All Eight of the New City and Southwest Metro Line Stations — Ranked

After seven long years (plus a few additional nail-biting weeks of last-minute delays), the much-anticipated City and Southwest extension of the Sydney Metro has finally opened to the public. The new driverless train system is a cutting-edge wonder, connecting Sydenham with Chatswood in just 22 minutes. At peak hours, trains arrive at each station on this 15.5-kilometre stretch every four minutes.

But beyond its game-changing speed, the new Metro line is remarkable for the sheer creativity on display at each station. Every stop has a unique design inspired by its location, both honouring the area's past and heralding a brighter future in a more connected city. Since every station has its own singular identity, we visited all eight and ranked them on the calibre of their design, the convenience offered by their amenities and the ways in which they are revitalising their respective corners of Sydney. Some wow with architectural feats, others deliver exciting culinary adventures and a few are redefining the neighbourhoods they now serve.

Here's our definitive ranking of the City and Southwest Line Metro stations.

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8: SYDENHAM

The southern end of the line is one of two overground stations on this portion of the Metro (the other being the already-operational Chatswood, north of the harbour). As such, no new station was constructed for Sydenham. Instead, major upgrades were made to the existing infrastructure, adding two new platforms and a new overpass to allow passengers to alight to other overground services. Unlike other stops on the line, the lack of major architectural works has robbed Sydenham of the creative flexes seen at its sister stations. The only hospitality offering to speak of is a single kiosk selling sandwiches, coffee and sweet treats by the main entrance, as well as a handful of vending machines — fine for a local in need of a quick caffeine fix or sugar hit on the morning commute, but certainly not worthy of a journey from elsewhere in the city.

7: CROWS NEST

Of the newly constructed stations, Crows Nest has one of the least ambitious designs with a subtly industrial vibe featuring exposed brickwork and rusted perforated panelling. Both the station's exits feature eye-catching artworks by ceramicist Esther Stewart, inspired by the historic facades of heritage-listed buildings in the area, interpreted as vibrant tile collages. While there are currently a handful of local cafes in the vicinity of the station, a major development around the Metro station, Hume Place, is nearing the end of construction and is due to open at the end of spring, 2024. This will include a retail and hospitality precinct as well as affordable housing, so expect to hear about some exciting Crows Nest openings in the coming months.

6: GADIGAL

The first thing that strikes you as you disembark at Gadigal is the organic quality of the architecture. The pale stone walls ripple like water, while exposed wooden seating runs the full length of the platform like a freshly felled tree, floating in this vertical lake. Fluidity is carried through in even subtler details, like the gently scooping brass inlays in the cream terrazzo tiles that help guide passengers as they board, and the subtle arch of the earthy bronze ceilings that run the length of the rabbit warren-esque tunnels between platforms. As you ascend the escalators, a vast mosaic artwork — The Underneath, by Callum Morton — dominates the view. Unlike the placid monochrome of the rest of the station, this shock of cartoonish colour offers a visual jolt, preparing travellers for the breakneck pace of the CBD that awaits them. While there is no hospitality offering at this station, its handy location on the edge of Hyde Park and its accomplished design make it a gem in its own right.

Maxim Boon

5: CENTRAL

Plenty of changes have already been made to Australia's busiest train terminal in recent memory, most notably the opening of the vast, 140-metre-long North-South Concourse beneath the existing overland platforms and the impressive new entrance offering easier access to the station from the L3 light rail platforms last May. The new Metro platforms, located beneath the North-South Concourse, have the same sculpted sandstone chevron motif that can be found throughout the newer areas of Central, seamlessly blending these additions to the existing infrastructure. The great depth of the Metro line at this point in the city makes for a dramatic descent on the escalators, which plunge a vertigo-inducing 25-metres. Three new hospitality areas, accessible from the North-South Concourse, are yet to be opened, but travellers can already take advantage of the dining options on the Grand Concourse and along Eddy Avenue.

4: WATERLOO

Art plays a pivotal role in the Waterloo terminal's success, making it unquestionably one of the most beautiful stations not just on the new Metro line but anywhere in Australia. A triptych of works created by Nicole Monks, championing the local Wallangang culture — past, present and future — connects the main station concourse to its pavilion-like entrance. The most striking work is a towering portrait of a young Aboriginal dancer painted with traditional ochre, captured in perforated aluminium. A sculptural work titled Community Footprints runs up the wall next to the escalators, featuring hundreds of gold and silver foot prints marking out a dance of graceful, flowing forms. By the main entrance, a lenticular sculpture titled Handwriting by Elders, offers the words "Gadigal" and "Nura", meaning country. In addition to these moving pieces, there are also exhibits of post-colonial artefacts found during the site's excavation, revealing yet another layer of historical depth to this small inner-city suburb. The dining riches of South Everleigh and Surry Hills are just a short distance from Waterloo Station, but a soon-to-be-completed dining and retail precinct just behind the station will put this area on the map as a new culinary powerhouse in the city's Inner South.

Maxim Boon

3: MARTIN PLACE

To wander the so-called Metro "superhub" of Martin Place is to experience something of what it must have been like for ancient travellers to first behold the Great Pyramids of Giza. Ok, that's perhaps overselling it, but this cavernous complex beneath the centre of the city is truly an engineering feat of epic proportions. Buried 25 meters beneath the CBD's streets, the awe-worthy multi-level atrium features 3000 square meters of retail and hospitality space. None of this flush of new venues has opened yet, but once they do, expect to see this station rising to the top of these rankings. In the meantime, passengers can enjoy some of the Metro's most impressive public artworks, including Muru Giligu — a series of dreamy light and music installations brightening one of the station's exitways.

2: BARANGAROO

Many of the new stations on the City and Southwest Line are establishing precincts, but few will be able to compete with the sheer natural splendour of the tranquil waterfront gardens at Barangaroo. The station itself is no slouch either. The walls are clad with the same roughly hewn sandstone that makes up the majority of the coastal outcrops around Sydney harbour, adorned with bronze sculptures of leafy wreaths, underlining the connection to the natural world. Outside, not only do the new green spaces finally connect the hospitality hotspots around Crown Towers and Cockle Bay with Barangaroo Reserve, but travellers can also discover a monument to a unique piece of Sydney history — the well-preserved 200-year-old remains of a vessel that was unearthed in November 2018 during the station's construction. It's believed to be the oldest colonial-era Australian-built craft to ever be fully excavated, recorded and raised.

Trent van der Jagt

1: VICTORIA CROSS

While this station may not have the immediate visual impact of some of its sister stations, its slick, futuristic design still packs a wallop. Victoria Cross is the first station on the line to have a fully functioning hospitality precinct up and running, offering an exciting glimpse of what Sydneysiders can look forward to as more of these dining destinations come online. From casual bites at Marrickville Porkroll to sit-down feeds at Mary's Burgers, there's plenty to satisfy travellers without ever leaving the station's footprint. Plus, with superb venues like the new Walker Street Precinct, RAFI and Bar Lettera just a stone's throw away, Victoria Cross is further cementing North Sydney as one of the most ascendant culinary hotspots in Sydney right now.