Major work on the Sunbury Line has been completed in readiness to run bigger, more modern trains once the Metro Tunnel opens in 2025. This will increase the capacity, reliability and efficiency of the busy line, say officials.
Work began in 2019 and included:
- Power and signalling upgrades
- Five new and 10 upgraded substations along the line
- Platform extensions at eight stations
- New wheelchair boarding pads
- Upgrades to train stabling at Sunbury, Calder Park and Watergardens
Public Rail Victoria also built new track connecting the Sunbury Line to the Metro Tunnel western entrance in Kensington and removed the Gap Road level crossing, freeing up a traffic bottleneck and improving safety for the community.
The Metro Tunnel will create room for 113,000 more passengers every week on the Sunbury Line during peak periods and save up to 40 minutes on a return trip to Parkville and St Kilda Road.
Since 2019, its team has:
- Worked more than 2.3 million hours
- Laid 5.78km of rail tracks
- Installed 71.5km of overhead line equipment
- Installed 8440 sleepers.
When the Metro Tunnel opens, people travelling on the Sunbury Line will have direct access to five new stations at Arden, Parkville, State Library and Town Hall (connecting to Melbourne Central and Flinders Street stations) and Anzac (under St Kilda Road) – improving access to employment, education and other opportunities across the city.
