- Published:
- Saturday 29 November 2025 at 12:30 pm
Get ready, Victoria. The Allan Labor Government’s Metro Tunnel opens tomorrow – one year ahead of schedule.
The Metro Tunnel’s five new underground stations – Arden, Parkville, State Library, Town Hall and Anzac – will open to passengers, allowing Victorians to travel from St Kilda Road to North Melbourne in just 12 minutes.
Tens of thousands of people are expected to travel along the almost 100-kilometre route from Sunbury to East Pakenham to experience the Metro Tunnel’s first day of operations and kick-off the Summer Start timetable – with public transport to be free for everyone, everywhere, every weekend until Sunday, 1 February to celebrate.
Opening day is expected to be busy, so passengers should allow for extra travel time – with a range of roving entertainment including ballerinas, jugglers, and musical performances at the five new Metro Tunnel stations and different stations along the Sunbury, Cranbourne and Pakenham lines.
Passengers will be able to collect Metro Tunnel souvenirs – including lollies, newspapers and flags – with free coffees and cookies available at East Pakenham and Sunbury stations. There will also be limited-edition pins representing each of the five new stations – but get in quickly, because numbers are limited.
The Summer Start timetable will not only deliver more than 240 extra services every week along the Cranbourne, Pakenham and Sunbury corridors – it will also begin a bumper December and January filled with family friendly entertainment and activities.
Between 12 and 25 January, passengers can collect a Metro Tunnel Passport from Metro Tunnel HQ or any of the five new stations, get it stamped at each station, and claim a free prize – a limited-edition set of Metro Tunnel pins.
A Metro Tunnel Scavenger Hunt will also run from 12 to 25 January at landmarks and locations across the five new stations and along the Cranbourne, Pakenham and Sunbury lines – with details of the special prize and hunt to be announced soon.
When the Metro Tunnel opens tomorrow, it will double the size of Melbourne’s underground rail system, deliver hundreds of new services each week, and pave the way for more trains, more often – right across the network.
Never forget, the Liberals called the Metro Tunnel a “hoax”. The Victorian Liberals said it would divide the city, while the Federal Liberals refused to fund it. Labor will open it tomorrow.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Transport Infrastructure Gabrielle Williams
“Tomorrow will be a big day for Victoria – Melbourne’s underground rail system will double in size so that we can deliver more trains, more often.”
“We’re delivering the biggest transformation of Victoria’s rail network in more than 40 years – five new stations, more services, and a transport network that keeps pace with our growing state – and it’s happening tomorrow.”
“For years, the Liberals opposed and dismissed this project – tomorrow we’re opening it.”