Project Profile: Western Sydney Airport Line (WSAL)

The Western Sydney Airport Line is a 23km driverless metro railway project establishing a critical transport spine for Sydney’s Western Parkland City. This profile details the technical specifications of the line, which provides a direct, high-capacity connection between the existing Sydney Trains network at St Marys and the new Western Sydney International Airport and Aerotropolis. The project is a cornerstone of the Western Sydney City Deal, engineered to support regional economic development and passenger connectivity upon its scheduled 2026 opening.

Technical Specifications

The Western Sydney Airport Line is a fully automated, driverless metro system designed for high-frequency operations. The 23km route includes 9.8km of twin-bore tunnels excavated by four Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs), named Marlene, Catherine, Eileen, and Peggy. The remaining alignment consists of at-grade sections and elevated viaducts. The line will initially feature six new stations: St Marys, Orchard Hills, Luddenham, Western Sydney International Business Park, Western Sydney International Airport Terminal, and Western Sydney Aerotropolis. The St Marys station is a key engineering component, constructed as an underground interchange to provide seamless transfer to the T1 Western Line of the existing Sydney Trains network. The project’s rolling stock will consist of a new generation of automated metro trains, maintained at a purpose-built facility. The line is designed with provision for future extensions, including a northern extension to Schofields and a southern extension to Macarthur, to create a comprehensive north-south rail spine through Western Sydney.

Key Takeaways

• Strategic Economic Enabler: The line is the foundational transport infrastructure for the Western Sydney Aerotropolis, designed to unlock economic potential and connect residents to new employment hubs and the international airport.
• Complex Engineering Integration: The project combines large-scale civil works, including TBM-driven tunnelling and viaduct construction, with the complex systems integration required for a new-build, fully automated driverless railway.
• Collaborative Delivery Model: Funded and delivered as a joint venture between federal and state governments, the project utilizes a multi-contract model, engaging specialist joint ventures for tunnelling, surface works, and the comprehensive SSTOM package, ensuring expertise across all project facets.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

When will the Western Sydney Airport Line open?
The Western Sydney Airport Line is scheduled to commence passenger services in 2026, timed to coincide with the opening of the new Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport.

Who is building the Western Sydney Airport Line?
The line’s construction is being delivered by several expert consortia. A joint venture between CPB Contractors and Ghella is building the tunnels. The Parklife Metro consortium, which includes Siemens Mobility, Webuild, and RATP Dev, is responsible for delivering the stations, trains, signalling systems, and ongoing operations and maintenance.