Melbourne Airport Rail Stage 2 to begin preliminary works
Melbourne, Australia: Preliminary work on the second stage of Melbourne Airport Rail is expected to begin in the coming weeks, with the project set to deliver a new rail line and station in Melbourne’s north-west.
The 7.4-kilometre Stage 2 line will run from Albion towards the airport precinct via a new Keilor East Station, connecting directly with the Metro Tunnel. The project forms part of a $12 billion joint commitment by the Australian and Victorian governments.
The new railway will be built alongside the existing Jacana freight corridor and will include about 1.1 kilometres of elevated rail, including infrastructure to cross the Maribyrnong River. Site investigations, procurement and development work are expected to begin shortly, with community engagement and early design work planned for next year. Major construction is scheduled to begin in 2028, with completion targeted for 2031. Once operational, the Keilor East station is expected to provide about 5,200 daily passengers with a direct rail connection to the city. The government also estimates that about 6,600 passengers and airport workers could use the new line each hour once the broader project is completed.
Sunshine Superhub
Stage 2 will be delivered alongside the $4.1 billion Sunshine Superhub, which is the first stage of the Melbourne Airport Rail project.
Work on Stage 1 is already underway and involves rebuilding Sunshine Station and untangling about six kilometres of rail between West Footscray and Albion. The project will create a six-platform transport hub and increase capacity for up to 1,000 trains a day.
Stage 1 is scheduled for completion in 2030 and is intended to support more frequent services on the Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo lines, as well as future electrification of the Melton line.
Airport connection remains a later stage
The Melbourne Airport Rail Steering Committee is continuing to consider options for Stage 3, which would extend the railway to an above-ground station at the airport precinct. The latest announcement therefore covers the Albion-to-Keilor East section, while the final connection into Melbourne Airport remains part of the subsequent Stage 3 planning process. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the project would increase rail capacity and contribute to a future rail connection to Melbourne Airport. Victorian Premier Ben Carroll said the new Keilor East station would provide local residents with direct access to the city through the Metro Tunnel. The governments have described the project as a major investment in Melbourne’s west, while opposition views expressed in political statements should be considered separately from the project’s confirmed scope, funding and construction timetable.
Source:. Australian Government media release Victorian Government announcement
