Southwest stations transforming into modern metro destinations
14.11.2025
Southwest Sydney’s metro upgrade is moving full steam ahead, with construction work progressing to convert 10 southwest stations, and civil work upgrades to transform the former 130-year-old T3 Bankstown railway line to metro standards reaching 75 per cent complete.
At the future Lakemba metro station, station buildings have received a fresh lick of paint, new seating has been installed, garden beds are ready for planting and almost 50 per cent of the new signage is in place.
Across all stations, Sydney Metro’s distinctive teal station signage and the iconic ‘M’ are being fitted, with a total of 2,393 wayfinding signs to be installed by opening day to ensure smooth commutes for the thousands of passengers expected to use the line daily.
Communication systems including passenger information display screens that will show service wait times are being mounted above platforms, while installation and testing of speakers, CCTV, door security and hearing loops is ongoing.
Testing and commissioning of platform screen doors and mechanical gap fillers are advancing, with the world-leading safety technology passing its initial tests at Dulwich Hill, Belmore, Lakemba, Punchbowl and Bankstown stations, ready for integration testing with test trains later in the year.
With on-track testing powering ahead, painting and tiling underway at all stations, and Opal gate installations nearing completion, the transformation of the southwest extension of the M1 is on track for metro services to begin in 2026.
Public artwork at each station is also in place, with the final artwork – a 10.8 by 2.4 metre design called Moon Rhythm by local artist Shireen Taweel installed earlier this month. The artwork celebrates the vibrant Muslim community of Lakemba and was developed to respond to the Southwest Metro art theme ‘Storylines’.
Outside the stations, an extensive program of work to safeguard the new rail corridor - involving the upgrade of 15 road-over-rail bridges with new safety barriers, anti-throw screens and footpaths - has reached 95 per cent completion. Also, 95 per cent of bollards and barriers across 52 locations have been installed. A team of 1,867 workers have been delivering this package of work for 13 months, with completion expected early 2026.
When Sydney Metro’s southwest extension opens next year, customers will have a new air-conditioned metro train every four minutes in the peak – that’s 15 trains an hour. Before the T3 line closure, Lakemba Station was serviced by eight trains an hour in the morning peak.
New metro travel times from Lakemba include:
- Campsie in 4 minutes
- Bankstown in 6 minutes
- Central in 22 minutes
- Gadigal in 24 minutes
- Victoria Cross in 31 minutes
- Chatswood in 37 minutes
- Macquarie University in 48 minutes