Melbourne Airport Rail will connect people from the airport to where they need to go – be that work, home or Victoria’s key tourism destinations – via a rail service for the first time.

For all passengers, Melbourne Airport Rail will provide:

  • access to the entire public transport network including trains on the Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo and Gippsland lines with a single interchange
  • direct access to Melbourne Airport from 30 stations without the need to change trains, for passengers travelling from the CBD and the booming south-eastern suburbs
  • a new premium station at Melbourne Airport with 10-minute services
  • seamless travel to the heart of Melbourne’s CBD in around 30 minutes.

Unlocks future growth

Melbourne Airport Rail has the potential to unlock further economic growth connections to key health, research and education, development and employment precincts at Dandenong, Monash, Parkville, Sunshine and Werribee.

Creating jobs

Melbourne Airport Rail is a transformational public transport project and will support up to 8000 jobs during construction.

Rail Projects Victoria is the government body responsible for overseeing the planning, development and delivery of Melbourne Airport Rail.

You can find out more about working at Rail Projects Victoria and search for current jobs across Victoria’s Big Build.

Quicker journey times

Connecting Melbourne Airport Rail into the Metro Tunnel provides passengers with 10 minute turn-up-and-go services into the CBD in around 30 minutes.

From Melbourne Airport, trips to Sunshine and Footscray are expected to take 11 and 18 minutes respectively.

The investment in major projects such as the Metro Tunnel, Melbourne Airport Rail and Geelong Fast Rail will support a turn-up-and-go timetable, enabling peak-hour trains every 2 to 3 minutes from Sunshine and peak-hour trains every 2 minutes from Footscray and Caulfield.

Easier access and better connections

Running Melbourne Airport Rail services through the Metro Tunnel will maximise airport access for all Victorians, providing easy and seamless access to the existing rail network.

Passengers on the Cranbourne and Pakenham lines – Melbourne’s busiest passenger rail lines – will have direct access to an airport service.

Passengers on most other metropolitan and regional train lines can connect to Melbourne Airport with only one interchange.

How will I catch public transport to the airport?

  • Alamein Line – Alamein Line passengers will be able to change to airport trains at Flinders Street Station or Melbourne Central, depending on which way through the City Loop their train is travelling.
  • Belgrave / Lilydale Lines – Belgrave and Lilydale Line passengers will be able to change to airport trains at Flinders Street Station or Melbourne Central Station, depending on which way through the City Loop their train is travelling.
  • Craigieburn Line – Craigieburn Line passengers will be able to change to airport trains at Flinders Street Station or Melbourne Central Station, depending on which way through the City Loop their train is travelling. Alternatively, they will be able to change at North Melbourne and then at Footscray.
  • Cranbourne / Pakenham Lines – Cranbourne and Pakenham Line passengers will be able to travel directly to the airport without changing trains.
  • Frankston Line – Frankston Line passengers will be able to change to airport trains at Caulfield. For those on the city side of Caulfield they will be able to transfer to an airport train at Flinders Street Station.
  • Glen Waverley Line – Glen Waverley Line passengers will be able to change to airport trains at Flinders Street Station.
  • Hurstbridge / Mernda Lines – Hurstbridge and Mernda Line passengers will be able to change to airport trains at Flinders Street Station or Melbourne Central Station, depending on which way through the City Loop their train is travelling.
  • Sandringham Line – Sandringham Line passengers will be able to change to airport trains at Flinders Street Station.
  • Sunbury Line – Sunbury Line passengers will be able to change to airport trains at Sunshine or Footscray.
  • Upfield Line – Upfield Line passengers will be able to change to airport trains at Flinders Street Station or Melbourne Central, depending on which way through the City Loop their train is travelling. Alternatively, they will be able to change at North Melbourne and then at Footscray.
  • Werribee / Williamstown Lines – Werribee and Williamstown Line passengers will be able to change to airport trains at Footscray.
  • Ballarat Line – Ballarat, Ararat and Maryborough Line passengers will be able to change to airport trains at Sunshine.
  • Bendigo Line – Bendigo, Swan Hill and Mildura Line passengers will be able to change to airport trains at Sunshine.
  • Geelong / Warrnambool Lines – Geelong and Warrnambool Line passengers will be able to change to airport trains at Sunshine.
  • Gippsland Line – Gippsland Line passengers will be able to change to airport trains at Pakenham, Dandenong, Caulfield or Flinders Street Station.
  • Passengers travelling on regional services north east of Melbourne (e.g. Seymour, Shepparton, Albury/Wodonga) will be able to continue using Broadmeadows as their key interchange for airport access, changing to the existing bus connection to Melbourne Airport.