Melbourne’s long-awaited Metro Tunnel will open on Sunday November 30. The tunnel will only carry limited services until February 2026, when it will become fully operational.

With construction having begun in 2017, this is the first major reconfiguration of Melbourne’s rail system in decades. It is expected to increase capacity, improve reliability, and create new connections to some of the city’s busiest destinations.

But Melbournians’ travel behaviour is changing slowly. Car dependence remains high, confidence in public transport has fallen, and commute times continue to rise.

Like other major Australian cities, Melbourne is being pulled between two futures: the sustainable, public-transport-centred city long planned for, and the car-led city that daily life still reinforces. The tunnel is a crucial step towards the first — but its success will be measured by what happens next.

From 30 November, new train services will begin running through the Metro Tunnel and stopping at all five new underground stations.

These services operate alongside the existing timetable, and passengers on the Cranbourne, Pakenham and Sunbury lines can choose between their current City Loop services or a Metro........

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