Railways and Tramways of Australia

Metro railways are a form of high capacity rapid transit railway used in urban areas. Features include electric operation, single-deck trains, frequent services, stations generally close together, and lines mostly built underground. Services operate on a turn up and go basis, meaning that they operate frequently enough that passengers do not require a timetable. Metro railway networks exist in numerous cities of the world, particularly in Europe, North America and Asia.

 

Although underground passenger railways operate in Sydney and Melbourne, and there are short sections of underground lines in Brisbane and Perth, these are parts of larger above ground railway networks, and are not considered as Metro railways. Australia’s first Metro railway is the Sydney Metro North West line that opened on 26 May 2019 between Chatswood on the North Shore and Tallawong in the Hills District.

 

Sydney Metro North West

Sydney Metro North West is the first stage of Sydney Metro. It involved the construction of a new Metro line from Epping through Castle Hill, Kellyville and Rouse Hill to Tallawong, and the conversion of the existing Epping–Chatswood railway line into a Metro line. Metro North West services the growing suburbs of Sydney’s north-west and Hills district. It includes twin 15 km tunnels between Epping and Bella Vista, Australia’s longest rail tunnels. It also includes a 4 km elevated viaduct between Bella Vista and Rouse Hill. Eight new stations were built along the new line and the five stations on the existing Epping–Chatswood line were upgraded, including platform screen doors to improve safety.

 

Part of the Sydney Metro project is the Sydney Metro Trains Facility (SMTF), which provides stabling facilities for 20 six-car Metro trains currently in service, but will eventually have capacity for 46 six-car trains. It also includes maintenance facilities for a fleet of 76 trains on Sydney’s Metro network.

 

Journey time on the full length of the Sydney Metro North West line from Chatswood to Tallawong is 37 minutes. Trains operate every four minutes during peak periods, and every ten minutes during off peak times and on weekends.

 

Passengers travelling on Sydney Metro North West to other stations on the Sydney railway network need to change trains at Chatswood. There is no direct Metro service to the Central Business District. This arrangement will remain in place until the Sydney Metro City & Southwest is completed, and passengers will then be able to travel by Metro train directly between stations on the Sydney Metro North West line and the CBD. The journey time from the end of the line at Tallawong to Chatswood along the Metro line, and then to Wynyard in the CBD along the existing heavy railway will be 57 minutes. When the Sydney Metro North West and Sydney Metro City & Southwest have been completed, the journey time from the end of the line at Tallawong to Martin Place in the CBD will be 48 minutes.

 

Sydney Metro Railways

In addition to Sydney Metro North West, two other Metro projects are currently planned for Sydney: Sydney Metro City & Southwest and Sydney Metro West.

 

Sydney Metro City & Southwest

Sydney Metro City & Southwest incorporates two core components:

• Construction of new 15.5 km twin tunnels from Chatswood, under Sydney Harbour and through the Central Business District, to Sydenham.

• Upgrading and conversion of the existing 13.5 km railway line between Sydenham and Bankstown stations to Metro standards.

The section between Chatswood and Sydenham will be 16 km in length and will include seven new Metro stations. All of these stations will be underground and will be located at Crows Nest, Victoria Cross, Barangaroo, Martin Place, Pitt Street, Central and Waterloo. The eleven existing stations from Sydenham to Bankstown are all above ground and will be upgraded to Metro standards. Early work commenced in 2017 and the line will be operational in 2024. The Bankstown line will be shut down at various stages during the construction phase to facilitate upgrading work. When the Sydney Metro City & Southwest has been completed, the journey time from the end of the line at Bankstown to Martin Place in the CBD will be 32 minutes. The line could in future be extended from Bankstown to Liverpool.

 

An interactive map showing the routes and information regarding Sydney Metro North West and Sydney Metro City & Southwest can be viewed at <www.sydneymetro.info/map/interactive-map>.