Melbourne Airport railway station explained

Melbourne Airport
Type:Planned PTV commuter rail station
Style:Melbourne
Address:Melbourne Airport, Arrival Drive, Tullamarine
Country:Australia
Structure:TBD
Platform:2
Tracks:2
Parking:Yes
Opening:2033 (planned)
Electrified:Yes
Accessible:Yes—step free access
Owned:VicTrack (projected)
Operator:Metro Trains Melbourne (projected)
Status:Planned

Melbourne Airport railway station is a proposed station on the planned Melbourne Airport railway line that will serve Melbourne Airport. Initially scheduled to open in 2029, the project is facing extensive delays, with completion now expected from 2033.[1] [2] [3]

Platforms and services

The station is planned to be part of the Melbourne Airport rail link which connects with the Metro Tunnel. Trains will terminate at the airport before departing towards Sunshine, stations in the Melbourne CBD before becoming the Pakenham and Cranbourne lines.[4]

Platform 1:

Platform 2:

Project delays

Previously planned to open in 2029, in early 2023, media reports suggested there may be a delay in the construction of the airport link.[5]

In May 2023, the state government also confirmed that contracting for further works on the airport rail link would be temporarily paused and no new contracts would be entered into until the completion of a major Commonwealth Government review of the country's infrastructure pipeline.[6] In November 2023, following the review the federal government reaffirmed its matching $5 billion commitment towards the project.[6]

Station design dispute

In September 2022, the state government announced that the airport station would be an elevated structure built near the terminals, rather than an underground station, as this would be quicker to build, cheaper and cause less disruption.[7]

The airport operator, Australia Pacific Airports Corporation (APAC), has objected to the station being elevated, calling for the station to be underground in order to facilitate its plans for terminal expansion and improve connectivity to the proposed Suburban Rail Loop.[8]

In May 2023, then Deputy Premier Jacinta Allan said slow and difficult negotiations with Melbourne Airport over the use of airport land for the station had caused more delays.[9] In April 2024, an independent mediator was appointed by the federal government to resolve the ongoing dispute between the state government and the airport.[10] In May 2024, Victorian Treasurer Tim Pallas confirmed in the state budget that the project would be delayed by at least four years, with completion not expected until 2033 at the earliest.[11]

Notes and References

  1. News: Lucas . Clay . Fowler . Michael . 28 December 2020 . Melbourne Airport rail line to soar high over Maribyrnong River . . . 2021-07-20.
  2. Web site: Project overview . . 2021-07-20.
  3. Web site: Nelson . Jake . 7 May 2024. Victorian Government Confirms Four-Year Delay for Airport Rail . 8 May 2024. Australian Aviation . en.
  4. Web site: Project benefits . . 2021-07-20.
  5. Web site: Eddie . Rachel . 2023-04-15 . Big-ticket transport projects face delays as budget pressures build . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230416024637/https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/big-ticket-transport-projects-face-delays-as-budget-pressures-build-20230415-p5d0oj.html . 16 April 2023 . 2023-04-16 . The Age . en.
  6. Web site: Ilanbey . Sumeyya . 17 May 2023 . Melbourne Airport Rail workers redeployed as project officially paused . 28 May 2023 . The Age . en.
  7. News: 2022-09-21 . Plans released for Keilor East train station and above-ground Melbourne Airport station . en-AU . ABC News . live . 2022-09-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220921040639/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-21/melbourne-airport-above-ground-train-station-business-case/101460384 . 21 September 2022.
  8. Web site: Hatch . Josh Gordon, Patrick . 2022-09-20 . Fight or flight? Conflict with airport looms after government reveals 'sky rail' plan . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220921040639/https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/fight-or-flight-conflict-with-airport-looms-after-government-reveals-sky-rail-plan-20220920-p5bjmp.html . 21 September 2022 . 2022-09-21 . The Age . en.
  9. News: 2023-04-17 . Deputy premier blames Melbourne Airport for delay in completion of airport rail . en-AU . ABC News . live . 2023-04-17 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230417044117/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-04-17/melbourne-airport-rail-link-delay/102230720 . 17 April 2023.
  10. Web site: Godde . Callum . 10 April 2024. Mediator picked to resolve Melbourne Airport rail spat . 12 May 2024. Australian Associated Press. en.
  11. Web site: Nelson . Jake . 7 May 2024. Victorian Government Confirms Four-Year Delay for Airport Rail . 8 May 2024. Australian Aviation . en.