The T6 Lidcombe & Bankstown Line will be closed for 9 weeks, with train services to be replaced by fare-free replacement buses for this period while commuters affected face disruption.
The closure will allow Sydney Metro to undertake major construction works associated with the Southwest Metro.
Work will be carried out between 27 April and 29 June.
When work is complete, the T6 Line will be future-proofed, enabling 8-car services to run. Currently, the line is limited to 4-car trains.
The T6 is a shuttle line of six stations that was created as part of the shutdown of the former T3 Bankstown line.
It carries approximately 11,000 passengers a day of the more than one million people who use the wider Sydney rail network.
Passengers at Lidcombe, Berala and Regents Park can continue to use other rail lines at those stations as alternatives including T3 services
Passengers at Lidcombe heading into the city or Inner West can also continue to use the T1 Western Line, T2 Inner West Line or T3 Liverpool via Regents Park Line. There will be no change in service levels for these lines.
The stations impacted and closed are Yagoona, Birrong and Bankstown.
The work on the T6 line involves the extension of the Sydney Trains' platforms at Bankstown Station to enable an 8-car service, including installation of a track layout that allows access to both platforms at Bankstown station, as well as signaling upgrades.
The following replacement bus routes will operate between Bankstown and Lidcombe during this time:
- 8T6: stopping all stations between Bankstown and Lidcombe
- 8AT6: Bankstown, then Lidcombe and return (express)
Passengers will be able to interchange to train services at Lidcombe and Regents Park, or interchange onto the pink Southwest Link buses at Bankstown.
Communities and passengers along the line will be informed about the transport changes via comprehensive communications and engagement activities.
Southwest Link bus services will continue to operate as normal between Sydenham and Bankstown.
Visit transportnsw.info to get more information about the network changes.
Minister for Transport John Graham:
"Communities that use this line will experience disruption due to these necessary rail upgrades, however once complete, the line will be able to accommodate rail services with double the capacity while connecting to a world class new Southwest Metro service.
"This is a relatively small shuttle line by passenger numbers, but the loss of services for nine weeks will be disruptive for the passengers who use the T6 Line and we want to make sure commuters are aware and know what the alternatives are.
"We will have fare-free rail-replacement buses in place and marshals on the ground to ensure all passengers can continue to get where they need to go."
Transport for NSW Acting Coordinator-General Barbara Wise:
"We know this will be disruptive for passengers and the community that relies on the T6 line, and we apologise for the inconvenience.
"Transport for NSW will have people on the ground to make sure that people who need them get to their free replacement bus.
