Delivering our world-class transport network

At a glance

The Metro Tunnel and West Gate Tunnel are getting ready to open, and will completely change the way we move around our city and state.

When we first announced the Metro Tunnel, critics said it couldn’t be done.

They wrote off the project as a dream that couldn’t be delivered.

But this year, Victorians will see that vision come to life.

This Budget delivers the train services that will run through the brand new Metro Tunnel, as well as the extra services enabled by its opening.

Along with the Metro Tunnel, this Budget invests even more in fixing and resurfacing our roads – and adds more buses to better connect people to where they need to go.

Switching on more services with the Metro Tunnel

The Metro Tunnel is the biggest transformation of Victoria’s rail network since the City Loop opened in 1981.

With twin 9-kilometre tunnels running underneath the CBD, it includes 5 new underground stations: Arden, Parkville, State Library, Town Hall and Anzac.

These new stations link landmarks like the Shrine of Remembrance and health and education precincts like the University of Melbourne and the Parkville precinct for the very first time.

Metro Tunnel will also link the Sunbury line in the north-west with the Cranbourne-Pakenham lines in the south-east, creating a new continuous connection.

Taking these trains out of the existing City Loop will mean we can deliver more trains across our entire public transport network.

With construction on the Metro Tunnel nearing completion, this Budget delivers the train services that will bring its benefits to life:

• $727 million to switch on and run services through the Metro Tunnel, and more trains, more often along the Sunbury, Cranbourne and Pakenham lines.
• $46 million to deliver additional train services on the Sandringham, Craigieburn, Upfield and Werribee lines – made possible by the extra capacity created in the City Loop, thanks to the Metro Tunnel.
• $52 million for regional train services, including the delivery of 40-minute services on the Gippsland line to and from Traralgon, with passengers able to transfer to Metro Tunnel services at Pakenham or Caulfield.

New Metro Tunnel stations

Arden Station is at the heart of North Melbourne’s urban renewal precinct. It will connect people to local jobs and services in the existing retail and commercial areas of North Melbourne.

Parkville Station offers direct access to world-class hospitals and a rail link to the University of Melbourne for the first time – connecting healthcare workers, students and hospital visitors from metro and regional Victoria to these essential services.

State Library Station is strategically positioned near Melbourne’s landmark State Library. It will be a gateway to RMIT University, and connect passengers to Melbourne Central Station.

Town Hall Station is a state-of-the art stepping stone to Melbourne’s most iconic landmarks, including Federation Square, Birrarung Marr, St Paul’s Cathedral and Melbourne Town Hall, and connect to Flinders Street Station.

Anzac Station on St Kilda Road creates a direct link to Melbourne’s commercial hub and landmarks such as the Royal Botanic Gardens and the Shrine of Remembrance.

Upgrading Sunshine Station – the first step towards Airport Rail

In partnership with the Commonwealth Government, we’re investing $4.1 billion to rebuild Sunshine Station into a transport superhub – the first step in delivering Airport Rail.

And in order to get this project moving as quickly as possible, we’ve brought forward $2 billion in funding.

Rebuilding Sunshine Station is essential to delivering Airport Rail, with the project set to untangle more than 6 kilometres of track from West Footscray to Albion.

The project will also deliver extra regional platforms at Sunshine, a brand new station at Albion and the essential first step to enable electrification of the Melton Line.

Better connecting communities

Good public transport gets Victorians where they need to go.

It’s why this Budget invests to maintain and improve our bus, train and ferry services, and get the network ready for the next generation of trains and trams.

That includes $162 million to improve our bus network for growing communities. This includes:

• New and extended bus routes connecting passengers in growth areas to train stations, including Riverwalk, King’s Leigh, Mt Atkinson, Thornhill Park and Mystique estates.
• New and upgraded bus services for the new West Tarneit Station.
• More bus services to improve access to the Wyndham Law Courts precinct.
• Upgraded services to improve access to Caroline Springs town centre and Watergardens Station.

This Budget also invests:

• $270 million to deliver a more reliable rail network for regional Victorians with maintenance and upgrades.
• $72 million for safety upgrades and infrastructure to enable the next generation of trams.
• $27 million to deliver accessible tram stops along Droop Street, Footscray including outside the new Footscray Hospital.

Regional rail

This Budget invests $52 million to boost regional train services, delivering more carriages on Bendigo weekend services, extra peak hour Seymour services, as well as 40-minute interpeak services to and from Traralgon, enabled by the Gippsland Line Upgrade.

Fixing roads

Every day, Victorians rely on our roads to get to work, get the kids to school, and stay connected to family and friends.

Through this year’s Budget, we’re continuing to fix and improve our roads.

We’ll invest $976 million in 2025-26 alone to deliver a Better Roads Blitz – fixing potholes and resurfacing roads across our state.

We are also delivering better roads for Melbourne’s fast-growing outer suburbs. Together with the Commonwealth Government, we’re delivering a $1.2 billion investment to tackle congestion and improve safety and connectivity. Funding is provided to deliver critical upgrades, including the:

• Donnybrook Road and Mitchell Street intersection in Donnybrook.
• McLeod Road and Station Street intersection in Carrum.
• Central Avenue in Altona Meadows.

We have also committed up to $250 million with the Commonwealth to deliver major improvements to Werribee Main Road – improving safety and reducing congestion. This project will upgrade 4 intersections and the Princes Freeway on-off ramps, as well as adding an additional lane to the existing Werribee Main Road bridge crossing the Princes Freeway.

This Budget includes $38 million for improvements to the metropolitan road network and essential maintenance on the West Gate Bridge. This includes:

• Upgrades to the southern roundabout at the intersection of Mount Alexander Road, Napier Street, Fletcher Street and Russell Street in Essendon.
• Upgrades to the pedestrian-operated signals on Ferntree Gully Road between Princes Highway and Stamford Road in Oakleigh, and on Warrigal Road near Childers Street in Parkdale.

Funding of $81 million will deliver improvements for roads and bridges in regional Victoria, including in San Remo, Terang and Lakes Entrance.

This Budget also invests an additional $412 million to roll out safety upgrades across the state. This includes installing road safety barriers and adding more cameras that detect mobile phone use and people not wearing seatbelts.