Sydney has a new train station for the first time in five years, as Waterloo Metro becomes the first to cross the construction finish line for the transformative City & Southwest Metro project, set to welcome passengers this year.
Nearly 19,000 passengers are expected to use the state-of-the-art Waterloo Station each day when it opens.
Waterloo Station is the first of six new world-class stations on the City Metro line to be complete, and the remaining five are following close behind.
When City Metro services begin in coming months, Waterloo will provide fast, safe and reliable journeys to Central in two minutes, Barangaroo in eight minutes and to Victoria Cross in North Sydney in 11 minutes.
NSW Premier Chris Minns said this is an important milestone for Sydney Metro, with construction now complete for the first new station on this line.
“This is a good example of what happens when we link the provision of housing and public transport. Everybody wins,” he said.
“More homes close to our train stations means we’ll have better connected communities.
“This is a great example of revitalising an inner-city community and incorporating housing and public transport.”
There are several further steps before the official opening of the Sydney Metro City & Southwest later this year. These include approval from the Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator, the handover of the line and all stations to the operator, and a period of full trial running. These milestones are all on schedule.
Minister for Transport Jo Haylen said the government is taking a huge step towards opening the next stage of Metro, which is just around the corner and will see tens of thousands of people using these new stations and enjoying faster connections.
“This mega station will be a game-changer for Waterloo, Redfern and Alexandria and significantly reduce traffic on our inner-city roads, while alleviating pressure at nearby Redfern and Green Square stations,” she said.
“It took more than 5,000 people five million work hours – more than four years – to complete the new station, including excavation of 330,000 tonnes of material.
“This is a striking station with a design that honours Aboriginal heritage and pays homage to Waterloo’s history. Its 170-metre-long platforms will receive a lightning-fast train every four minutes in the peak.”
The Waterloo Renewal Project is a major redevelopment that will transform the estate into a modern, sustainable and vibrant community with a mix of social, affordable and private housing, as well as retail, community facilities and public open spaces.
The Waterloo Metro Quarter development above the new Sydney Metro station will include 220 social, affordable and private residential homes. It will also feature student accommodation, retail outlets and commercial space across four buildings, along with public open space and a car park.
The Waterloo Metro Quarter development will provide well-located apartments near well-connected transport infrastructure, giving people a place to call home where they can move around our city easier.
For more information about Waterloo Station visit the website.
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