Melbourne Airport Rail Link moves two steps closer to realisation

AUSTRALIA: The Victorian Infrastructure Delivery Authority has announced the preferred bidder to rebuild Sunshine station as part of Stage 1 of Melbourne’s long-planned Airport Rail Link. It has also committed to starting Stage 2 works in 2028, leaving the final stage without a timescale. The airport rail project is being delivered in three stages. Stage 1 comprises the comprehensive remodelling of Sunshine station, Stage 2 would see the construction of 7.4 km of new tracks along the existing freight line to Keilor East and Stage 3 would involve the airport link.

When completed, services from the airport would continue beyond Sunshine over existing lines to reach the Metro Tunnel through the CBD, which opened in November 2025.

On October 21 VIDA named the Network Integration Program Alliance consortium of CPB Contractors and SMEC as preferred bidder to carry out upgrading works at Sunshine station. This aims to enable the station to handle more than 1 000 trains a day, offer more capacity and serve as a key interchange for airport and regional services.

The alliance is to build two additional platforms at Sunshine for regional trains, allowing future airport trains to use the current platforms. The existing concourse is to be extended, forecourts built on both sides of the station and the bus interchange upgraded.

This story was originally published by Railway Gazette. Read the full story at Railway Gazette →