Up to 200,000 travelers are expected to use Sydney’s much-anticipated driverless metro line under the central business district on day one after the link officially opened on Monday.
The context: The metro, which connects Chatswood in Sydney’s north to Sydenham in the west via tunnels under Sydney Harbour, is expected to carry around 37,000 passengers during morning peak hours.
Its opening was pushed back to July after the NSW government said more time was needed for safety checks.
Premier Chris Minns said the project was “a huge game-changer for Sydney and a huge step forward” for its transport network.
Key quotes: “Clearly, this will enable hundreds of thousands of people to work in a different way,” Minns said in a statement.
“It will truly transform the way people get to and from work, and it will be fantastic. So Sydney, enjoy the experience.”
Transport Minister Jo Haylen said the opening of the line was “a truly historic moment” in the city’s history.
“What an incredible day to witness the first passengers traveling on the new M1 extension deep under the city and under the harbour,” she said.
What else to know: Passengers could travel from Sydenham to Chatswood in 22 minutes and from the CBD to North Sydney in just three minutes.
Transport for NSW boss Josh Murray expects passenger numbers on the line to reach 250,000 on a typical weekday.
Some 445 new metro services across eight stations will run through the city every weekday.
Metro trains can carry more than 1,150 people and reach speeds of up to 100 km/h.
The line is part of a $21 billion public transport project including four metro lines, 46 stations and 113km of new railway in Sydney.
