16 February 2026
Tunnelling starts this year
Construction of Suburban Rail Loop (SRL) East is ramping up – with tunnelling to start this year from Clarinda and Burwood.
Construction of SRL East is creating up to 8000 jobs, with more than 3000 people already working on the project.
Works in Box Hill are ramping up again in 2026, as crews prepare for the start of major construction. They’ll be moving underground services and clearing the site to make way for the twin tunnels and new underground station.
Planning is also underway for three new, public open spaces for the community to enjoy while SRL East is being built – the size of 42 tennis courts – within walking distance of Box Hill Gardens.
By the 2050s, Melbourne will be the same size as London is today. The SRL is a key part of how we will manage that growth – delivering world-class public transport, and thousands more homes within walking distance of the new stations.
Planning changes to deliver 70,000 additional homes and 230,000 additional jobs and services in the neighbourhoods around the 6 SRL East stations are expected to be finalised later this year.
Preferred bidder for SRL Stations North
A preferred bidder has been chosen to build the new underground stations at Glen Waverley, Burwood and Box Hill.
Place Alliance is a consortium of John Holland, Kellogg Brown and Root, and Arup and has deep experience delivering major infrastructure projects, including Metro Tunnel, Sydney Metro, WestConnex and Inland Rail.
The SRL East stations will be fully accessible, light-filled spaces with plazas, retail and dining – and will feature elements inspired by the local community and First Nations peoples. Sustainability is at the heart of design, with each station to have a Green Star rating of at least 5 stars.
SRL will have safe, fast and easy connections to existing Metro stations, new and upgraded bus and tram interchanges, new walking and cycling paths and world- class secure bike parking facilities.
The contract is expected to be awarded later this year. Two other shortlisted bidders will compete for the second stations contract – to build the southern stations at Cheltenham, Clayton and Monash.
SRL's high-tech trains
Victoria’s first fleet of automated trains will be built locally in Dandenong, as part of the SRL East Linewide contract.
The contract also includes the design, installation and testing of the network systems, as well as operation of the new network and has been awarded to TransitLinX – a consortium of John Holland, RATP Dev, Alstom, KBR and WSP. The Linewide contract will create more than 500 local jobs a year during construction, and hundreds more when SRL East opens.
The 13 four-carriage trains will be fully accessible, with modern passenger information systems and platform screen doors at the stations. They'll have dedicated areas for wheelchairs and passengers with special needs, as well as spaces for prams and assistance animals.
Tunnel boring machines
