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Yep, it’s happening. After more than two years of work, Sydney’s long-awaited Southwest Metro extension is finally set to open to passengers next Friday, October 30, connecting Bankstown and the Inner West all the way to Tallawong in Sydney’s northwest. The opening date was confirmed by the NSW Government after the project received final safety approval from the Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator just yesterday (Wednesday, October 21). The announcement follows more than 30,000 kilometres of testing and a pretty promising 6,000 timetabled test runs.
RELATED READ: Here's where Sydney Metro will go once it's complete
If you’re keen to be the first to zoom all the way through the city, the first services will depart at 4.31am. Early-risers, assemble. The new 66-kilometre driverless train line will connect communities from Bankstown through the CBD to the northwest, with trains running every four minutes during weekday peak hours. The new line will increase passenger capacity by 50 per cent compared with the old T3 Bankstown Line, with more than 2,600 driverless services expected to run across the Sydney Metro network each week. For commuters across southwest Sydney, the change should make getting around the city a whole lot easier. Here are some of the key journey times to know:
- Bankstown to Central: 28 minutes, saving 6 minutes
- Marrickville to Gadigal: 12 minutes, saving 12 minutes
- Campsie to Macquarie University: 44 minutes, saving 17 minutes
- Lakemba to Victoria Cross: 37 minutes, saving 24 minutes
- Canterbury to Chatswood: 31 minutes, saving 23 minutes
As part of the conversion, stations along the line have scored some major upgrades including platform screen doors, new lifts, improved customer information systems and enhanced security technology. Five stations – Wiley Park, Dulwich Hill, Hurlstone Park, Punchbowl and Canterbury – will be accessible by lift for the first time, making the network easier to navigate for people with disability, passengers with mobility needs and families with prams.
According to Transport for NSW, services will run every five minutes during the day and every ten minutes in the evenings and on weekends. On the opening weekend, October 31 and November 1, trains will run every seven minutes to accommodate the expected increase in Sydney’s metro enthusiasts (guilty) keen to try out the new line.
As you’d imagine, the transition might not be entirely seamless. Transport for NSW has warned of potential minor teething issues as services get underway, and six of the trains’ 360 doors will remain temporarily closed as an additional safety precaution. Extra staff will be stationed at every metro station and on trains to help passengers find their way around.
The pink Southwest Link buses will also continue running on Friday, October 30, and throughout the first weekend of metro services, giving locals time to familiarise themselves with the new network.
If you’re keen to celebrate the opening, there will be activities at Bankstown Metro Station and Dulwich Hill Metro Station on Sunday, November 1, from 10am to 1pm.
You can learn more and keep tabs on progress of the Sydney Metro project over here.
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