Anzac Station opens with Metro Tunnel, transforming transport links through St Kilda Rd and Southbank

Melbourne’s new Anzac Station has officially opened to passengers with the launch of the Metro Tunnel, delivering the first heavy-rail connection to St Kilda Rd and reshaping how people move through the city’s inner south.

The station – one of five new underground stations delivered as part of the $12 billion project – is already being hailed as one of the most significant additions to Melbourne’s transport network in a generation, providing a direct rail link to key destinations including the Shrine of Remembrance, the Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne Grammar, Albert Park and the city’s arts and employment precincts.

The opening of the Metro Tunnel one year ahead of schedule has brought Anzac Station online earlier than expected, with trains now running beneath St Kilda Rd for the first time.

The 120-metre pedestrian underpass, opened in late November, is now fully integrated with the station, allowing passengers to reach the Shrine and Albert Road Reserve without crossing the boulevard’s six lanes of traffic.

The landmark station also features Melbourne’s first tram-train interchange directly above the concourse, enabling passengers to step from a tram onto a train in one seamless connection – a major boost for Southbank and South Melbourne residents who previously relied solely on trams and buses for city access.

Beyond transport, Anzac Station has been designed as a place of remembrance. Etched glass panels feature botanical species connected to Australia’s wartime history, including the Lone Pine and Gallipoli Rose, while a Path of Remembrance leads directly to the Shrine, marked with bronze poppies symbolising the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. Two bronze sculptures honour Victorian-bred carrier pigeons awarded the Dickin Medal for wartime bravery.

Works around the station have also delivered wider public benefits, including upgrades to Albert Road Reserve with new seating, barbecues and the restored South African Soldiers' Memorial, as well as improvements to nearby South Yarra Siding Reserve.

Premier Jacinta Allan said, “This will connect Victorians to some of our most iconic landmarks and make it easier and safer for people to move through one of the busiest parts of Melbourne.”

The Metro Tunnel’s opening on November 30 marks the biggest expansion of Melbourne’s underground rail system in 40 years. By diverting trains away from the congested City Loop and freeing up capacity across multiple lines, the new tunnel enables more frequent services across the network.

For Southbank – and its most southern reaches in Southbank Village in particular – the arrival of Anzac Station represents a long-awaited shift in transport accessibility. Residents now have a direct rail link on their doorstep for the first time, reducing travel times to the CBD, Parkville, Arden and the western suburbs.