Victoria’s Suburban Rail Loop East is moving forward with the expressions-of-interest campaign to build six underground stations open.
The project will deliver twin 26km rail tunnels, and six new underground stations, including four with interchanges to existing stations at Cheltenham, Clayton, Glen Waverley and Box Hill, and new stations at Monash and Burwood.
Two contracts will be awarded for the six stations in Melbourne’s south-east.
The first of the two contracts, the Stations North package comprising the Box Hill, Burwood and Glen Waverley stations, will be awarded in early 2026, followed by the Stations South package—Monash, Clayton and Cheltenham stations.
Around 15,000 passengers are expected to pass through the Box Hill and Clayton stations daily when the project is operational in 2035.
It has been forecast the new route will take 600,000 cars off the road annually.
The project will connect several suburbs in Melbourne’s east and south-east that are employment, health and education centres with additional infill development set to create 70,000 new homes near the stations, according to the state.
Early works at the station sites are under way to prepare for tunnelling operations.
Communities are being consulted on what they want built within the Suburban Rail Loop precincts. The Draft SRL East Precinct Visions was released in December.
The State Government has also released key directions for each precinct, proposing taller residential and commercial buildings in precinct cores next to the new stations, and more townhouses and mid-rise apartments near existing housing within walking distance. 
▲ A render of the SRL East station at Box Hill.
More jobs and homes in commercial and industrial pockets are also proposed with more than 230,000 new jobs to be created across the six precincts.
Feedback has already shaped the key directions with residents asking that Whitehorse Road and Station Street within the Box Hill precinct be more accessible and walkable, with a linear park along Whitehorse Road.
“We’ve taken onboard years of community feedback and this is just the next step in a detailed and proper planning process that involves locals every step of the way,” minister for suburban rail loop Danny Pearson said.
