NSW Southwest Metro Line Opens in Bankstown

Source reports published 22 Oct 2026, 5:34 am – 3:28 pm AEST

The long-awaited Southwest Metro line in Sydney opens on October 30th, with the first service departing from Bankstown at 4:31am. The new line connects south-western suburbs to the Sydney CBD and other key areas, offering faster journeys and increased passenger capacity.

What happened

• The NSW Southwest Metro line, a key component of the M1 Metro North West and Bankstown Line project, officially opens on October 30th.
• The 13-kilometre stretch between Sydenham and Bankstown, previously served by the T3 Bankstown Line, now operates with trains running every four minutes during peak hours.
• Commuters will benefit from reduced travel times, with journeys to Chatswood taking 31 minutes and to North Sydney taking 37 minutes.
• The project involved significant upgrades, including platform screen doors, new lifts, and accessibility improvements at key stations.
• The conversion of the 130-year-old heavy rail line to a metro line faced delays due to industrial action and complexity issues, with the original deadline pushed back from 12 months.
• During the two-year period of operation of the Southwest Link replacement buses, commuters experienced travel times twice as long, costing taxpayers approximately $200 million.
• The NSW Premier, Chris Minns, stated the new Metro would "make a real difference" to communities and that the opening was an investment for "generations to come".
• The project was a culmination of previous government initiatives, with recognition given to Mike Baird, Gladys Berejiklian, and Dominic Perrottet for their vision in modernizing Sydney’s public transport.

Original reporting

• ABC: NSW reveals opening date of long-awaited Southwest Metro line
  2026-10-21T19:34:41+00:00
• Sydney Morning Herald: Finally, the Metro on platform one will depart Bankstown
  2026-10-22T05:28:43+00:00