The ambitious Sydney Metro project is set to revolutionise the way Sydneysiders travel connecting Sydney’s northwest, west, southwest and greater west to fast and regular metro services. Commuters can also expect new station locations on the speedy network and upgrades to existing locations. The metro services are expected to significantly reduce travel time including from Martin Place to Crows Nest in just seven minutes and Central to Chatswood in fifteen minutes. It’s being touted as one of the world’s largest suburban rail projects. Here’s everything you need to know.
What is the Sydney Metro?
The Sydney Metro is a fully automated metro rail system that is set to dramatically increase Sydney’s rail capacity by 60%. By 2030, Sydney will have a network of 4 metro lines, 46 stations and 113 km of new metro rail. Aside from better and much faster connection, commuters can expect enhanced public spaces and infrastructure upgrades. State-of-the-art technology will keep commuters connected throughout the underground journey with continuous mobile phone coverage and real-time information displayed at all the stations. The Sydney Metro is also Australia’s only fully accessible and driverless train service.
Where will it go?
Sydney Metro Northwest has been operational since 2019 with services running from Chatswood to Rouse Hill’s Tallawong Station.
Sydney Metro City & Southwest extends services from where Sydney Metro Northwest ends services in Chatswood to Bankstown in South West Sydney. It includes two major constituents: Chatswood to Sydenham and Sydenham to Bankstown. The Sydney Metro rail line from Chatswood to Sydenham has new stations at Crows Nest, Victoria Cross, Barangaroo, Martin Place, Pitt Street, and Waterloo along with new underground platforms at Central.
The T3 Bankstown Line between Sydenham and Bankstown will further be upgraded to metro services with train services every 4 minutes. Upgrades to this line will see a 12-month shutdown starting between July and October 2024.
The Western Sydney Airport Line will be a new metro rail line running from St Marys on the existing T1 route to the Western Sydney Aerotropolis and the Sydney Metro West will be a 24-kilometre underground metro railway with enhanced connectivity between Parramatta and Sydney CBD but the opening is not expected until at least 2032. Presently the focus is on the Sydney Metro City and Southwest line.
What are the travel times?
You can expect to reach your destination in record time. Here are the estimated times between stations on the Sydney Metro City & Southwest line.
- Castle Hill to Martin Place in 35 minutes
- Macquarie University to Central in 26 minutes
- Chatswood to Gadigal in 13 minutes
- North Sydney’s Victoria Cross under the Sydney Harbour to Barangaroo in 3 minutes
- Central to Martin Place in 4 minutes
- Central to Sydenham in 7 minutes
- Sydenham to Chatswood in 22 minutes
When will it open?
Sydney Metro is expected to open in mid-2024 with testing currently underway. Over 8,700 hours of a total of 11,000 hours of required testing have been completed. keep your eyes peeled here for updates.
Other features
Aside from the higher frequency of trains both day and night, there are a number of other exciting features travellers can look forward to including no timetable, which means that customers can turn up at the station and get the metro, customer service assistants at every station and snazzy Australian-first platform screen doors.
Get more information about Sydney Metro here.