First fully automated train for Sydney Metro Western Sydney Airport Line built by Siemens Mobility arrives in Australia

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On August 24, Siemens Mobility announced that the first fully automated metro train built for Sydney Metro–Western Sydney Airport Line has arrived in Australia. This marks Siemens Mobility's first delivery of metro trains to Australia since 2006.

The train departed from Siemens Mobility's production facility in Vienna, Austria, and arrived at Port Kembla in New South Wales after a sea voyage of approximately 23,000 kilometers. The maritime journey typically takes 45 to 61 days. Upon arrival, the three carriages were transported separately by truck to the new Sydney Metro stabling and maintenance facility at Orchard Hills for assembly.

The Sydney Metro–Western Sydney Airport Line spans approximately 23 kilometers with six stations, connecting Greater Western Sydney, Western Sydney International Airport (Nancy-Bird Walton Airport), and the new Bradfield city center. The project is being delivered by the Parklife Metro consortium, comprising Siemens Mobility, Plenary Group, Webuild, and RATP Dev, in partnership with Sydney Metro under a public-private partnership (PPP) model. The contract scope encompasses 12 driverless trains, signaling systems, power supply systems, telecommunications systems, platform screen doors, and depot facilities. Siemens Mobility's share of the contract is approximately €900 million, and it will also provide 15 years of system maintenance services.

New-generation fully automated trains built on the Inspiro platform

The new trains are based on Siemens Mobility's proven Inspiro High Capacity platform, with targeted adaptations made to suit the operational environment and technical requirements of Sydney's new line. All 12 trains feature a 3-car configuration and operate in fully automated driverless mode under GoA4 (Grade of Automation 4), enabling fully automatic operation without any driver attendance.

The train design fully accounts for the high-volume passenger flow with luggage on the airport line. A barrier-free aisle of approximately 30 centimeters wide runs through the center of each carriage—wider than on Sydney Metro's M1 line trains—to facilitate passenger movement with luggage. Luggage storage space is provided beneath the seats. High-resolution displays provide real-time flight information via a direct link to the airport. Each carriage offers a variety of seating configurations, including forward- and rear-facing seats suitable for group travel, conventional longitudinal seating, as well as dedicated wheelchair spaces and accessible areas. Each train also features four bicycle parking spaces.

The interior design incorporates local cultural elements. The seat upholstery was created by Dharug Aboriginal artists Leanne Watson Redpath, Tina Barahanos, and Alexandra Byrne, with patterns reflecting connections to Ngurra (Country) and Badu (Water), inspired by the night skies and waterholes of the Cumberland Plain region.

Prior to shipment to Australia, the train had completed its initial commissioning and testing at Siemens' testing and validation centers in Vienna and Wildenrath, Germany, including strong-wind environmental testing at the climate test facility.

Project enters local dynamic testing phase

Upon arrival, the first train will undergo testing at the Orchard Hills stabling facility before moving to the mainline for dynamic testing. Léon Soulier, CEO of Siemens Mobility's Turnkey business unit, stated that the arrival of the first train in Australia is a significant project milestone, marking the transition of the project into a new phase of local dynamic testing in Sydney.

The remaining 11 trains will arrive in Australia progressively through 2026 and early 2027. The Western Sydney Airport Line was originally scheduled to open in conjunction with the opening of Western Sydney International Airport in October 2026, but the overall schedule is currently approximately 18 months behind.

The project will mark the first deployment in Australia of Siemens Mobility's Railigent X digital platform, which leverages data generated by rolling stock and infrastructure for fleet condition monitoring, remote diagnostics, and predictive maintenance, combined with AI-powered data analytics tools to improve the efficiency of vehicle and system maintenance.