Towards the end of last month, an estimated opening date for Sydney’s new fast-rail metro system was released, with launch slated for early August. Now, a date has been announced, with the first passengers set to ride the super-speedy driverless train line on Sunday, August 4 – as long as all remaining tests go to plan. The exact opening date is set to be confirmed over the next few weeks, as the final trials are carried out on Sydney’s shiny new underground transport system. Here’s what we know so far.
What is Sydney Metro?
Sydney Metro is a new fast and frequent rail system for Sydney. The aim of the project is to provide fast, frequent, reliable transport throughout Sydney as it grows – connecting Sydneysiders to the city’s main and emerging commercial and residential hubs (with close links to the government’s housing plan, which aims to deliver more well-located, affordable housing).
The newest stretch of what’s known as the M1 line (which will eventually run all the way from Bankstown to Tallawong) connects Chatswood to Sydenham, running beneath Sydney Harbour. The new stretch of fast train line is set to feature accessible platforms, simple interchanges, uninterrupted mobile coverage, secure bike parking at stations and high-spec travel safety features.
Once this stretch of the M1 (the City and Southwest line) is open, it will take commuters from Sydenham to Chatswood in 22 minutes.
Trains are set to run every four minutes during peak times, with 2,645 services travelling through the heart of the city each week, moving more than 37,000 people during the morning peak.
There are still more than 100 trials to be completed before Sydneysiders can climb aboard.
Where will the Sydney Metro go?
The Sydney Metro currently comprises one operational line: the Metro North West Line, which runs from Tallawong to Chatswood. By 2026, this line is set to extend all the way to Bankstown, with the City and Southwest stretch – running through the CBD from Sydenham to Chatswood – set to open on Sunday, August 4.
Once the City and Southwest stretch is complete, the next focus will be on completing work between Sydenham and Bankstown, which will require the current train line between those two stations to close. There are also plans for Sydney Metro West – a line from the Sydney CBD to Westmead via Parramatta – and Sydney Metro Western Sydney Airport – a new line connecting St Marys to the new Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport and the neighbouring CBD.
When will the new Sydney Metro open?
As explained above, there are several phases set to be completed over the next few years (with Sydney Metro West not set to open until 2032), but the latest stage of the M1 metro network (the City and Southwest line) is set to open very soon – with Sunday, August 4 the slated launch date.
What stations are on the Sydney Metro line?
According to current plans, there are set to be 46 stations on the Metro Network once it’s complete. The City to Southwest line (a continuation of the Metro North West Line, which opened back in 2019) will connect Chatswood to Bankstown via Central, with new stations at Crows Nest, Victoria Cross, Barangaroo, Martin Place, Pitt Street, Waterloo, and new underground platforms at Central. The stations on the Sydney Metro M1 line that are set to be in operation from Sunday, August 4 are:
Chatswood
Crows Nest
Victoria Cross
Barangaroo
Martin Place (the new metro superhub)
Gadigal
Central
Waterloo
Sydenham
Over the next few months, the T3 Bankstown Line between Bankstown and Sydenham will close and be converted into a metro line, with the M1 line continuing to the following stations:
Marrickville
Dulwich Hill
Hurlstone Park
Canterbury
Campsie
Belmore
Lakemba
Wiley Park
Punchbowl
Bankstown
While work on the Sydenham to Bankstown line is carried out, replacement transport systems will be in place across Sydney’s Inner West (more on that here).
Want to know how long it will take to get from A to B on the Sydney Metro? You can find the Metro journey times here.
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