The final two stations of Melbourne's Metro Tunnel are complete, marking a major milestone for the long-awaited rail project. Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan announced the completion of Town Hall and State Library stations on Sunday and Monday, joining Anzac, Arden and Parkville stations, which were handed over to Metro Trains in April.
The twin 9km tunnels were constructed beneath the existing City Loop, making Town Hall and State Library the most complex of the five stations. State Library sits 36 metres below ground, while Town Hall is 27 metres deep—twice the depth of Anzac and Arden. Premier Allan noted that trams and City Loop trains continued running during construction, with the loop just 1.5 metres above the worksite.
Transport Infrastructure Minister Gabrielle Williams described the stations as 'spectacular', with architecture that will become iconic. Both feature 18-metre wide, 220-metre long platforms to accommodate 10-car trains, 10-metre high arched ceilings with chandelier lights, and cavernous passageways for underground transfers to Flinders Street and Melbourne Central without tapping Myki. State Library also boasts a 42-metre long escalator, the longest in Melbourne.
The stations share design cues like pink and white ceiling baffles for way-finding and yellow drum lights, but also reflect local character. State Library's entrance has 12-metre high columns and a glass artwork by Danie Mellor titled Forever, based on historic photographs of Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung women. Town Hall's concourse features tree-branch-shaped columns and opens onto a redesigned City Square.
The $13.48bn Metro Tunnel will connect the Sunbury line to Cranbourne and Pakenham lines via five new stations, forming a 97km line. It will increase service frequency and free up City Loop capacity. Minister Williams said the most comprehensive network re-timetabling in living memory is underway, integrating the tunnel with the existing rail network, unlike Sydney's Metro. The next step is final approvals from the national rail safety regulator, with an opening date to be announced soon.
