It’s here. Melbourne’s new Metro Tunnel is now open for service

The transformational Metro Tunnel Project is now open in Melbourne, Australia, with service commencing from today, 30 November 2025.

The new Metro, which is supporting faster journeys across Melbourne, is the most significant addition to the Victorian capital’s transport network for a generation.

By creating a second rail line under the city, the Metro Tunnel will double the size of Melbourne’s underground rail network. For the first time, it’ll be possible to hop on a train and access Parkville’s world-class hospitals and university, as well as Melbourne landmarks like the Royal Botanic Gardens and Shrine of Remembrance.

“The opening of the Metro Tunnel is the culmination of years of considered sustained effort. It’s the moment when the incredible work of our designers, our partners, and countless industry colleagues finally welcomes the public.”

“We have immense pride in what we’ve built, not just the new stations but an entirely new rhythm for life and travel in Melbourne.”

Mark Loughnan, Principal, Hassell

AN OPEN METRO

In a deliberate departure from conventional underground transport hubs, the five new Metro Tunnel stations — spanning from the massive brick arches of Arden in North Melbourne to the timber ​‘pavilion in the park’ of Anzac Station on St Kilda Road boulevard — are conceived as an ​‘open metro’. This design ethos fosters a tangible connection to the streets and iconic landmarks of each station’s respective location. 

A key design principle of the Metro Tunnel stations is the integration of natural light and fresh air, fostering a sense of openness and wellbeing for commuters. At Arden and Parkville stations, expansive skylights flood the concourses with daylight, creating bright and inviting spaces. 

While the sheer depth and bustling CBD locations of State Library and Town Hall stations presented greater challenges, the design teams have responded with vast, cathedral-like underground spaces that evoke a feeling of airiness and grandeur. Natural light is also thoughtfully integrated into the main entrances of these central stations.

REVITALISING MELBOURNE’S PUBLIC SPACES

The Metro Tunnel is not just about moving people underground; it’s about creating vibrant, new and revitalised public places and experiences above ground that draw people back into the city for work, culture and leisure.

Melbourne and its residents will gain generous new green spaces. The redesigned station precincts feature new parks, substantial tree plantings, biodiverse flora, and separated bicycle lanes and parking.

At City Square, for example, a new gathering place has taken shape. This urban renewal aspect of the project successfully reinstates the Square’s role as a central public meeting and event space. Home to one of Town Hall Station’s primary entrances, it offers essential shade from newly landscaped native species, new seating, and, crucially, features a bronze smoking dish and ceremonial area co-designed with Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Elders, Aunty Joy Murphy and Uncle Colin Hunter, and Greenshoot Consulting. 

Broader public realm initiatives have dramatically expanded green areas like the Albert Road Reserve near Anzac Station, creating a large green corridor that seamlessly connects Albert Park, the Shrine of Remembrance, and the Domain. This design-led urban greening initiative also contributes to the larger ​‘Shrine to Sea’ project, carving a key biodiversity corridor to Port Phillip Bay.

The Metro Tunnel Project is a collaboration between leading international architecture design practices Hassell, WW+P Architects, and RSHP. Landscape architecture by Hassell, line-wide and wayfinding by Maynard Design Consultancy, engineering by Arup, Arcadis, and WSP as part of the CYP Design and Construction (CYP D&C) Joint Venture comprising Bouygues Construction, John Holland and Lendlease, on behalf of the Victorian Government.