Hall and State Library – have pushed back the timeline for full operations.
Transport Minister Steve Dimopoulos initially denied reports of the delay before later clarifying that the timetable for services “hasn’t landed” and is “being worked on now.” The government has confirmed a “soft opening” will occur in November 2025, running only limited off-peak services through the tunnels.
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Opposition Leader Brad Battin criticized the partial opening as a “broken promise” from Premier Jacinta Allan’s government, stating: “How can the government spend billions of dollars and not have the plan ready and know exactly what time those stations are going to open, and how often trains can operate?”
The Metro Tunnel project, Melbourne’s biggest rail infrastructure upgrade since the City Loop opened in 1981, includes five new underground stations: Arden, Parkville, State Library, Town Hall, and Anzac. Major construction has been completed at three stations (Arden, Parkville, and Anzac), but work continues at the complex CBD stations.
Costs have escalated significantly from an initial estimate of $11 billion to the current $15 billion figure. The Victorian government allocated an additional $727 million in the May budget specifically to “switch on” the Metro Tunnel, and reportedly offered the construction consortium up to $888 million in additional payments, including $143.5 million tied to achieving operations by June 29, 2025.
Public Transport Users Association spokesperson Daniel Bowen noted that while opening major rail projects in stages isn’t unprecedented, clear communication with passengers is essential: “People are looking forward to the Metro Tunnel being open, but it is important that they get it right. You’d hate for them to rush things and then have big problems with the service.
“When fully operational, the Metro Tunnel will connect the Sunbury Line in Melbourne’s west with the Cranbourne and Pakenham lines in the southeast, creating a continuous rail line through the city. The project will provide the first direct rail access to Parkville’s medical and education precinct and significantly increase the network’s capacity, allowing for over half a million additional passengers weekly during peak periods
