en.Wedoany.com Reported - Final testing, end-to-end train operations, and the handover to rail operator Metro Trains Sydney are underway for the Southwest Metro project in New South Wales. These milestones mark significant progress as the project approaches completion.

The Southwest Metro is part of the broader Sydney Metro project. As Australia's largest public transport project, Sydney Metro encompasses the construction, operation, and maintenance of four metro lines, 46 stations, and 113 kilometers of new metro track.

The southwest extension of the M1 Metro Line will carry an additional 17,000 people per hour during peak times. This capacity will be achieved through a major extension of the M1 Northwest Line and the Bankstown Line, converting the 130-year-old T3 Bankstown Line into a modern, high-frequency, and fully accessible rapid transit system. Trains will run at least every four minutes during peak hours.

All 11 stations along the line will also be upgraded. Some stations will receive new elevators, while others will be fitted with platform screen doors, upgraded level crossings, and new concourses.

Testing has confirmed that trains have successfully completed full round-trip operations between Bankstown and Tallawong, a significant milestone for the project. End-to-end operations will be gradually integrated into the testing program, ultimately enabling every service to run to Bankstown, bringing the project closer to its first passenger services. Currently, approximately 22,000 of the required 30,000 kilometers of testing have been completed, and more than half of the required 9,000 hours of testing have been finished.

The Southwest Metro is scheduled to open later this year, with the exact opening date to be confirmed following the successful completion of trial operations.