Further details on Melbourne’s Airport rail link

More details have been provided on the long-awaited Melbourne Airport rail link.

In summary, the rail link will connect with the new Metro Tunnel in Melbourne’s CBD (currently under construction), via Sunshine Station, over the Maribyrnong River, and then out on the Cranbourne and Pakenham lines.  Trains will depart every 10 minutes and the journey to the CBD will take less than 30 minutes.

Rail Projects Victoria (RPV) will be in charge of delivering the project. They are responsible for all aspects of planning and development from project reference design, stakeholder engagement, investigating sites, obtaining planning approval and procurement to delivery and commissioning the project.  They are currently in consultation with key stakeholders such as local councils and communities, government agencies, Heritage Victoria and contractors.

RPV currently have invested $30 billion in regional and metropolitan rail projects throughout Victoria.

Planning has now commenced on the Airport rail link, with construction to start next year, provided all necessary approvals are met.

New tracks dedicated to the airport link will be built along the current Albion-Jacana freight corridor, between Airport West and Sunshine.  The route will leave the freight corridor, crossing the M80 freeway and heading to Airport Drive and then on to the new Airport station.  This new rail link will make the airport directly accessible to 30 Victorian stations.  Some metropolitan and regional lines may need to make a change at one station to access the Airport.

Further details are available through Roads and Infrastructure