Metro Tunnel Milestone – Six Laps Around the World
Metro Tunnel Milestone – Six Laps Around the World
Hundreds of drivers are now trained and ready to take passengers through the Metro Tunnel ahead of the project opening later this year.
Metro CEO Raymond O’Flaherty joined Minister for Transport Infrastructure Gabrielle Williams at Anzac Station to announce that nearly 500 drivers are ready to take passengers through the new twin tunnels and five underground stations.
“Drivers are playing a critical role in the project’s trial operations phase, with trains running thousands of kilometres inside the tunnel to build reliability in the new systems,” O’Flaherty said.
“They’re a fantastic team and I’m so proud of the way they’re working systematically through the testing phase.”
Around 100 new drivers were recruited in 2022 to support the opening, completing an intensive 44-week program that included classroom, simulator and on-the-job training.
Hundreds more drivers have been trained on the Metro Tunnel’s state-of-the-art systems, including High Capacity Metro Trains, new signalling technology and Victoria’s first platform screen doors.
Drivers have clocked up thousands of hours behind the controls as part of trial operations, with test trains already travelling more than 265,000 kilometres – equivalent to more than six laps of the world.
While driver training ramps up as part of the project’s trial operations phase, station staff are also being trained in the many processes and procedures that will be needed to operate the new stations safely.
More than 200 station staff, including Station Masters, Senior Station Officers, Station Officers and Station Assistants, will work across the five new stations – Arden, Parkville, State Library, Town Hall and Anzac.
The Metro Tunnel is the biggest transformation of Melbourne’s rail network in more than 40 years and will free up capacity in the City Loop to run more trains more often across more lines.