VIC Sunshine Station to be expanded to become a transport superhub

The new Sunshine Station – which is part of the broader Melbourne Airport Rail Link project – is being expanded to become a transport superhub and a key connection point for Melbourne CBD, the surrounding regions as well as the airport. 

The expanded scope of the Sunshine Station project will now include a new regional platform that will allow for more regional services to stop – including Bendigo services – which paves the way for the Western Rail Plan. 

“With most people travelling directly between the airport and their home, Melbourne Airport Rail Link route via Sunshine provides a solution that benefits most Victorians through good connectivity to the existing metropolitan and regional rail network. 

“This is why supporting development of Sunshine’s superhub and running airport services through the Metro Tunnel is so beneficial – it provides easy connections to these regions, to key city services and trips into the heart of the CBD in around 30 minutes,” Victorian Minister for Transport Infrastructure Jacinta Allan said. 

Once the Sunshine transport superhub is completed, train services will be able to run every two to three minutes during peak times. This includes airport services every 10 minutes as well as an 11-minute trip to the airport. 

To date, the Australian Government has invested $5 billion towards the Melbourne Airport Rail Link project. 

“The Melbourne Airport Rail Link will provide fast, reliable train services between the airport and the CBD, and help manage the transport needs of Melbourne’s growing population. 

“The project will also help better connect regional centres such as Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo with Melbourne Airport via the Sunshine station. 

“This is just one example of the Morrison Government delivering transformational infrastructure in Victoria as part of its record, $110 billion national infrastructure plan,” Federal Member for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts Paul Fletcher MP said. 

The announcement of the expansion of Sunshine Station builds on the previously announced upgrades that include extending the existing regional platforms to allow for longer nine-car VLocity trains to stop along with a new second concourse to make transferring between metro, regional and airport services easier for commuters. 

Construction on the Melbourne Airport Rail Link project is just months away from commencing and the project team is gearing up to begin utility relocation by mid this year, subject to final approvals. 

To bring about 340 team members closer to the project as well as hundreds of potential customers for local businesses, Melbourne Airport Rail Link will establish a new office at Sunshine Plaza. 

The Sunshine Station transport superhub will include: 

• A new, accessible second concourse with escalators and lifts for better passenger connections between regional, metropolitan and Melbourne Airport trains 
• Platform extensions and better access to existing platforms including more weather protection 
• Extra ticketing gates at the main entrance to improve accessibility for people, including those with luggage 
• Double the number of lifts in the station to improve accessibility and ease of movement for travellers with luggage 

Melbourne Airport Rail Link is due to be completed and operational by 2029. 

Source: Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts; Premier of Victoria – Media Centre; Victoria’s Big Build (1, 2)