For the first time in five years, Sydney has a new train station, with Waterloo Metro Station – part of the new driverless fast-rail Metro line – ready to welcome passengers. This marks a huge milestone for the City Metro project, which is set to transform the way Sydneysiders get around the city when it opens later this year – zooming us around the city at record speeds. Waterloo Station is the first of six new stations set to open on the City Metro line over the next few months – but this station won’t just be a transport hub. Once it’s complete, Waterloo Metro Quarter will be home to a major housing development, and will be a key element in the government’s plan to transform the inner-city suburb. Here’s what we know so far...
Waterloo Metro Station will be a key stop on the new City Metro line – and now the NSW Government has announced its plans to transform the suburb in line with the completion of the Metro line.
The Waterloo Renewal Project is a major redevelopment announced by the government, which is set to bring a mix of housing, community facilities, shops and public open spaces to the area. Spread across four buildings, Waterloo Metro Quarter will 220 homes (a mix of social, affordable and regular private residences), student accommodation, parking, retail outlets and commercial space. There will be a big focus on affordable housing in the area – with the new Waterloo South estate set to comprise 50 per cent social and affordable homes.
Construction of the Waterloo Metro Quarter (the building directly attached to the now-complete station) started in mid-2023, and the entire site – complete with 70 social housing units, a community room, a rooftop garden and internal bike storage – is due to be complete in 2025.
Once it’s open, an estimated 19,000 passengers are predicted to use Waterloo Station every day – with the speedy train line zipping to Central in two minutes. And though the full Waterloo Metro Quarter is still very much in development, it looks like a project that could potentially bring well-connected, affordable housing within ten minutes of Sydney CBD.
“This is a great example of revitalising an inner-city community and incorporating housing and public transport.” NSW Premier Chris Minns explained.
In the meantime, try these public transport hacks to make your journey across Sydney a little easier.
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