A new section of the Sydney Metro line, Australia's largest infrastructure project that will consist of four metro lines, 46 stations and 113 kilometers of new metro line, is expected to open on Monday after receiving final safety approvals.
Sydney Metro Northwest opened in May 2019 and has 13 underground stations and 36 kilometres of double track (mostly underground) with services running every four minutes between Tallawong and Chatswood.
It was always the intention that this would be expanded into the Sydney Central Business District (CBD) and beyond.
It is a fully automated rapid transit system, the journey from start to finish takes 37 minutes. Since July 2019, the journey time is 37 minutes.
The Chatswood to Sydenham extension was scheduled to first open on 4 August, but this was delayed when safety approvals were not received, amid reports that a firefighter conducting safety drills suffered a electric shock.
However, on Thursday the Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator (ONRSR) reported that it had been approved.
“The commencement date for passenger services is a matter for the New South Wales Government through its relevant agencies,” a statement said.
“It's been a long road to launching Sydney Metro City services,” said Jo Haylen, New South Wales's transport minister. “But the wait will be worth it. I want to thank everyone for their patience as Australia's largest public transport project becomes a reality.”
“I'll see you on the train,” she wrote.
The new 10-mile section of track includes six new underground stations and new platforms at Central, featuring the longest escalators in the Southern Hemisphere. Construction began in 2017 and involved boring a new tunnel beneath the ocean floor of Sydney Harbour.
The B1M reported that the new project would be one of the most transformative since the opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge in 1932.
Work is also underway to further extend this line from Sydenham to Bankstown as part of the Southwest project. This project will replace the current T3 line and is expected to be completed in 2025.
Sydney Metro West, a 24 kilometre long underground The railway line between Parramatta and Sydney CBD, with nine stations and two tracks, is expected to open in 2032.
According to figures, Sydney will have around 100 kilometres of underground train tunnels by 2030.