Trial running is complete across the 13-kilometre Sydenham to Bankstown corridor, with regulatory accreditation now the final barrier to passenger services in the second half of 2026.
The City Desk is a contributing writer covering city and public affairs for The Sydney Times.
Southwest Metro has completed its intensive five-week Trial Running program, allowing the operator to move into the final operational readiness testing phase ahead of the first passenger services between Sydenham and Bankstown.
Trial Running is the rigorous testing and commissioning phase that must be completed before independent regulators can grant accreditation for passenger services. During the program, more than 120 operational scenarios were undertaken, including two major emergency exercises involving around 400 volunteers acting as passengers alongside emergency services and Transport personnel. Sydney Metro and the operator MTS ran driverless trains over set periods to assess how the network performs under different operating and journey time scenarios.
The successful completion of Trial Running means the operator can now continue refining systems including mechanical gap fillers and management of corridor protection in response to a range of scenarios. According to the Sydney Metro Trial Running announcement, this milestone demonstrates the Southwest Metro can move into its final operational readiness testing ahead of opening.
Transport Minister John Graham told parliament the latest advice from Sydney Metro is that it should have much firmer information about the progress of testing by the end of September and be in a position to give an indication about the opening date all going well. Confidential documents previously showed the government was targeting mid-October for the first passenger service. Graham conceded commuters had been very patient and he did not want to give them a false start.
The city-section between Chatswood and Sydenham of the M1 line opened in August 2024 after delays in gaining regulatory approval. The T3 Bankstown Line between Sydenham and Bankstown closed in September 2024 to enable the final conversion of the 130-year-old above-ground rail line to metro standards. Free Southwest Link bus services have replaced trains between Sydenham and Bankstown throughout the conversion period.
The corridor between Sydenham and Bankstown presented unique challenges that made the original 15 to 18-month delivery timeline unrealistic. Graham conceded it just was not possible to deliver the project within that timeframe because of its complexity. The conversion required installing platform screen doors, upgrading tracks and corridor, and extensive train testing and commissioning across a line that had operated continuously for more than a century.
All platform screen doors have been installed across the Southwest project, with 360 doors stretching 13.5 kilometres over 10 stations. Each door weighs 175 kilograms and reaches around 2.5 metres to create a complete barrier between the platform and the track. More than 5,800 of the required 9,000 testing hours have been completed, along with 24,235 of the required 30,000 kilometres of testing. Up to six trains have joined the testing fleet, with multi-train operations now routine.
At the 10 upgraded stations from Marrickville to Bankstown, final completion works are underway including remaining asphalting on platforms, fencing remediation work, signage installation, and plaza and concourse finishes. The new 1,200-square-metre Dulwich Hill plaza opened in February 2026, featuring sandstone seating, new lighting and landscaping, bike hoops, drinking fountains and an accessible pathway from Wardell Road to the station lift. Bankstown plaza, the first major integrated transport interchange in Southwest Sydney, was completed earlier, featuring a 90-metre cross-corridor plaza connecting the upgraded Sydney Trains station and the new Metro station.
When Southwest Metro opens, the M1 line will operate as one continuous service from Tallawong to Bankstown. The extension more than doubles peak-hour capacity on the corridor, with trains running every four minutes. According to the Sydney Metro Southwest project update April 2026, the conversion provides accessible and reliable services that will transform daily travel for thousands of people across the southwest.
The project has required planned closures of the M1 line to enable testing and commissioning works. Upcoming closures include Sunday 13 September full line closure and Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 September between Chatswood and Sydenham. Transport for NSW says passenger numbers on the existing metro are arising in line with forecasts, so there is no anticipated need to purchase additional trains at this stage.
The Southwest Metro remains a $30 billion project, representing the largest single extension of Sydney's metro network since the first section opened in 2019. For more context on Sydney transit infrastructure, see The City.
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