Trains are now being tested at maximum speed inside the Metro Tunnel deep beneath Melbourne’s CBD.
The team has been gradually increasing train speed since the first test trains entered the tunnel last month. Trains were first tested between 5 and 25km/h, but are now moving through the tunnels at up to 80km/h – the same speed they will travel when the Metro Tunnel opens in 2025.
By starting at low speed, the team was able to prove the reliability of the Metro Tunnel’s High Capacity Signalling which will allow for more trains to run more often.
The majority of testing for the remainder of the year will continue at up to 80km/h.
Testing will continue progressively to ensure the Metro Tunnel’s complex systems are working well together with the project's new High Capacity Metro Trains, and alongside the wider network’s existing signalling system – an incredibly complex process.
Stay tuned for the next step, which is to run multiple trains in the same tunnel at the same time.