Melbourne Metro Tunnel a year ahead of schedule

The $11 billion Melbourne Metro Tunnel is set to open a year earlier than expected, Premier Daniel Andrews has announced.

The new underground rail project designed to untangle bottlenecks in the City Loop will be completed in 2025, the Premier revealed today as he released the tunnel contracts.

The $6 billion ‘Tunnel and Stations’ Public Private Partnership contract reveals the project is on track to be complete by the end of 2025, with new High Capacity Metro Trains running through the Metro Tunnel a year ahead of schedule.

The project was previously scheduled to be completed in 2026.

Final contracts were signed in December with the Cross Yarra Partnership – a consortium led by Lendlease Engineering, John Holland Bouygues Construction and Capella Capital.

Whilst the project is ahead of schedule, there will be challenges to be managed to ensure the project is completed safely and on time.

Last week, St Kilda Road was reduced to one lane of traffic between Kings Way and Dorcas Street and from tomorrow Grattan Street will close in both directions for up to five years so the new Parkville Station can be built.

The Metro Tunnel project will create 7,000 jobs for Victorians, including 791 apprentices, trainees and engineering cadets working as part of the Tunnels and Stations package.