Sydney Metro City project to launch on 4 August 2024

Credit: Transport for New South Wales

Transport for New South Wales (TfNSW) has announced that Sydney is poised to inaugurate a new era of transportation with the launch of the Sydney Metro City project on 4 August 2024. This initiative promises fast, safe and reliable metro services through the city, contingent on the successful completion of trial running exercises, system performance tests and final regulatory approvals.

The project extends the existing Metro North West line from Chatswood, traversing 15.5km below Sydney Harbour and the CBD, reaching out to Sydenham. This expansion includes new underground stations at Crows Nest, Victoria Cross, Barangaroo, Martin Place, Gadigal and Waterloo, along with new metro platforms at Central and Sydenham.

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Key features of the new metro services:

• Frequent services: Trains will arrive every four minutes during peak times, with no need for a timetable
• Increased capacity: The new metro will introduce 2,645 services weekly, aiming to move over 37,000 people during the morning peak, a 160% increase in patronage compared to the current Tallawong to Chatswood section
• Comprehensive connectivity: The line expects more than 264,000 trips on a typical weekday from Tallawong to Sydenham
• Enhanced facilities: The stations will be fully accessible, feature platform screen doors, offer seamless interchanges with other transport modes and provide over 900 bike storage spaces. The network will also ensure uninterrupted mobile coverage and will be monitored by state-of-the-art control centres and CCTV cameras.

Additional safety measures include joint exercises with emergency services, station-specific evacuation drills and contingency testing for service disruptions. Information on services will be available at stations and on the Transport NSW website before the opening.

The T3 Bankstown Line will close later this year for up to 12 months for final metro conversion works. Once re-opened in 2025, Southwest Sydney will benefit from metro services every four minutes during peak times directly into the CBD. During the closure, a comprehensive transport plan will ensure continued mobility, including high-frequency bus services between Sydenham and Bankstown.