First Look: Transport for NSW Has Revealed Several New Metro Stations as the New Rail Fleet Begins Testing

Transport for NSW has announced that the first phase of the City and Southwest line of the Sydney Metro will open to the public in August, 2024, and that the new fleet of fast trains has begun testing the lines connecting the nine new stations between Sydenham and Chatswood.

In the coming weeks before opening, empty trains will simulate a full-service timetable to put the new stations and the staff operating them through their paces. This is the last phase of over one year of tests — which will total a whopping 11,000 hours of assessments once completed later this month — to fine-tune the systems and infrastructure that will make Sydney's new state-of-the-art under-city train line a significant asset to commuters from both north of the harbour and south of the CBD. The tests include simulations of potential emergencies so station staff are thoroughly drilled on how to respond to unplanned events and disruptions to services.

Transport for NSW has also revealed a sneak peek at some of the new stations waiting patiently beneath Sydney's streets, including Waterloo, Barangaroo, and Martin Place. Shots of the new train interiors also reveal bulkhead-free, single-decker carriages with digital displays and teal and grey upholstery.

However, while the inner city lines are all but ready to receive passengers, the Metro project is far from finished. The next phase will expand the service from Sydenham to Bankstown, which will involve a 12-month suspension of the current T3 Bankstown train service while tracks and systems are converted to the new fleet's specs ahead of an expected 2025 opening.

A major milestone has also been reached at the Western Sydney Airport portion of the Metro extension. All tunnels required for the extension, which will service the planned Badgerys Creek Aerotropolis, have been successfully bored, keeping construction on track to reach completion by 2026.

Barangaroo Station

Barangaroo Station

Martin Place Station

Victoria Cross Station

The Chatswood to Sydenham section of Sydney Metro's City and Southwest line will open in August. Visit the Sydney Metro website for more details.