With the Metro Tunnel opening on Sunday 30 November and the West Gate Tunnel set to open in December, Victorians are encouraged to plan ahead with work on the Big Build continuing over summer.
From Sunday 30 November, passengers will be able to travel through the Metro Tunnel and its 5 new stations as part of the 'Summer Start' program – with extra services running and free public transport on weekends until the 'Big Switch' occurs on Sunday 1 February.
Read more below about the major planned disruptions coming up this winter in inner, west, north, east and south east Melbourne and regional Victoria.
Inner Melbourne
In the CBD, there will be changes to tram routes 86 and 96 from Monday 16 February to Thursday 26 February to deliver major tram intersection upgrades at Bourke and Spencer Streets.
Melbourne's west
To get ready for the ‘Big Switch’ in February, there will be continued Metro Tunnel works and track works. While this important work happens, buses will replace trains on parts of the Werribee, Williamstown and Sunbury lines on some weeknights during December and January.
Level crossing removal works will continue in Newport, with buses replacing inbound trains travelling through the Altona Loop until April and buses replacing trains on the Werribee Line some evenings and weekends in February.
Important annual maintenance on the West Gate Bridge will mean potential delays of up to 60 minutes. Three outbound lanes on the bridge will be closed from 9pm Friday 26 December until 6pm Monday 29 December and 2 citybound lanes will remain open until 6am Sunday 4 January. For the first time, motorists will have the new West Gate Tunnel as an alternative to the bridge.
Road upgrades also continue on Point Cook Road and the Ballan Road intersection.
Melbourne's north
For North East Link works, the Eastern Freeway will be closed between Doncaster and Middleborough roads from 10pm Wednesday 7 January to 5am Monday 12 January to remove the old Doncaster Road bridge.
The M80 Ring Road will also have overnight closures between Plenty Road and the Greensborough Bypass from December to February.
Upgrades also continue on Epping Road with some local road closures in December.
Melbourne's east
As part of Suburban Rail Loop (SRL) works, lanes will be closed on the Dingley Bypass for up to 8 nights in December, and there will be traffic changes on Bay Road near the future SRL Cheltenham Station from late January.
Melbourne's south east
In preparation for the ‘Big Switch’ in February, there will be continued Metro Tunnel work as well as track works ahead of Frankston Line trains going back into the loop.
Buses will replace trains on the Sandringham and Frankston lines from 9pm Wednesday 7 January to last train on Sunday 11 January, and on parts of the Cranbourne, Pakenham, Frankston and Sandringham lines on some weeknights during December and January.
Road upgrades will also continue, including weekend closures on the Princes Freeway at Clyde Road in Berwick, and works at Thompson and Berwick-Cranbourne roads.
Works continue on Peninsula Link from Saturday 22 November to Sunday 14 December, between Frankston-Flinders Road and the Moorooduc Highway. All lanes will reopen for the holiday period, with crews returning in February to complete the works.
Regional Victoria
Work on the Melton Line Upgrade and construction of the new West Tarneit Station will ramp up over summer. There will be service changes on sections of the Geelong, Warrnambool, Ballarat, Ararat and Maryborough lines from Saturday 10 to Sunday 23 January while work takes place.
Find out more
Check for up-to-date disruptions information before you travel.
