The first test trains have entered the Metro Tunnel, a landmark moment for the biggest rail project in Victoria since the City Loop.
Two next-generation High Capacity Metro Trains entered the twin 9km tunnels at the South Yarra tunnel entrance and travelled 1.7km to Anzac Station, directly under St Kilda Road.
The journey was years in the making and marks the start of the project’s next major testing phase inside the new tunnels and stations, which will stretch into 2024.
Over the coming months, crews will run trains back and forth between the 5 stations. The basics, such as lining the trains up with the platforms, will be tested first.
The team will then gradually increase the complexity, from one train at low speed using minimal power through to multiple trains at greater speeds.
Various equipment and systems will be tested to make sure the Metro Tunnel is safe and ready to open to passengers in 2025 – a year ahead of schedule.
The Metro Tunnel will transform the way Victorians travel around our suburbs, city and state by freeing up space in the City Loop, slashing travel times and allowing for more than a half a million more passengers a week during peak times across Melbourne’s train network.
Find out more about the stages of testing the new systems.