Driverless Metro Systems for Melbourne’s Suburban Rail Loop

 

Alstom has secured a €1.0 billion share of a multi-billion-euro contract for the Suburban Rail Loop East project in Melbourne, contributing rolling stock, signalling, digital infrastructure, maintenance, and system integration for a fully automated metro line.

 

Contract scope and alliance structure

The Suburban Rail Loop Authority has awarded a €4.9 billion contract for the East section of Victoria’s Suburban Rail Loop (SRL) to the TransitLinX Alliance. Alstom’s portion of the contract amounts to €1.0 billion and covers end-to-end rail systems delivery, including rolling stock, signalling, digital infrastructure, long-term maintenance, and overall system integration.

 

The TransitLinX Alliance brings together John Holland, KBR, WSP, RATP Dev, and Alstom, combining construction, engineering, operations, and rail systems expertise for delivery of the project.

 

Rolling stock and automation architecture

Alstom will assemble and supply 13 four-car Metropolis metro trains at its Dandenong manufacturing facility in Victoria. The fleet will operate under Grade of Automation 4 (GOA4), enabling fully unattended train operation without onboard drivers.

 

Train operations will be managed by Alstom’s Urbalis Forward communications-based train control system. This CBTC architecture supports high-capacity, high-frequency metro operations through continuous train supervision, precise train localisation, and real-time communications between trains and wayside systems.

 

Signalling, digital systems, and system integration

Beyond rolling stock, Alstom’s scope includes delivery of signalling and digital infrastructure required to support automated operations. System integration responsibilities span the coordination of trains, signalling, platform systems, and maintenance interfaces to ensure reliable end-to-end performance.

 

Such integration is critical in driverless metro environments, where system availability depends on tightly coupled interactions between onboard systems, control centres, and trackside equipment.

 

Maintenance strategy and lifecycle support

Alstom will provide its FlexCare Perform maintenance solution for a 15-year period, covering the Metropolis fleet as well as signalling and associated infrastructure. Maintenance activities will be carried out at a purpose-built depot in Heatherton, Melbourne.

 

The long-term maintenance scope is designed to support high availability and predictable lifecycle performance, using condition-based maintenance practices aligned with automated metro operations.

 

Project timeline and network context

The Suburban Rail Loop is Australia’s largest rail and housing infrastructure program, planned as a 90 km orbital rail line connecting Melbourne’s middle suburbs. The SRL East section forms the first stage of the program, comprising 26 km of underground railway and six stations located near major employment, education, and health precincts.

 

The first Metropolis trains for SRL East are scheduled to enter passenger service in 2035.

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