The Big Switch transforms Victoria’s rail network

From February 1, Victoria is seeing the biggest transformation of Victoria’s public transport system in more than 40 years, when the Big Switch takes place.

The Big Switch means the Metro Tunnel fully integrates into the state’s wider transport network, while a new timetable adds more than 1000 services every week to the new Cranbourne, Pakenham and Sunbury Line.

Victorians have already embraced the Metro Tunnel, with thousands of people travelling through the tunnel’s five new state-of-the-art underground stations since its opening in November.

The Big Switch sees all services on the Cranbourne, Pakenham and Sunbury Line travel exclusively through the tunnel, changing how thousands of passengers move around Melbourne day-to-day and freeing up space in the City Loop for more services on other lines.

Trains will run at least every 10 minutes for most of the day between Watergardens in Melbourne’s north-west and Dandenong in the south-east, through the Metro Tunnel.

During the peak, services between Watergardens and Dandenong will arrive on average every three to four minutes.

The Big Switch also means Frankston Line services return to the City Loop, improving access to the CBD for thousands of passengers.

A new timetable includes buses and regional and metropolitan trains.

With two of Melbourne’s busiest train lines no longer running through the City Loop, space is being freed up to run more trains, more often, on more lines.

Trains are running almost 100km end-to-end on the Metro Tunnel line without boom gates, all of which have been removed from the Cranbourne, Pakenham and Sunbury Line.

The Metro Tunnel means faster travel across the city – around 12 minutes end-to-end through the tunnel – plus direct access to Melbourne’s major hospitals, universities and St Kilda Road for the first time.

The Big Switch is just the first installment of more services that will be added to the rail network – with more frequent services to come from mid-2026 including on the Werribee, Sandringham, Craigieburn and Upfield lines.

For information on the new timetable and to plan your journey on the Metro Tunnel, visit transport.vic.gov.au/news-and-resources/projects/metro-tunnel/more-ways-to-move.