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There’s a lot in the works when it comes to Sydney’s Metro network, and commuters in Southwest Sydney have just scored a sneak peek of what’s around the corner. On track to connect to Sydney’s (long awaited) Metro Southwest line, a brand-new public plaza has opened at Bankstown Station, creating a leafy new link between the suburb’s north and south sides.
The new 90-metre-long plaza runs between Restwell Street and Appian Way, creating a direct north–south pedestrian corridor through Bankstown’s station precinct. For context, Bankstown is already one of Sydney’s busiest transport interchanges – with more than 330,000 passengers moving through the station in February alone. That number is expected to surge once the Metro Southwest line begins running – and the new station precinct has opened up ahead of time.
A new entrance has opened with nine additional Opal gates, and there’s improved weather protection thanks to new station canopies and shelters. The precinct also includes secure storage for 36 bikes, extra bicycle parking spaces and even a bike repair station, alongside new Kiss-and-Ride spaces and accessible parking nearby. Shaded by 24 trees, with timber decking punctuated by benches, it’s designed not just as a commuter thoroughfare but as a welcoming public space. Bankstown’s iconic 150-year-old fig tree is the focal point, now illuminated by lighting fixtures and surrounded by seating, and according to the NSW Government, the space has been “future-proofed” for potential dining and retail outlets.
And this is just the beginning. The Metro station at the southern end of the precinct is in its final stages of construction and is expected to welcome more than 2,300 passengers per hour during peak times – zipping commuters into the CBD in just 30 minutes, and shaving an estimated 25 minutes off trips to Chatswood and Macquarie University.
An exact opening date for the extended metro line hasn’t been confirmed. In the meantime, head to Bankstown plaza and daydream about the well-connected future that awaits.
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