Sydenham to Bankstown

The Sydney Metro Southwest project includes the conversion of the T3 Bankstown Line (between Sydenham and Bankstown) to metro standards.

Stand-alone rail line

The T3 Bankstown Line is being converted to metro standards between Sydenham and Bankstown with all stations to be fully accessible with lifts and level access between platforms and trains.

Sydney Metro Southwest will operate fully segregated from the existing Sydney Trains railway between Sydenham and Bankstown. The T3 Line west beyond Bankstown will continue to be operated by Sydney Trains, serving stations between Liverpool, Lidcombe and Bankstown.

Southwest Metro conversion

This conversion will address one of Sydney’s biggest rail bottlenecks, providing more reliable journeys for customers all across Sydney, as well as increasing accessibility at all 11 stations. The update includes:

• air-conditioned metro trains and increased train frequency in AM and PM peak services – a train at least every four minutes at each station, improved CCTV surveillance, platform screen doors, platforms level with train floors, minimal gaps between platforms and trains
• improved station interchange facilities at key stations
• all trains stopping at all local stations – no waiting for the right train
• safe and efficient connections during the peak and non-peak periods between key centres along the T3 Bankstown Line
• new, direct and fast services to Martin Place, Barangaroo, North Sydney, Chatswood and Macquarie Park
• interchanges to other rail services at Sydenham, Central and Martin Place
• no need for a timetable – you’ll just turn up and go
• more job opportunities with faster, more frequent and direct access to key employment centres, including North Sydney, Chatswood, Macquarie Park and the north west
• better access to education, with fast, more frequent and direct connections
• all stations fully accessible, with lifts and level access between trains and platforms
• fast, safe and reliable – a new generation of 21st century metro trains.

Interim review findings into Southwest Metro

In April 2023, the NSW Government announced an independent review into Sydney Metro.

In June 2023, the interim findings of the independent review found the conversion of the T3 Bankstown Line to metro standards delivers significant benefits across the transport network.

In line with the interim review findings, in August 2023 the NSW Government committed to the upgrade and conversion of the T3 Bankstown Line to metro standards.

Final conversion shutdown

The final conversion of the T3 Bankstown Line is likely to require a shutdown of up to 12 months, commencing between July and October 2024.

A comprehensive temporary transport plan will be in place to support the final conversion, which will include dedicated, frequent bus routes, including express routes. Transport for NSW and Sydney Trains are also looking at ways of using the T3 Line from Bankstown to Lidcombe to convey passengers to the CBD.

Extensive communication will take place with affected communities in the lead up to the final conversion shutdown.

Room for 100,000 extra customers across Sydney

Sydney Metro, together with signalling and infrastructure upgrades across the existing network, will increase the capacity of train services across Sydney from about 120 an hour today, to up to 200 services an hour beyond 2024.

After the conversion, metro trains from Bankstown will run at least every four minutes in the peak, or 15 trains an hour.

The metro network will be fully segregated from the existing Sydney Trains network between Sydenham and Bankstown, improving the reliability of services on the line. Interchange between Sydney Metro and Sydney Trains at both locations will be provided, with improvements to station way-finding and signage.

The Bankstown bottleneck

The T3 Bankstown Line creates a significant bottleneck for the existing rail network – it effectively slows down the network because of the way it merges with other railway lines close to the Sydney CBD.

By moving Bankstown Line services to the new stand-alone metro system, we can remove this bottleneck and provide more reliable journeys for customers from all across Sydney.