Testing begins on Sydenham to Bankstown line ahead of mid-October opening
The long-awaited extension of Sydney’s $30 billion M1 metro line has reached a major milestone, with testing along the length of the line, including the problematic link between Sydenham and Bankstown, ahead of a possible opening date in mid-October.
After almost two years of traveling on pink buses, the end is now on the horizon for commuters as tube trains completed the first end-to-end journeys along the entire line between Bankstown and Tallawong during testing at the weekend.
With the works almost complete, the railway has been formally handed over to its operator, Metro Trains Sydney, and end-to-end operations will be gradually added during periods of higher patronage over the coming weeks, ahead of final trial runs and regulatory safety approvals.
It will be a relief for tens of thousands of passengers who had to be caught replacement buses Every day between Sydenham and Bankstown since the line closed September 2024 Completion of the last 13 kilometers M1 line.
The government says the south-west extension of the line will provide capacity for an extra 17,000 people per hour during peak periods and significantly reduce travel times across the network.
The journey from Marrickville to Gadigal station in the city will take 12 minutes, saving 12 minutes. The journey from Lakemba to Victoria Cross in North Sydney will take 37 minutes – a saving of 24 minutes. The 28-minute journey from Bankstown to Central will be six minutes faster than now.
After a series of delays to the opening, the government has steadfastly refused to set a completion date other than to say the southwest metro will be completed in the second half of this year.
The former Coalition government told passengers in 2018 that the line should be closed for three to six months. Before the line closes in September 2024The Minns government has warned it could take longer than its previous 12-month forecast.
However, completion of the handover to the network operator follows the timeline previously outlined in confidential documents obtained by Sydney Metro. Herald If all goes as planned, this means the completed line will likely be on target for an October 18 opening date.
Prime Minister Chris Minns said testing showed “we are in the final stages”.
“I know communities in south-west Sydney have been incredibly patient while this work has been carried out. We still have a lot to do to make sure everything is thoroughly tested and ready before we welcome passengers,” he said.
“When the Southwest Metro opens later this year, it will completely transform the way people travel in Sydney, providing thousands of people with faster, more frequent and more reliable public transport every day.”
Passengers will continue to travel between Tallawong and Sydenham when final testing begins, but from Tuesday these services will reach Platform 2 at Sydenham permanently for the first time. The empty trains will then continue towards Bankstown as part of the tests.
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