Melbourne Airport Rail Shortlist Firms for Stage 1
Two construction consortiums have been shortlisted to deliver the final package of works for Melbourne Airport Rail Stage 1, marking a further step toward a long-planned rail link to the city’s western suburbs.
The shortlisted teams are CPB Contractors with SMEC Australia, and FCC Construction with Martinus Rail, Arcadis and BG&E.
A contract is expected to be awarded in 2027.
The works package focuses on the corridor between West Footscray and Albion, where additional tracks will be built to separate regional and metropolitan services and enable a dedicated airport line.
The project includes two new regional platforms at Sunshine Station, an extended station concourse, a new walking and cycling link across the rail corridor, and upgrades to the surrounding bus interchange and public spaces.
The broader Sunshine precinct upgrade, backed by $143 million in state funding, is intended to support increased passenger volumes and improve connectivity in Melbourne’s rapidly growing western suburbs.
Early works are already under way, including the relocation of underground utilities between Albion and Sunshine, and preparatory works for major construction, with crews installing pipeline infrastructure ahead of planned tunnelling.
The Stage 1 upgrades are designed to lift capacity through the corridor to more than 1000 train movements per day, enabling more frequent services on regional lines including Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo while preparing for future electrification of the Melton line.
Melbourne Airport Rail has been proposed for decades, with early planning dating back to the 1960s when provisions were first considered for a rail reservation to the airport.
The project has faced repeated delays due to funding disputes and shifting government priorities.
Momentum increased in 2018 when the Victorian and Federal governments committed funding to progress the link, followed by route confirmation via Sunshine and integration with the Metro Tunnel project, positioning Sunshine as a major transport superhub.
The first stage now under way is focused on unlocking capacity constraints along the existing network, which has been identified as a prerequisite for delivering a dedicated airport service.
The full Melbourne Airport Rail program includes a new rail connection branching from the upgraded corridor to the airport, along with new stations at Tottenham and Albion and a future station at Keilor East.
Stage 1 is scheduled for completion in 2030, with the broader airport link expected to follow subject to further funding and construction timelines.
Off-Market Deals, Premium Pricing, Certainty: Hyperlocal Strategy Proves its Worth
Coworking Pushes Deeper into Office Market as Cubes.Co Grows
‘Boomers Have Disrupted Everything’: Levande’s $1.5bn Pivot
Speculative Warehouses: From Sure Thing to Calculated Risk
