The Aurecon, Jacobs and Mott MacDonald (AJM) Joint Venture has marked a major milestone with the opening of Melbourne’s Metro Tunnel, Victoria’s largest public transport investment in decades. Passenger services through the new rail corridor commenced on November 30, significantly enhancing connectivity across Melbourne’s metropolitan rail network.
The Metro Tunnel links the Sunbury line in the west with the Cranbourne and Pakenham lines in the southeast, easing congestion in the City Loop and improving access to key destinations across the city. The project is expected to accommodate an additional 500,000 passengers each week and provide better access to major hospitals, universities and employment hubs.
The AJM Joint Venture has supported the State of Victoria for more than ten years, delivering technical advisory services from the project’s early planning and investigation stages. This included supporting the initial business case in 2010 and subsequently leading technical, land planning, environmental and communications services from 2014 through to the full delivery of the Metro Tunnel Project.
Key contributions from the AJM JV included development of the reference design, site investigations, environmental assessments, planning approvals, stakeholder engagement, procurement and delivery advice, and operational readiness support. The long-term collaboration reflects a high level of technical expertise and sustained partnership across the life of the project.
The city-shaping infrastructure includes twin nine-kilometre tunnels beneath Melbourne’s central business district and five new underground stations at Arden, Parkville, State Library, Town Hall and Anzac. Full timetable integration is scheduled to begin in February 2026, when the Cranbourne, Pakenham and Sunbury lines will operate exclusively through the Metro Tunnel, bypassing the City Loop.
