The operation of Melbourne’s new Airport Rail line is expected to impact services on existing western suburban rail lines through the $15 billion Metro Tunnel, newly released track diagrams reveal.
The $10 billion Airport Rail will connect Melbourne Airport to Sunshine Station, before heading into the Metro Tunnel and into the CBD. However, plans show that tracks for the airport service will merge with the Sunbury and Melton lines, pushing up to 29 trains per hour through the tunnel — exceeding its 24-train peak-hour capacity.
Transport planner William McDougall warned that western suburban services would likely be cut back to make way for airport trains, which are expected to run every 10 minutes during peak periods. McDougall said alternative options, such as building a new tunnel or using former defence land at Maribyrnong, were overlooked.
Government officials argue that the $4 billion upgrade around Sunshine Station, funded jointly by state and federal governments, will “unscramble” existing lines. They claim this will enable higher-capacity, more frequent services thanks to modernised signalling systems, helping to better manage the growing demand.
The Sunshine upgrade also includes separating Bendigo trains from metropolitan lines, allowing regional trains from Ballarat and Geelong to move more efficiently into Southern Cross Station.
Despite these assurances, both state and federal opposition parties have pledged to review the Sunshine plans if a change of government occurs, criticising the project’s high costs and warning of potential delays to other commitments, including the long-promised electrification of the Melton line.
