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If you've been spending your morning commute on a rail replacement bus, eagerly awaiting the arrival of the Sydney Metro extension from Sydenham to Bankstown, we’ve got news: the project has just hit its biggest milestone yet. For the first time, Metro trains are now successfully running the entire length of the M1 line between Bankstown and Tallawong during testing, marking a major step towards the Southwest Metro opening to passengers later this year. Commuters of Sydney’s Inner West rejoice.
RELATED READ: Here’s where the Sydney Metro Project will go once it’s complete
According to Transport for NSW, the newly connected line has officially been handed over to operator Metro Trains Sydney, with final testing now underway before the extension can welcome its first passengers. During weekend trial runs, every second train successfully completed the full journey from Bankstown to Tallawong, with more end-to-end services set to be progressively introduced as testing ramps up. While passengers can't make the full trip just yet, you'll notice one small change if you're travelling on the M1. From now on, Metro services from Tallawong will permanently arrive at Platform 2 at Sydenham before continuing to Bankstown for testing. Passengers will still need to disembark at Sydenham, while citybound services will continue to depart from Platform 1.
According to Transport for NSW, there's still a little way to go before opening day. Around 22,000 of the required 30,000 kilometres of testing has now been completed, along with more than half of the required 9,000 hours of trial running. Once it opens thought, the Southwest Metro is expected to transform public transport across Sydney's southwest, delivering capacity for an additional 17,000 passengers per hour during peak periods and significantly reducing travel times across the network.
Once open, you’ll be able to zoom from Marrickville to Gadigal in 12 minutes (saving 12 minutes), from Bankstown to Central in 28 minutes (saving six minutes) and from Lakemba to North Sydney’s Victoria Cross in just 37 minutes (saving 24 minutes).
NSW Premier Chris Minns described the milestone as a sign the project is now "in the home stretch", saying the connected railway will "completely change the way people travel across Sydney" once it opens. Before that happens, though, there are still a few planned closures to help complete testing. The M1 Metro line will close on July 18-19, July 25-26, and from 9.50pm nightly between July 27 and 29, with replacement buses operating between Tallawong and Chatswood while Sydney Trains services continue between Chatswood, the CBD and Sydenham.
An official opening date for the Southwest Metro is yet to be announced, but with trains now successfully travelling from Bankstown to Tallawong as one connected railway, we’re officially on track (pardon).
You can keep tabs on progress of the Sydney Metro project over here.
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