Australia and the World Past and Present

The absence of a dedicated rail link between the Melbourne CBD and Melbourne Airport is one of Australia’s longest-running transport policy debates.

Melbourne remains without a direct airport rail connection despite decades of proposals.

The airport was originally built without rail provision.

When Melbourne Airport (then known as Tullamarine Airport) opened in 1970, Melbourne’s population was much smaller. Air travel was less common and governments did not consider an airport railway a high priority. The airport was designed primarily around road access.

Once major roads and surrounding development were established, adding rail later became much more expensive and complex than if it had been incorporated into the original design.

One challenge would be constructing new rail infrastructure into the airport precinct.

Because governments face competing priorities, airport rail has repeatedly been deferred.

For many years, the privately operated SkyBus provided a relatively frequent connection between Southern Cross Station and the airport.

One reason the project has taken so long is due to disagreement over how it should be built.

Different proposals have included using the Albion corridor via Sunshine, dedicated express tracks or even integration with broader regional rail projects.

Airport rail requires cooperation between the Commonwealth Government, the Victorian Government and Melbourne Airport’s private owners.

For many years there was no agreement on how costs would be shared, who would own the infrastructure and whether the airport operator should contribute financially.

Changes of government at both state and federal levels also contributed to a lack of progress.

Melbourne Airport is operated by a private company under a long-term lease.

There is an initial 50-year lease plus an option for a further 49 years. The lease began in 1997 and the initial term expires in 2047. If the extension option is taken up, final expiry would be in 2096.

The lease was granted by the Commonwealth Government which still owns the land.

The most advanced airport rail proposal to date involved connecting the airport to Sunshine Station and running services through the Metro Tunnel network.

Supporters argue that a rail link would reduce traffic congestion on the Tullamarine Freeway, encourage public transport use and support Melbourne’s long-term population growth.

In Melbourne, the main blockages to airport rail have been around funding, political disagreement, route selection and negotiations with the airport operator.