Sydney Metro - Western Sydney Airport continues to progress towards completion

As the new Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport continues to take shape, so does the metro railway that is set to become the transport spine for Greater Western Sydney. 

The city-shaping Sydney Metro – Western Sydney Airport project has recently marked new milestones with the first tracks laid for the 23-kilometre rail line and the designs for six new stations now confirmed. 

The first section of tracks has been installed at Luddenham, just north of a new rail bridge that will take trains over the future M12 Motorway. 

Track laying is progressing north towards St Marys, with a team of about 60 workers delivering anywhere from 70 to 100 metres of track each day. 

Across the 23-kilometre line between St Marys and Bradfield, more than 6,400 tonnes of Australian-made rail steel will be laid – expected to be completed mid-2026. 

In total, the project will install 106.8 kilometres of rail line and 76,285 sleepers including at the stabling and maintenance facility at Orchard Hills. 

Track laying works (source: Sydney Metro)

Each of the 20-metre rail steel is manufactured in South Australia, which will then be transported to Newcastle before trucked to a newly built rail laydown yard in Luddenham South. 

Once at the laydown yard, the steel is welded together into 120-metre-long “rail strings” and moved to a location along the alignment for installation. For this, a rail threader machine is used to lift the rail strings on tip of the sleepers and the two are fastened together. 

The track will then be lifted into its final position using an advanced adjustment system and a final concrete pour will secure the track in place. 

The track alignment program will also involve the delivery of associated assets and services such as mechanical, electrical, communications and plumbing works, which will be completed simultaneously to the track, 

Works to build six new metro stations for the Western Sydney Airport line are also progressing and the designs for each station have been finalised. 

The stations have been designed to complement the qualities of the Cumberland Plain landscape, establishing a sense of connection to place, people and communities of Western Sydney. 

Artist impression of St Marys Station (source: Sydney Metro)

First Nations design professionals Djinjama alongside lead architect Hassell were engaged to undertake the design process. They collaborated and engaged with key Knowledge Holders of Country through this process. 

The final designs for the six stations feature colours, textures and materials derived from Country, which will be experienced by future metro passengers all throughout the stations – including communal areas like plazas, walkways and buildings. 

In addition, feedback from stakeholders and community members has been incorporated into the final designs of the stations as well. 

The Sydney Metro – Western Sydney Airport development will provide a major economic boost for the region, supporting over 14,000 jobs during its construction. 

Once completed, the new airport railway will connect residential areas to job hubs including the up-and-coming Bradfield City as well as connect travellers from the new airport to the rest of Sydney’s public transport network. 

The six new stations will be located at: 

• St Marys, interchanging with the existing suburban railway station and connecting customers with the rest of Sydney’s rail system 

• Orchard Hills, to service a future commercial and mixed-use precinct 

• Luddenham, to service a future education, innovation and commercial precinct 

• Two stations located within the airport site, one at the airport terminal and another at the Airport Business Park 

• Bradfield 

Source: Sydney Metro (1, 2, 3)