If you use the T3 Bankstown Line for your daily commute mark September 30 on your calendar. The line between Sydenham and Bankstown will close to make way for upgrades as part of the Sydney Metro City & Southwest project, which will eventually bring Metro services all the way to Bankstown.
This closure will affect many commuters from Bankstown and the Inner West, likely making their journeys longer. However, there’s some good news. NSW Minister for Transport Jo Haylen has announced that free replacement buses, called the ‘Southwest Link,’ will run between Sydenham and Bankstown starting from the first day of the closure. During busy times, these buses will arrive every 2-4 minutes to help minimize disruption.
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The T3 Bankstown Line closure was initially expected to last 12 months, but the state government is now aiming to reopen it by late 2025. This means the closure could extend beyond the original timeline. Minister Haylen has promised to hold construction partners accountable to deliver on the planned schedule.
Once the Metro upgrades are finished, commuters will enjoy a train every four minutes during peak hours, with all 11 affected stations becoming fully accessible with lifts and level access to trains. The project also aims to extend Metro services beyond Bankstown to Liverpool in the future.
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For those relying on the replacement buses, there will be three different routes: the SW1, which will stop at all stations; the SW2, which will only stop at Sydenham, Belmore, Lakemba, Wiley Park, Punchbowl, and Bankstown; and the SW3, which will stop at Sydenham, Canterbury, and Campsie. If you live in Bankstown and can work from home, it might be a good option to consider during this period.
