Monday, January 20, 2025 Victoria’s Metro Tunnel project, one of the most ambitious rail infrastructure undertakings in Australia, is on course to open a full year ahead of schedule. With trial trains covering more than 35,000 kilometers in just ten days—equivalent to traveling the distance from London and back—the project is gearing up for its official launch in 2024. Designed to alleviate congestion, boost rail capacity, and connect Melbourne’s major destinations more efficiently, the Metro Tunnel is set to redefine urban travel in the city.
The Acting Premier of Victoria, Ben Carroll, and Acting Minister for Transport Infrastructure, Melissa Horne, recently applauded the project’s rapid progress during a visit to Anzac Station. They highlighted the advanced trials and rigorous training programs as key factors in the project’s early success. As part of the testing phase, trains underwent an intensive “dress rehearsal,” simulating real-world operations over a 10-day period.
This process included over 2,600 trips and rigorous testing of the Metro Tunnel’s cutting-edge systems, which have never been implemented in Melbourne before. According to Melissa Horne, these trials aimed to ensure that both staff and technology were fully prepared for the demands of high-capacity, high-frequency metro train services. During the trial phase, over 200 drivers were trained to operate the advanced metro trains, and more than 100 exercises were conducted to test emergency s.
