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If you've been spending your morning commute on a rail replacement bus, eagerly awaiting the arrival of the Sydney Metro extension from Sydenham to Bankstown, we've got some very good news: the Southwest Metro has officially completed its final five-week Trial Running program. The milestone brings the long-awaited line another step closer to welcoming passengers, after more than 130 “operational scenarios” were put to the test across the network, with the extended line expected to open next month after final checks have been ticked off.
Intrigued about what the testing situation involved? Here’s what we know. According to Transport for NSW, the intensive program was designed to see how the Southwest line performs under a wide range of real-world conditions, including multi-agency emergency responses, service disruptions and other scenarios that could occur once passengers are on board. One of the biggest tests was a major emergency exercise that had been more than 12 months in the planning. It simulated a fire on a moving train, which came to a controlled stop near Bankstown Station. Fire and Rescue NSW, NSW Police and Transport for NSW were involved, with around 300 volunteers safely evacuated from the train. Phew. Now that Trial Running is complete, the team can move into the next stage of operational readiness testing, which will include running driverless trains for set periods to assess how the network performs under different scenarios.
There are still a few finishing touches happening at the ten upgraded stations between Marrickville and Bankstown, too. These include remaining platform asphalting, fencing remediation, signage installation, plus plaza and concourse finishes. And according to the government, this whole testing and commissioning process has been going on for quite some time. Since the first metro train moved onto the converted line in April 2025, more than 5,800 of the required 9,000 testing hours have been completed, along with 24,235 of the required 30,000 kilometres of testing.
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Once all the testing, regulatory approvals and accreditation are complete, the Southwest Metro will officially join the existing M1 line, creating one continuous 51.5-kilometre metro railway stretching from Tallawong to Bankstown. The completed line is expected to seriously improve journeys across Sydney's inner south-west, with predictive modelling suggesting passenger numbers on the Southwest section will increase by 34 per cent compared with the former T3 Bankstown Line. Once fully operational, the line will be capable of moving around 17,000 passengers in each direction every hour through the Sydney CBD during peak periods, and it will seriously cut travel times. Journeys from Marrickville to Gadigal will take around 12 minutes, Bankstown to Central will take 28 minutes, and you’ll be able to zoom all the way from Lakemba to North Sydney's Victoria Cross in just 37 minutes.
And if you're wondering whether those infamous pink buses are finally on their way out, Member for Summer Hill Jo Haylen says we're getting "incredibly close to saying goodbye to the pink buses and hello to Southwest Metro."
There's still no official opening date just yet, but with Trial Running ticked off the list, Southwest Metro is now entering its final stretch before passengers can jump on board – very exciting times for commuters.
One thing to note: there will be several planned closures of the M1 line in September as opening preparations continue, including a full-line closure on Sunday, September 6, overnight closures on Monday, September 7 and Wednesday, September 9 from 10pm, another full-line closure on Sunday, September 13, and a closure between Chatswood and Sydenham on Saturday, September 26 and Sunday, September 27. Replacement buses will operate between Tallawong and Chatswood during relevant closures.
You can keep tabs on progress of the Sydney Metro project over here.
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