- Published:
- Monday 1 December 2025 at 11:50 am
Thousands of passengers were among the first to travel on the Allan Labor Government’s Metro Tunnel in a historic day for Victoria.
Premier Jacinta Allan and Minister for Transport Infrastructure Gabrielle Williams today announced more than 70,000 passengers turned out to experience the five new stations on Sunday.
The Metro Tunnel is the biggest transformation of the city’s public transport system in 40 years, and it has doubled the size of Melbourne’s underground rail network.
It was fully-funded and delivered by our Victorian Labor Government – and it’s Victorians who benefit.
More than 1,100 customer service staff were out in force helping passengers as 54 trains travelled 486 kilometres through the tunnel.
State Library saw more than 22,000 passengers through its doors – followed by Town Hall Station at more than 16,000, Anzac Station at around 13,000, Parkville Station at around 12,000 and Arden Station at more than 8,000 passengers.
The Summer Start timetable is officially in full swing – delivering 240 extra services every week along the Cranbourne, Pakenham and Sunbury corridors.
This will allow the new infrastructure and technology to be tested in real world conditions, so bugs can be ironed out without disrupting the rest of the train network before the Big Switch on 1 February fully integrates the Metro Tunnel into the network and delivers an additional 1,000 weekly services.
To celebrate, everyone can travel for free every weekend until Sunday, 1 February.
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. Never in their wildest dreams did they think it would actually get built.
Labor opened it and Victorians are now travelling to work, university and home faster on the Metro Tunnel.
To plan your journey on the Metro Tunnel, visit transport.gov.au.
Quotes attributable to Premier Jacinta Allan
“Thousands of Victorians travelled on the Metro Tunnel yesterday for the first time – and this is just the beginning. It will unlock capacity across the network so more trains can run, more often.”
“This project is about fairness. It means getting to work, uni and home faster – saving you time, wherever you live.”
Quotes attributable to Minister for Transport Infrastructure Gabrielle Williams
“Travel is free everywhere, on every weekend until February and Victorians should check out the five new Metro Tunnel stations.”
“The Liberals called the Metro Tunnel a “hoax” and did not invest a single cent into the project – it is now open.”