Metro Tunnel Big Switch is now complete, with Melbourne’s Metro Tunnel moving to its full timetable and delivering more than 1,000 extra weekly services on the Sunbury, Cranbourne and Pakenham lines, as reported by Rail Express.

Metro Tunnel Big Switch adds 1,000+ weekly services
Photo: Victorian Government

Under the Melbourne Metro Tunnel full timetable, peak services will reach the five new metro stations—Arden, Parkville, State Library, Town Hall and Anzac—up to every three minutes. Trains will also run at least every 10 minutes between Watergardens and Dandenong, in both directions, from 6am to 9pm every day.

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Metro Tunnel Big Switch: what changed on key lines

As of February 1, services on the Sunbury, Cranbourne and Pakenham lines have switched to run exclusively through the Metro Tunnel. The same change is also outlined in Victoria’s Big Build FAQ.

The Big Switch also means Frankston line services are returning to the City Loop for the first time in five years, improving access to the CBD for thousands of passengers on one of Melbourne’s busiest lines. Trains now run anticlockwise around the loop and no longer run cross-city to Werribee or Williamstown.

Regional services and Werribee/Williamstown changes

Regional passengers will benefit from extra services, including 18 additional services on the Traralgon Line, 10 new services on the Seymour Line and four new services on the Echuca Line.

In the metropolitan network, the Werribee and Williamstown lines are temporarily running directly to Flinders Street. Later in 2026, these lines are expected to connect with the Sandringham line to form a new cross-city service.

Early usage figures for the new stations

Since the tunnel opened on November 30, 2025, more than 800,000 passengers have visited the new stations, and trains have travelled more than 64,000 kilometres through the tunnel so far. The Metro Tunnel timetable shift and its network impacts have also been covered by Railway Supply.

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