Name: Thousands walk West Gate Tunnel ahead of opening
Uploaded: 2025-11-16T07:05:20.675Z
Duration: 1 min 52 s
Description: More than 50,000 people have taken the chance to explore Melbourne’s West Gate Tunnel on foot before the new link finally opens next month. It’s not the only major transport project set to come to fruition.

More than 50,000 people have taken the chance to explore Melbourne’s West Gate Tunnel on foot before the new link finally opens next month. It’s not the only major transport project set to come to fruition.

Melbourne

Melbourne's five new underground train stations and nine kilometres of tunnels are set to open to passengers on November 30, a full year ahead of schedule. The project, which cost $15.5 billion—about $4 billion over the initial budget—will connect the city's north and south and is expected to reshape urban transport.

Meanwhile, the $10.2 billion Westgate Tunnel in the western suburbs is nearing completion, with 50,000 people recently visiting the site. Despite being three years behind schedule and nearly $4 billion over budget, the tunnel is anticipated to save motorists up to 20 minutes in travel time, with the opening date to be confirmed soon.

Thousands walk West Gate Tunnel ahead of opening

A reason to smile for the Prime Minister and Victoria's Premier as they toured Melbourne's five new underground train stations along nine kilometres of tunnels. As you can see that precision in the drivers, everything lines up. The new link set to reshape how the city moves when it opens to passengers on November 30. Not only is that earlier than what we'd initially planned, it's a full year ahead of schedule. But it hasn't arrived on budget, costing $15.5 billion, around $4 billion more than initially promised. The project connects the north and south, Anthony Albanese now turning his sights east and west. I can confirm today that there will be additional funding in our budget in May for suburban rail loop. The four tunnel boring machines for the job, now on the way to Melbourne from China. While out in the western suburbs, 50,000 people turned out to trek into the $10.2 billion Westgate Tunnel. The new road link set to save motorists up to 20 minutes. Phenomenal. Unbelievable. It's incredible. This is actually kind of amazing and cool. It's pretty exciting. It's nice to see it finished. I've been walking and driving through this for a really long time, glad to see it over. Before the walk and run, the firefighters' union warned the event wasn't safe. Do not put people into a tunnel until you've done live scenario testing. That hasn't happened. We simply would not be holding an event like this if it wasn't safe. It's three years behind schedule and almost $4 billion over budget, and it's been a major disruption during construction. But finally, there is light at the end of this tunnel for residents and motorists. It'll open next month, but an exact date hasn't been locked in. There's some final finishing touches going into the tunnel as we speak. Harvey Biggs, 10 News.

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