Hundreds of jubilant rail enthusiasts joined early commuters in Bankstown before dawn on Friday, boarding the inaugural driverless train to mark the long-awaited completion of Sydney’s south-west metro extension.

Dawn departure ends two years of replacement buses

The 4.31am service pulled away from the platform on schedule, completing the newly converted journey to Sydenham in just over 20 minutes. The milestone effectively closed a disruptive chapter for south-western Sydney, where passengers have endured more than two years of replacement bus journeys while legacy railway infrastructure underwent an extensive multi-billion-dollar overhaul.

The Guardian Australia reported that the opening brought immense relief to tens of thousands of residents along the corridor, whose daily travel had been heavily disrupted when the historic T3 rail line closed to enable conversion into an automated, turn-up-and-go metro system.

Enthusiasts and bleary-eyed commuters pack inaugural service

A festival atmosphere descended on the Bankstown platforms well before daybreak. Scores of public transit enthusiasts turned out in bespoke regalia, donning metro-themed T-shirts, badges, caps, sequinned jackets, and even custom jewellery to celebrate the maiden passenger run. Placards declaring "We love public transport" were held aloft as the sleek train pulled into view.

The buoyant crowd mingled with early-morning shift workers and regular commuters who appeared momentarily bewildered by the cameras and celebratory commotion at 4.30am. For those boarding the service out of necessity rather than novelty, the promise of rapid, frequent transit directly into the city centre was warmly welcomed after years of road congestion and transfer delays.

A continuous 66-kilometre spine across greater Sydney

The opening marks the completion of the main passenger spine for the City and Southwest project. The route from Bankstown now integrates with the cross-harbour line at Sydenham, running through Waterloo, Central, and Barangaroo, before crossing beneath Sydney Harbour to Chatswood and terminating at Tallawong in the outer north-west.

The resulting 66-kilometre continuous corridor provides Sydney with an unprecedented automated spine, linking outer suburban growth centres with the dense employment precincts of North Sydney and the CBD. Operating at intervals as close as every four minutes during peak periods, the automated fleet eliminates the need for timetables, allowing passengers to simply turn up and board.

Engineering hurdles conquered along heritage corridor

The conversion of the century-old railway line between Sydenham and Bankstown represented one of the most technically demanding transport undertakings in New South Wales history. Engineering teams installed full-length platform screen doors, completely re-signalled the corridor, and upgraded stations to ensure full accessibility and level boarding.

Transport planners anticipate the line will deliver immediate relief to the wider heavy rail network, easing congestion across western arterial corridors and providing a modern, reliable commuting alternative for decades to come.