EOIs for first Melbourne Airport Rail work package now out to market

Another major milestone has been reached on the Melbourne Airport Rail Link development in Victoria with Expressions of Interest (EOIs) commencing on the first of several work packages to be awarded through a multi-stage procurement process.  

Contractors are now being invited to submit initial proposals for the delivery of works around Sunshine and Albion. This procurement approach aims to distribute workload to provide more opportunities to different contractors and suppliers. 

“Melbourne airport is one of the key gateways to Australia and provides crucial links to interstate and regional destinations, helping to drive business and trade by connecting Victorians to the rest of Australia and the world. 

“More than 100 organisations in Australia and across the world have registered their interest to be a part of building this once-in-a-generation project, which will support up to 8,000 jobs during its delivery,” Federal Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts Paul Fletcher MP said. 

The first package will include transforming Sunshine Station. This project will include a new accessible pedestrian concourse that enables transfers at either end of the platforms as well as double the number of lifts available, extra ticketing gates and weather-protected platform extensions. 

Further information on the key elements of the project will soon be shared publicly and feedback will be collected as part of the next stage of engagement. 

“We want to get construction started on this much-needed project as soon as possible and connect Melbourne Airport to Victoria's regional and metropolitan rail network. 

“Melbourne Airport Rail Link will play a critical role in Victoria's plan to transform Sunshine into a transport superhub. Together with the Metro Tunnel, Geelong Fast Rail and Western Rail Plan, we will be delivering more trains more often and provide connections to jobs, health and education services,” Minister for Transport Infrastructure Jacinta Allan MP said. 

The Melbourne Airport Rail Link will run from Melbourne Airport through to Sunshine Station, move towards Metro Tunnel and into the heart of the CBD before it continues to the Cranbourne and Pakenham lines. 

The multi-billion-dollar development will deliver new dedicated tracks along the existing Albion-Jacana freight corridor between Sunshine and Airport West. The tracks will then divert from the freight corridor to cross the M80 freeway and travel towards the airport following Airport Drive before arriving at the new premium train station at the airport. 

Once up and running, the Melbourne Airport Rail Link will provide: 

• Access to the entire public transport network including trains on the Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo and Gippsland lines with a single interchange 
• Direct access to Melbourne Airport from 30 stations without the need to change trains, for passengers travelling from the CBD and the booming south-eastern suburbs 
• A new premium station at Melbourne Airport with 10-minute services 
• Seamless travel to the heart of Melbourne's CBD in around 30 minutes 
• Direct access to key sites including Melbourne University, the Parkville medical precinct and the St Kilda Road business precinct 

The Australian and Victorian Governments have committed $5 billion each towards the development of the Melbourne Airport Rail Link. 

Subject to relevant approvals, construction on the project is anticipated to commence in 2022 with the new rail link operational by 2029. 

Source: Premier of Victoria – Media Centre; Melbourne Airport Rail (1, 2, 3)