WORLD · 22 Oct 2026 · 08:22 GMT ·2 min read

Sydney Metro South-West line opens on October 30, 2026, following a $20 billion conversion project.

NSW Premier Chris Minns announced the south-west metro extension will open on October 30, 2026.

NEUTRALITY 49 · MIXED· 2 sources

The Guardian World

NSW Premier Chris Minns announced the south-west metro extension will open on October 30, 2026. The line links Bankstown to the Sydney CBD and the north-west. This creates a 66km route from Tallawong. Commuters will save six minutes on the trip from Bankstown to Central. The system increases peak-hour capacity by 17,000 passengers. Converting the former T3 heavy rail line cost over $20 billion. The line opens on October 30, 2026. However, six of its 360 doors will remain closed for testing. Replacement buses will run during the first weekend.

Context

The project began in 2014 under the former Coalition government. The Labor Party opposed the metro plan during the 2019 election. The party committed to finishing the work after Chris Minns became premier in 2023.

Construction involved converting the 130-year-old T3 heavy rail line into a driverless rapid transit system. Workers closed the line in September 2024 to upgrade stations and install mechanical gap-fillers.

The city metro section opened in August 2024. The final south-west link completes the 66km route. The extension connects south-western suburbs to the Sydney Central Business District (CBD), North Sydney, and the north-west.

The line officially opens on October 30, 2026. Six doors will remain closed to allow for data collection on the reliability of the new mechanical gap-fillers. Pink rail replacement buses will operate through the first weekend of service. The combined cost of the city and south-west metro sections exceeds $20 billion.

Supportive perspectives

The extension adds capacity for 17,000 people during peak hours. Commuters traveling from Bankstown to Central save 6 minutes compared to the former heavy rail service.
The new transit line connects southwestern suburbs to the Sydney central business district (CBD), North Sydney, and the northwest. This route spans 66 kilometers from Bankstown to Tallawong.
The south-west metro extension reached completion with this opening. The city metro section opened in August 2024.
Premier Chris Minns confirmed the October 30, 2026, opening date. His administration committed to completing the project after taking office in 2023.
Pink rail replacement buses will operate on October 30, 2026. These buses will also run through the first weekend of metro service.
Engineers installed modern technology while working around the constraints of the historic stations.

Critical perspectives

According to the government, the city and south-west metro sections are expected to cost more than $20 billion combined.
Six of the 360 doors on the line will remain out of use when service begins. Transport authorities stated this measure allows them to collect data on mechanical gap-filler reliability.