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Sydney Metro Harbour tunnel

Tunnelling

Sydney Metro West

Three major tunnelling contracts have been awarded for tunnelling between Westmead and Hunter Street in the Sydney CBD, and began tunnelling in 2023. Follow the journey of our tunnel boring machines (TBMs) with our TBM tracker.

Sydney Metro - Western Sydney Airport

Tunnel boring machines have started digging the Sydney Metro - Western Sydney Airport project in 2023. Follow the journey of our tunnel boring machines (TBMs) with our TBM tracker.

Sydney Metro City & Southwest

Tunnelling finished in March 2020 on the twin tunnels from Chatswood to Sydenham, including under Sydney Harbour and through the Sydney CBD. 

The tunnel boring machines (TBM) tracker used to follow the historic dig by the five tunnel boring machines on the City & Southwest project can be found on this map

Our tunnel boring machines

Six TBMs will be used to deliver the tunnels between Westmead and the Sydney CBD for Sydney Metro West.

Four TBMs will be used to deliver the tunnels for the Sydney Metro -Western Sydney Airport project from Orchard Hills to St Marys and between Airport Business Park and Aerotropolis Station.

Five TBMs were used to deliver the tunnels between Chatswood and Sydenham for Sydney Metro City & Southwest. This included a specialised TBM for the section under Sydney Harbour because of the ground and rock conditions found at the bottom of the harbour.

Four mega tunnel boring machines built the twin tunnels on Metro North West Line. This was the first time in Australian history four TBMs were used on the one transport infrastructure project.

Naming the TBMs

On major tunnelling projects around the world, underground workers look to Saint Barbara for protection. Because of this, machines that work underground are traditionally given female names.

e-book: Building Australia's longest railway tunnels

Sydney Metro West TBMs

Sydney Metro - Western Sydney Airport TBMs

Sydney Metro City & Southwest TBMs

Sydney Metro Northwest TBMs

Tunnel safety

Safety of customers is the number one priority. Tunnel safety measures include cross passages linking the twin tunnels and constant camera coverage.

Metro trains

Sydney's Rail Future

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