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Fuel costs got you ditching the car in place of public transport? We hear you. And so, apparently, does Transport for NSW. In very welcome news for commuters, Sydney Metro is rolling out a temporary service boost that means shorter wait times and more trains zooming across the city. Here’s what you need to know before you tap on.
From this week until June 7, three additional trains (originally earmarked for the upcoming Southwest line) are being thrown into the mix, delivering 166 extra weekly services along the Tallawong to Sydenham stretch. That’s good news for the roughly 1.5 million passengers who use the line each week – aka, a very large chunk of Sydney.
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Peak-hour commuters will notice the biggest difference. Peak-time services, which already run every four minutes, will tighten to a breezy three-and-a-half-minute frequency during weekday peaks (specifically for 90-minute windows in the morning and afternoon rush).
Weekend plans are also getting a glow-up. From now until June 7, trains will arrive every seven minutes instead of every ten between late morning and evening – meaning an easier journey to long lunches, big nights out and spontaneous city adventures.
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Come June 7, the extra trains will head back to the Southwest Metro project for final testing ahead of its long-awaited opening later this year. Keeping them on the current line any longer would delay that rollout – and let’s be real, commuters in Sydney’s southwest have had it hard enough.
According to the NSW Government, things are ramping up in a big way behind the scenes. A five-week construction blitz is now underway on the Bankstown extension, with testing temporarily paused so crews can power through major upgrades.
Once testing resumes, expect a series of weekend closures in May (mark May 9 – 10 and 16 – 17 in your calendar) as the project moves into its next phase: trial running.
You can stay up-to-date with the Sydney Metro project here, and plan your commute across the city over here.
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