The Metro Tunnel opened on 30 November 2025 with five new underground stations, went fully operational on 1 February 2026, and re-drew the city's rail map — the Sunbury line now runs through the CBD to Cranbourne and Pakenham without touching the City Loop.
Twin nine-kilometre bores run from South Kensington to South Yarra under Swanston Street, linking the Sunbury line with Cranbourne and Pakenham in a cross-city corridor that bypasses Flinders Street and the City Loop. The five stations — Arden, Parkville, State Library, Town Hall and Anzac — each carry commissioned art, platform screen doors and level boarding; the two CBD stations are mined 'trinocular' caverns with 19-metre platforms.
The soft-opening 'Summer Start' ran limited off-peak services with free weekend transport across Victoria; the 'Big Switch' on 1 February 2026 made the tunnel the exclusive path for Sunbury, Cranbourne and Pakenham services, adding more than 1,000 weekly services. Parkville finally gives Melbourne University and the hospital precinct a station; Anzac serves the Shrine, the Botanic Gardens — and Albert Park on Grand Prix weekend.
Southern Cross remains the state's railhead: V/Line trains and coaches fan out to Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo and the coast, and the SkyBus airport express docks at bays 74–75 of the adjacent coach terminal. Melbourne Central and Flinders Street now interchange with the tunnel at State Library and Town Hall without a myki tap.
Above it all runs the world's largest operational tram network: 250 km of double track, more than 500 trams and 5,000-plus trips a day — free inside the CBD's Free Tram Zone, with the heritage City Circle W-class looping the grid for nothing at all.
Our read: the tunnel changes how a visitor should move. Stay near Town Hall or State Library station and the whole southeast — Caulfield, Dandenong corridor, the beaches beyond — becomes one seat away; Anzac station is now the painless way to the Grand Prix. For a first afternoon, do the City Circle tram loop, then ride the tunnel end to end: it is the fastest architecture tour in Australia.
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