Sydney Metro Chatswood to Sydenham line now open

[RSVKanga]

Sydney Metro promises to reshape the city. Here's how it'll affect you

The transport project expected to reshape the future of Sydneysiders move around is set to open soon. This is what you need to know.

www.abc.net.au

New metro opening the biggest 'historical moment' for Sydney transport since harbour bridge

The first train for Sydney's new metro line between Sydenham and Chatswood officially opened its doors to commuters this morning.

www.abc.net.au

 

[burmans]

Trialled this today, 8 minutes Crows Nest to Martin Place, good.

 

[NSun]

As someone who often switches from the Eastern Suburbs line to Chatswood this'll make a big difference. I currently walk from Martin Place Station and walk to Wynyard, jumping aborad there. But I tried it today from Martin Place to Chatswood and it took 10 minutes whereas it took more than double that before.

I can't wait for the Western Line as I hear it'll pass through Olympic Park and the days of late nights on the Lidcombe shuttle and then (often long) waits on the station platform after NRL games at Homebush will be no more.

 

[SYD]

As someone who often switches from the Eastern Suburbs line to Chatswood this'll make a big difference. I currently walk from Martin Place Station and walk to Wynyard, jumping aborad there. But I tried it today from Martin Place to Chatswood and it took 10 minutes whereas it took more than double that before.

Oh, I used to do the “up and over” at town Hall many moons ago travelling from Bondi to North Sydney. Don’t miss that at all.

Hoping the northern exit at Barangaroo works for Walsh Bay and going to the theatres!

 

[moa999]

northern exit at Barangaroo works for Walsh Bay and going to the theatres!

At the moment and for a few years it's the only exit, and definitely looks like there will be decent pedestrian paths to the theatres (still being worked on at present)..

Very quick transfer at Martin Place today. You want to be in the first carriage.

 

[SYD]

Very quick transfer at Martin Place today. You want to be in the first carriage.

Yes, I’ve been watching the roller door at the end of the platform for months - in anticipation! But I’m still OS for a few more weeks before I get to check it out.

Good design that you don’t have to do an “up and over” at MP!

 

[NSun]

Oh, I used to do the “up and over” at town Hall many moons ago travelling from Bondi to North Sydney. Don’t miss that at all.

Hoping the northern exit at Barangaroo works for Walsh Bay and going to the theatres!

It's easy when you're going from Bondi to the West and its just up one level up (to Platforms 1-2) than 'up and over' when going north but I even found it faster to get out at Martin Place and walk to Wynyard when going North. Both of those are a thing of the past now.

 

[kamchatsky]

The biggest difference between the train and the metro is that Metro rolling stock is lighter, so it accelerates and decelerates faster, and has faster top speed. It also opens and closes doors faster than Sydney Trains. So glad that Sydney finally has modern transport infrastructure going through the city.

 

[Bundy Bear]

Another advantage with the platform screen doors the train can enter and leave the platform at higher speeds.

Was hoping to try it out last weekend but was delayed by a few weeks

 

[SYD]

Another advantage with the platform screen doors the train can enter and leave the platform at higher speeds.

Was hoping to try it out last weekend but was delayed by a few weeks

I actually haven’t been on the the existing Metro line. I was going to go just for the ride but a certain pandemic hit and then couldn’t be bothered - it didn’t go any where I wanted to. But the new extension opens all sorts of things for me. Alas, still not direct Airport acccess!

 

[boblee]

wow that's fast! glad to hear it's making a difference already.

 

[Lynda2475]

I can't wait for the Western Line as I hear it'll pass through Olympic Park and the days of late nights on the Lidcombe shuttle and then (often long) waits on the station platform after NRL games at Homebush will be no more.

Very much looking forward to the Five Dock metro statio opening as will be 3 stops to concerts at Olympics Park, 2 stops to Lyric theatre and 3 to Hunter Street. I never have a need to go further west than Olympic Park, but will be much faster to city than the bus.

Unfortunately the west line is running behind schedule and another 3-5 years away.

 

[SeatBackForward]

Unfortunately the west line is running behind schedule and another 3-5 years away.

It's not behind schedule, it was always going to be after the City Section.

The next section to open will be Sydenham to Bankstown next year, then the Western Sydney Airport line, but this will also need the airport to be functioning also, so perhaps 2026. Then finally the Sydney Metro West opening in 2032.

 

[Lynda2475]

It's not behind schedule, it was always going to be after the City Section.

Before they messed about adding more stations it was supposed to open 2027, if its now going to be 2032 that is 4-5 years late.

Building WSI airport line should be lower priority than proper transport to Olympic Park given WSI is open yet.

 

[moa999]

Metro West was always 2030s. There were some initial delays with property acquisitions which pushed it to 2032 with tunneling starting in 2023.
The current government is still looking at adding extra stations (Rosehill which would involve demolishing the racecourse for a new suburb probably the most likely - there is a current tunnel shaft for launch TBMs nearby) but that might further delay it.

Plenty of YT videos of the opening floating around, but this one by aviation YTr Rory is pretty good.

 

[Lynda2475]

Wrong construction at five dock site started in late 2022. RoseHill could be added later no need to delay the stations on the city side of Olympic Park which do not currently have stations, unlike Parramatta and Rosehill which already have heavy rail.

Change in government delayed the build, the sites east of Olympic Park already acquired.

 

[SeatBackForward]

RoseHill could be added later

Uhmm....Fine if you want to shut the line down for 24months while thats done.

 

[Lynda2475]

Uhmm....Fine if you want to shut the line down for 24months while thats done.

I don't see a need to include Rosehill on metro (subway) at all when it already has trains and mostly only used on the few race days. Meanwhile there is a lot of high density apartments at Olympic Park and east of there with no direct or current train service to cbd at all, and bus lanes don't start until Leichhardt.

From Olympic Park to Hunter Street is all new underground metro lines that will require no shut down of any existing heavy rail whatsoever so common sense to power on and add the stuff west of Olympic Park much later given the points west already have heavy rail.

 

[SeatBackForward]

power on and add the stuff west of Olympic Park much later given the points west already have heavy rail

By that logic why build a metro there at all?

The existing rail line is at capacity already and the population is only going to grow so "they already have rail" line isn't an answer at all, same could have been said for Chatswood, North Sydney, St James, Central and Sydenham.

 

[OATEK]

I don't see a need to include Rosehill on metro (subway) at all when it already has trains and mostly only used on the few race days. Meanwhile there is a lot of high density apartments at Olympic Park and east of there with no direct or current train service to cbd at all, and bus lanes don't start until Leichhardt.

From Olympic Park to Hunter Street is all new underground metro lines that will require no shut down of any existing heavy rail whatsoever so common sense to power on and add the stuff west of Olympic Park much later given the points west already have heavy rail.

Pretty sure Rosehill railway station, closed on 5 January 2020.