Australian Prime Minister enters agreement with Victorian Premier for Melbourne Airport Rail Link

Australia's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Michael McCormack announced (21-Nov-2020) the governments of Australia and Victoria entered an agreement for the Melbourne Airport Rail Link. Prime Minister Scott Morrison joined Victoria's Premier Daniel Andrews to announce the route for the project, which will connect Victoria's regional and metropolitan rail networks to the airport. Airport trains will run through the Metro Tunnel, and the Melbourne Airport Rail will see 10 minute "turn-up-and-go" services from Melbourne Airport through the city, providing direct connections to Melbourne University, the Parkville medical precinct, Melbourne Central station, Flinders Street station and the St Kilda Road business precinct. Melbourne's west will have direct airport access via a single interchange at Sunshine Station or Footscray Station and passengers on all city loop trains will be able to connect to airport trains at Flinders Street and Melbourne Central. Passengers from Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo will travel to the airport via a single interchange at Sunshine, while passengers from Gippsland will be connected via a single interchange at locations along the Cranbourne and Pakenham lines. Construction is scheduled to commence in 2022, with the agreement to support up to 8000 jobs during the build. [more - original PR]