Southwest Metro Opening Weekend 2026: Trains Start 4:31am Friday 30 October, Bankstown Community Day 10am to 1pm Sunday 1 November (Bankstown, NSW)

The new Southwest Metro opens to passengers at 4:31am on Friday 30 October 2026, and the NSW Government and Sydney Metro have said they will celebrate with a community day on Sunday 1 November from 10am to 1pm at Bankstown Metro Station and Dulwich Hill Metro Station. For people in Canterbury-Bankstown that makes the first weekend the time to try the line: trains run more often than usual on Saturday and Sunday, and the Southwest Link buses stay in service.

This guide is based on the NSW Government’s media release of 22 October 2026 and Sydney Metro’s opening announcement. It covers what the community day and the first weekend mean for local people. All times are Sydney time, which is on daylight saving now.

When does the Southwest Metro open, and when is the community day?

Date	What the announcement says
Monday 26 October	Passengers are encouraged to plan journeys at transportnsw.info from this date
Friday 30 October	Passenger services begin at 4:31am; the pink Southwest Link buses still run
Saturday 31 October	Metro services every seven minutes for the first weekend
Sunday 1 November	Community celebration, 10am to 1pm, at Bankstown Metro Station and Dulwich Hill Metro Station; trains every seven minutes

The government says the new line connects Bankstown through the city to the north-west on one continuous 66-kilometre Metro line. The opening follows final safety approval from the independent Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator, which the release says was received on 21 October.

What is happening at the Bankstown community day?

The release says the opening will be celebrated “with a range of activities” at Bankstown Metro Station and Dulwich Hill Metro Station on Sunday 1 November from 10am to 1pm. It does not list the activities, say whether there is a charge, or say whether any streets near Bankstown Station will be closed. Those details had not been published when this guide was checked on Monday 26 October, so this guide does not guess at them.

What is known about the Bankstown site is that its transport precinct has been open since 22 March 2026. Sydney Metro describes a 90-metre tree-lined plaza that links the north and south sides of the town centre and leads to buses, trains and three new kiss-and-ride spaces. A second Sydney Trains entrance building gives direct access to the T6 Lidcombe & Bankstown Line, with nine new Opal gates and 18 secure bike spaces. The community day is at the Metro station, so expect it to be in or near that precinct, but check the signs on the day.

Which stations are on the new Metro?

The government lists these stations as getting Metro services from Friday 30 October: Bankstown, Punchbowl, Wiley Park, Lakemba, Belmore, Campsie, Canterbury, Hurlstone Park, Dulwich Hill and Marrickville.

Trip	Time from Friday 30 October	Time saved
Bankstown to Central	28 minutes	6 minutes
Lakemba to Victoria Cross	37 minutes	24 minutes
Campsie to Macquarie University	44 minutes	17 minutes
Canterbury to Chatswood	31 minutes	23 minutes
Marrickville to Gadigal	12 minutes	12 minutes

Those are the government’s figures. The release says services run every four minutes in the weekday peak, every five minutes during the day, and every ten minutes in the evenings and on weekends, except that the first weekend is every seven minutes.

Are the stations accessible?

The release says Wiley Park, Dulwich Hill, Hurlstone Park, Punchbowl and Canterbury stations are now accessible by lift for the first time. It adds that the upgrades bring a large improvement in accessibility for people with a disability, mobility issues and families with prams, and that the line has platform screen doors, new lifts and better customer information. Sydney Metro’s project page says all stations are to be fully accessible by lift.

What should I expect on the first weekend?

The government says there may be some minor teething issues as services get started. It lists these arrangements:

• Six of the 360 train doors will be temporarily closed during service as an extra safety precaution.
• Additional staff will be at every station and on trains throughout operating hours to give information and help.
• The pink Southwest Link buses continue on Friday 30 October and over the first weekend so people can get used to the Metro.
• Service information will be signposted at stations.

What has changed on this railway?

Sydney Metro’s project page says the T3 Bankstown Line between Sydenham and Bankstown closed in September 2024 so the 130-year-old line could be converted to metro standards. Free Southwest Link buses have replaced trains between Sydenham and Bankstown for the whole conversion period, which is why the buses are still running on opening day. The government says the conversion took more than two years of work, 30,000 kilometres of testing and more than 6,000 timetabled test runs.

The new trains are driverless, and the release says more than 2,600 driverless Metro services will run each week on the connected Sydney Metro M1 network. It describes the new Metro as having 50 per cent more passenger capacity than the old T3 Bankstown Line, and expects about 48,000 trips across the Metro line on a typical weekday during the 8am and 9am peak. The project page adds that all trains stop at all local stations, so there is no waiting for the right train.

What about trains west of Bankstown?

The Metro covers Bankstown and stations towards the city. Sydney Metro’s project page says the T3 line west beyond Bankstown continues to be operated by Sydney Trains, serving stations between Liverpool, Lidcombe and Bankstown. If you are travelling from a station such as Villawood or Leightonfield, check the Transport for NSW trip planner for how your journey changes.

Is there parking, and will roads be closed?

Neither the NSW Government release nor Sydney Metro’s announcement mentions parking or road closures for the community day. Bankstown’s new precinct has three kiss-and-ride spaces, which suit drop-offs, not parking for a day. The simplest plan is to take the train or bus. If you drive, read the signs on the streets you use.

What should I know before I go?

• Trains start at 4:31am on Friday 30 October 2026.
• The community day is on Sunday 1 November, 10am to 1pm, at Bankstown Metro Station (and Dulwich Hill).
• The activities are not yet published. This guide will be updated if they are.
• Trains run every seven minutes on Saturday 31 October and Sunday 1 November.
• Plan your trip at transportnsw.info and allow extra time on the first weekend.

OZ Local Updates is an independent local guide and is not affiliated with Sydney Metro, Transport for NSW or the NSW Government.

Sources

• NSW Government: Southwest Metro to open Friday 30 October 2026, published 22 October 2026
• Sydney Metro: The wait is almost over: Southwest Metro gets official opening date!, 22 October 2026
• Sydney Metro: Bankstown’s new transport hub now open, 24 March 2026
• Sydney Metro: Sydenham to Bankstown, checked Monday 26 October 2026