Melbourne’s long-awaited railway link between Tullamarine Airport and the CBD has been getting plenty of coverage following this weekend’s promises by the state government.
Here’s the Australian Business Traveller executive summary while to read while you sit in an Uber, a taxi or the SkyBus.
Is the Melbourne Airport Rail Link finally happening?
Not quite yet. Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has announced that his Government will provide $5 billion towards the construction of a railway line between the airport and the city if his Labor government is returned to power in the November 24 state election.
This would match a $5 billion commitment from the Federal Government, with the project expected to cost between $8 billion and $13 billion.
However, opposition leader Matthew Guy has said that he would also back the Melbourne Airport Rail Link should his Liberal party win government.
When will the Melbourne Airport Rail Link open?
Construction is expected to begin by 2022, although likely that travellers won’t be punching their ticket for at least a decade. So, let's call it '2030something'.
What route will the Melbourne Airport Rail Link follow?
The Victorian Government’s preferred corridor for the airport railway will be via the inner-west suburb of Sunshine.
12km of new track would be laid between Melbourne Airport and Sunshine Station – which would be remodelled as a ‘super-hub’ – from which there are existing railway links to Melbourne CBD and suburbs on the Sunbury Metro line and through the new Metro Tunnel project, as well as regional V/Line services to Ballarat, Bendigo and Geelong.
How long would it take between the city and Melbourne Airport?
While this won’t be a high-speed express train service similar to those of Hong Kong, Heathrow and Kuala Lumpur, travelling b between the airport and Melbourne’s CBD would take around 30 minutes.
(By comparison, the SkyBus must struggle along often-congested roads for 30 to 45 minutes.)
How much would tickets cost?
Lorie Argus, chief of parking and ground access for Melbourne Airport, says the airport expects the Melbourne Airport Rail Link to be “competitive” with SkyBus, which currently costs $19 each way.
While the state and federal governments have pledged a $10 billion pool for the airport railway line, Premier Andrews admitted the project could be an opportunity to partner with the private sector and deliver the Melbourne Airport Rail Link as a public/private enterprise.
David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.
15 Jun 2018
Total posts 6
[Comment edited for content]
24 Oct 2010
Total posts 2555
Note: This isn’t the place for political debate and mudslinging over Labor vs Liberal. Comments along those lines will be edited or removed. Please keep comments focused on adding value to the article, the topic and the conversation.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
04 Jun 2015
Total posts 71
I was very excited to hear about this being funded by both governments however i am confused over the route. It seems that the commonwealth prefer it to traverse the defense site in maribyrnong, which they would like to sell, where as the state have their preferred option which looks like it would be a longer trip.
12 Dec 2012
Total posts 1027
It sounds like they went to Narita and looked at the commuter JR and Keisei trains while ignoring the Narita Express and SkyLiner.
17 Sep 2015
Total posts 388
The proposed airport railway in Melbourne needs to offer connections at places like Sunshine and Footscray so it can attract the greatest number of travellers.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
10 Feb 2017
Total posts 4
If this is the model, the pricing needs to match it. Can't have the local train service with the express train price tag.
26 Jul 2018
Total posts 1
This is what happens in Sydney
17 Sep 2015
Total posts 388
David, just one point: it's not just 'Labor v Liberal', as latter is in a coalition with The Nationals, so correct to refer to it as 'Liberal-Nationals.'
01 Jun 2016
Total posts 60
Infrastructurally speaking, I honestly think this is not the best option. Standalone airport lines struggle to make money as has been seen with Brisbane they need to be integrated into a larger project. The direct tunnel would have been a great opportunity to provide regional trains from Bendigo/Seymour with a rapid option into the city while turning MEL into a transport hub with regional connections
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
28 Aug 2014
Total posts 214
A direct tunnel option from city to airport would cost thirty to forty billion dollars, take twenty years to construct, and offer very few meaningful advantages over a surface rail corridor.
01 Jun 2016
Total posts 60
Can you please link me the source to that price tag?
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
28 Aug 2014
Total posts 214
Back of a cocktail napkin maths:
Westgate tunnel project = 5km @ $7b (avg cost per km $1.4b)
Melbourne metro project = 18km @ $11b (avg cost per km $611m)
Avg cost for a 26km airport tunnel project in 2030 @ say $1b per km = $26b
Add several billion for new train fleet construction, cost of money, feasibility & design, etc. = $30b without breaking a sweat. (Higher if implementing a new technology such as high speed rail.)
If you imagine otherwise, you are a very optimistic man ;-)
01 Jun 2016
Total posts 60
Your napkin maths contains a few flawed assumptions, including a major one that the entire direct tunnel route is a tunnel. Only approximately 9km would be tunnel, the rest being above ground. This would put it at about the same length as the metro tunnel, without the complexities of building within the CBD.
All the other costs you mention are attributable to all the other routes. For the tunnel to accommodate higher speed services it mostly just requires shallower curves and less steep gradients which are not a massive cost either.
So I really can't see this 30-40 billion price tag you're talking about happening, the napkin maths behind it relies on a number of flawed assumptions. The premium for the 9km of tunnels is worth it for the future.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
10 Feb 2017
Total posts 4
Actually, the Westgate tunnel doesn't go under the river at all. There is a bridge over the Maribyrnong River, and an elevated road which make up two thirds of the project. The tunnel is under Yarraville only. It requires a degree of creative licence to label the whole project a 'tunnel'.
01 Jun 2016
Total posts 60
You're right. I don't know why, but for some reason I had in my head it went under the Yarra
30 Jun 2011
Total posts 49
Rail is of course a great idea, I'm a big user of Syd CityRail to airport and Bris' Airtrain. I much prefer those options to your generally odorous taxi. However unsure why the dislike for Skybus, which is pretty efficient. I'd rather be paying $19 for a Skybus in peak hour traffic than $50 in a horrible cab.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
26 Sep 2011
Total posts 77
If I’m not in a hurry I catch the bus to/from Broadmeadows Station and the train to/from the city. Not sure why this is not upgraded and promoted as an alternative in the interim
23 Oct 2014
Total posts 233
Seriously who came up with that route, 35min to the city!
12 Dec 2012
Total posts 1027
It gives them an excuse to toss money into Sunshine. Just as the CBR phase 1 light rail project is being built in the wrong place, simply to give the government an excuse to redevelop the Northbourne Avenue corridor.
13 Feb 2015
Total posts 13
Not quite sure but the Sunshine route it may have something to do with transurban holding road rights access (or whatever it's called) to Tullamarine until around 2030 (or even 2040)
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
28 Aug 2014
Total posts 214
Emirates Airlines - Skywards
30 Nov 2015
Total posts 730
The only thing totally sure with all this yet again, is that we are all going to be a lot older when they have finally signed on the dotted line let alone the actual construction and all the blowouts. It raises its ugly head every election year by both parties who capture us into actually believing them. Some of these proposed routes are just ridiculous, talk about the long route or the scenic route, just get me there as quickly as possible, all these Freeway/Tollway improvements do nothing for Friday evening trips out to Tulla. And if they are going to use actual suburban trains to the airport, they are an embarrassment with grafitti and totally scratched windows you can hardly see out, good look Government.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
23 Sep 2017
Total posts 163
It is just so overdue.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
17 May 2015
Total posts 75
I'm very supportive of investment in public transport, however this project just doesn't stack up.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
10 May 2017
Total posts 84
I can honestly say, I will probably never use that facility.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
04 Mar 2014
Total posts 204
Soon MEL will be the only major city in Australia not to have a rail link to the airport!
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
21 Mar 2017
Total posts 37
Hahahaha!! I think MEL and AKL will be fighting for who goes last...!!
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
05 Jul 2017
Total posts 3
Hobart has no passenger trains
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
01 Nov 2017
Total posts 30
Living in Melton, this is fantastic for me. I'm constantly stuck in traffic on the Calder getting to the airport. I will be very happy to take this
13 Jul 2016
Total posts 3
I think this was a lost opportunity to have a fast rail line service which would also stop at Highpoint and nearby area (The pocket of area calling for more transport) - this isn't political but rather forward planning for the future. and then think about the congestion on the Sunbury rail line - as this now services the various Vline regional lines, Sunbury line and then now an Airport rail link.
Emirates Airlines - Skywards
30 Nov 2015
Total posts 730
Heavens forbid if the train breaks down at Sunshine, watch your purses and valises.
13 Dec 2017
Total posts 2
01 Jun 2016
Total posts 60
If you look at the masterplan they're fortunately aiming to have the station at what will become the centre of the terminal precinct.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
22 Jul 2015
Total posts 219
Worthy but academic. Will stick with the sky bus and tram to Collins St...
Emirates Airlines - Skywards
30 Nov 2015
Total posts 730
I think they should just extend 'Puffing Billy' a bit out to Tulla. make it a real tourist attraction.
24 Apr 2018
Total posts 8
Sounds like the usual political promises in play (from any side). Had a good friend of mine involved in cost estimations at a consultancy firm for a rail line city-MEL when he was living in MEL- over 5 years ago! He said he thought it'd never happen, he was just plucking numbers out the air and everyone was happy enough with that as it was roundly accepted that it'd never actually go ahead, something about the freeway operator having a monopoly for x years to recoup their investment, as I recall. Very short sighted of any major metropolitan city (anywhere in the world) not to have a rail connection to the city from the airport(s) IMO.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
08 Jun 2018
Total posts 5
We just need a monorail straight from the city to the airport via (above) the Tulla - no stops!!
Emirates Airlines - Skywards
07 Sep 2012
Total posts 146
Via Brockway, Ogdenville, and North Haverbrook perhaps!
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
03 Aug 2015
Total posts 5
Give the build contract to China and they will build it in two years and half the pr
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
06 Dec 2017
Total posts 24
Unless it is
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
06 Dec 2017
Total posts 24
PS and why 10 years to build? China or UAE would get it done in 2 Y max
17 Sep 2015
Total posts 388
CFFMEU is reason.
Jetstar Airways - Qantas Frequent Flyer
03 Jul 2018
Total posts 49
We need better technology to produce affordable tunnels...I think Elon Musk is looking into it after his sub to get Thai children out of the caves was rejected. I really think that to be a workable solution you need a ten minute regularity, and a price tag of $10 ( especially true for families) A thirty minute journey is fine as long as it is direct or possibly 2 or 3 stops. If you can’t achieve this, then it will be a lemon.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
22 May 2018
Total posts 68
I'm 67 in reasonable health and I don't expect that this will be built in my lifetime. After all it took 100 years to build a spur line to Redcliffe in Brisbane.
Think 1.squabbles regarding the route
2. sacred sites.
3 critically endangered fragile plants
4. critically endangered mammals and woe betide the collective yelps if there are any koalas living anywhere near. (Living in Brisbane makes me cynical re the last one!!)
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