en.Wedoany.com Reported - Sydney Metro's southwest extension has entered the final testing phase before opening, with Trial Running now underway on the Sydenham to Bankstown section.

During the trial running period, more trains will be deployed on this section, with services every 4 minutes during peak hours, and the metro network will be assessed under normal operating conditions.

Trains will be operated in fully automatic mode by the Operations Control Centre, during which more than 120 operational scenarios will be tested, including emergency drills involving Fire and Rescue NSW, NSW Police Force, NSW Ambulance, the Transport Management Centre, and Sydney Trains.

The drills will simulate events such as station evacuations, service disruptions, security incidents, lift and escalator failures, and service recovery.

The project team has also released updated passenger forecasts: passenger trips on the southwest section during the weekday morning peak are expected to increase by 34% compared to the former T3 Bankstown Line; after the extension opens, weekday ridership across the entire 51.5-kilometre M1 metro line is projected to increase by 13%.

Once trial running and regulatory approvals are completed, the southwest extension will be integrated with the existing M1 metro line, providing uninterrupted services between Tallawong and Bankstown.

New South Wales Minister for Transport John Graham stated that trial running is the final step before the network undergoes an independent safety assessment. He said this phase combines timetable-based train operations with real-world operational and emergency scenarios, ensuring the line delivers safe and reliable services from day one of operation.