- Stage 2 of Sydney Metro Line Opens
- Commuters can travel from the northwest of the city to Sydenham
Australia’s most expensive public transport project is welcoming thousands of commuters for the first time today, seven years after construction began.
It is expected that 200,000 passengers will use the Sydney Metro network on Monday alone.
Stage two of the self-driving train network between Chatswood and Sydney includes four new underground stations beneath Sydney’s CBD.
It is an extension of the existing Sydney Metro line that opened in 2019 between Tallawong in Sydney’s north-west and Chatswood on the north shore.
The planned opening of the $21 billion self-driving metro network was delayed by two weeks after delays in regulatory approvals impacted the new line’s opening date.
The first train from Tallawong to Sydnenham departs at 04:38, while the first train in the opposite direction departs at 04:54.
During rush hours in the morning and evening, trains run every four minutes in both directions.
New South Wales Transport Minister Jo Haylen had some advice for first-time train travellers.
Stage two of the Sydney Metro rail network between Chatswood and Sydenham opens on Monday. Pictured is the new Crows Nest station
“First of all, these trains run frequently and quickly, so you have to take your time,” said Ms. Haylen.
‘Parents and caregivers, hold your child’s hand because you don’t want them to be on one train and you on another.
“Also, these trains leave quickly, so make sure you hold on tight. You don’t want to end up on the ground.”
The city’s metro project, planned and launched under the former New South Wales Coalition government, has faced a series of cost overruns since it was approved in early 2017.
The final bill for the Sydney Metro City and Southwest line is expected to be around $21.5 billion, $9 billion more than the original price.
A Sydney Metro City train line stops at Sydenham station as part of testing ahead of opening this week
Several factors contributed to the delay in opening the new line, including strikes and problems on the existing northwestern section of the line, which left passengers stranded for hours.
It is part of a wider rollout of metro services in the city, which together form the country’s largest public transport project.
The Sydney Metro West line will connect to Parramatta, while a third project will connect St Marys to the region’s new airport in the city’s south-west.