Sydney Metro Southwest officially opens to commuters

The Sydney Metro Southwest line officially opened to the public on Friday, marking the completion of a major 66-kilometre rail project that connects Bankstown to the CBD and Sydney’s northwest. The first automated services commenced at 4:31 am, ending a two-year period where commuters relied on replacement buses following the closure of the T3 Bankstown Line.

The project involved converting a historic heavy rail line and upgrading ten heritage stations. While initially estimated at approximately $11.5 billion, the total cost for the city and southwest metro lines reached an estimated $23 billion to $25 billion. The new service is expected to increase passenger capacity by 50 per cent, with trains running every four minutes during weekday peak periods.

Key stations opened simultaneously include Bankstown, Punchbowl, Wiley Park, Lakemba, Belmore, Campsie, Canterbury, Hurlstone Park, Dulwich Hill, and Marrickville. The upgrade includes modern amenities such as platform screen doors, elevators, and improved accessibility features. The new line significantly reduces travel times, such as cutting the Bankstown to Central commute to approximately 28 minutes.