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2-Year Bus Wait Ends: Sydney's Southwest Metro Extension Launches
21 Oct
Summary
- Southwest Metro extension opens Friday, October 30, ending bus replacements.
- Journey from Bankstown to Central now takes 28 minutes, saving six minutes.
- Extension boosts peak hour capacity by 17,000 passengers.
The long-awaited extension of Sydney's metro line to the south-west is set to open on Friday, October 30, concluding more than two years of reliance on replacement buses for residents. New South Wales Premier Chris Minns announced the opening, with the first service commencing at 4:31 am. This marks a significant milestone for the region, integrating ten former heavy rail stations into the driverless metro system.
The new 66-kilometre metro line will now extend from Tallawong in the north-west, through the CBD, and connect to Bankstown in the south-west. This expansion is expected to deliver substantial time savings for commuters. A journey from Bankstown to Central will be reduced to 28 minutes, a six-minute improvement, while the trip from Lakemba to Victoria Cross will take 37 minutes, saving 24 minutes.
The project faced delays due to the complexity of converting the 130-year-old heavy rail infrastructure and stations. Challenges included implementing mechanical "gap-fillers" to manage variations between platforms and trains. The extension will significantly increase capacity, accommodating an additional 17,000 people during peak hours. Metro services will operate frequently, every four minutes during peak times.
