This morning marks a significant milestone for Melbourne as the much-anticipated Metro Tunnel opens to the public, effectively doubling the size of the city’s underground rail network.

Despite a series of delays and challenges, the $15 billion project is set to welcome its first passengers at 9 a.m., unveiling five brand-new stations.

The newly introduced stations—Town Hall, Anzac, Arden, State Library, and Parkville—are part of a line that stretches nearly 100 kilometers, promising to enhance connectivity across the city.

Heralded as the most substantial enhancement to Melbourne’s rail system in four decades, this development aims to significantly alleviate congestion within the city loop.

Years in the making, the project commenced tunneling back in 2019, culminating in today’s eagerly awaited launch.

Boring machines were digging as deep as 40 metres underneath Melbourne to create the tunnels, the most striking of which are two twin tunnels that run for nine kilometres.

Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan claimed it was a scare tactic to try and secure better pay, rather than publicising any actual safety concerns.

“The claims that have been made by the union today are wrong and they’ve also been clearly rejected by the rail safety regulator, who is the expert on this matter,” Allan said.

“These claims are being made perhaps more for industrial purposes than anything else.”