Come and see the Metro Tunnel over the weekend this summer… You will have free PT every weekend, absolutely free for you to travel anywhere on the public transport network.
From the day the Metro Tunnel opens in early December for its Summer Start, public transport in Victoria will be free for everyone, everywhere, every weekend until February 1.
That means every tram, every bus, every Melbourne train, every regional train, for every passenger – from the first service on each Saturday to the last service on each Sunday.
Premier Jacinta Allan and Minister for Transport Infrastructure Gabrielle Williams today met with Metro Tunnel workers at State Library Station to announce the free PT bonanza during the Metro Tunnel’s Summer Start.
“We’re saying thank you Victoria – with free PT every weekend this summer. Everyone, everywhere, every weekend, free until Feb 1. The biggest free transport bonanza in Victoria’s history” Premier Jacinta Allan said.
It’s all about celebrating the opening of the Metro Tunnel and thanking Victorians for their patience while thousands of workers built it.
Transport gates will open every Saturday and Sunday during the Summer Start period, which begins from the opening of the Metro Tunnel in early December until the Big Switch to the new statewide timetable on February 1.
You won’t require a valid ticket or Myki to travel on these days. Passengers will not be required to tap on or off with their myki. If a passenger accidentally taps on or off, they will not be charged for their travel. Some regional services will continue to require a reservation at zero cost, in line with existing requirements.
The Summer Start is when we open the Metro Tunnel in early December with 240 new services a week.
The Big Switch on February 1 is when every train on our two busiest train lines run through the Metro Tunnel – and that means 1,000 new services and a new timetable for everyone.
“The Metro Tunnel will cut congestion and get you to work, uni and home sooner – and it opens in early December”, Premier Allan added.
The Summer Start
When the Metro Tunnel opens in early December, we kick off the Summer Start with hundreds of weekly services.
During the Summer Start period, Metro Tunnel services will run seven days a week and stop at all five new underground stations: Arden, Parkville, State Library, Town Hall and Anzac.
- Monday to Friday – services every 20 minutes from 10.00am until 3:00pm between Westall (Cranbourne and Pakenham lines) and West Footscray (Sunbury line)
- Weekends – services every 20 minutes from 10.00am until 7.00pm between Westall and West Footscray, every 40 minutes from East Pakenham, and every 60 minutes from Sunbury.
That means there are more than 240 extra services a week during the Summer Start for passengers along the Cranbourne, Pakenham and Sunbury corridor – all running through the Metro Tunnel – in addition to existing services.
Existing services on those lines will continue as normal through the City Loop during the Summer Start, and passengers can connect to the Metro Tunnel at interchange locations, including Footscray and Caulfield stations.
The Big Switch
On Sunday, February 1, we overhaul Victoria’s entire train network.
On that day, we fully integrate the Metro Tunnel into the wider transport network, we implement thousands of individual timetable changes at once, we commence more than 1,000 new weekly train services, and we directly change the way half of passengers on the network move around Melbourne day-to-day.
This is the moment when all services on the Sunbury, Cranbourne and Pakenham lines travel exclusively through the new tunnel. These lines are the backbone of Melbourne’s train system – and they will transform.
The Big Switch will launch 1,000 new weekly services and kick off a turn-up-and-go network on the Sunbury, Cranbourne and Pakenham lines.
Trains will run at least every 10 minutes between Watergardens and Dandenong stations between 6:00am to 9:00pm through the Metro Tunnel.
During the peak, services between Watergardens and Dandenong will arrive on average every three to four minutes.
The Big Switch is also the day when Frankston line services return to the City Loop, improving access to the CBD for thousands of passengers on one of Melbourne’s busiest lines.
Within hours, the Premier upped the ante and called on the toll companies to follow suit.
We are yet to hear from the toll companies whether they will also follow suit and offer toll free travel for the same period to Victorians.
To see more about the Summer Start, how it works and when you can jump on a Metro Tunnel train from early December, visit bigbuild.vic.gov.au/use-metro-tunnel/prepare/opening(opens in a new window).