From 5am this morning, passengersstartedboardingmodern and comfortable air-conditioned light rail vehicles on the new 12-kilometre network, with frequent and reliableservices across 16 accessible stops.
The opening passenger servicesawthree light rail vehicles commence concurrently fromthe Westmead and Carlingford light rail stopsat 5:00am, andParramatta Squareat 5:02am.
The L4 line will launch to a weekday timetable, with initial services every 9 minutes between7am to 7pm; every 12 minutes between 5am and 7am and 7pm and 11pm; and every 16minutes between 11pm to 1am.
The 13 new 45-metre-long light rail vehicles can each move up to 400 people, making iteasier for residents and visitors to connect to and move through Sydney’s second CBD.
The new light rail line provides connections to key destinations, including the WestmeadHealth Precinct, CommBank Stadium, Riverside Theatres, over 60 cafes and restaurants onand around Church Street, Parramatta Square, Rosehill Gardens Racecourse, and threeWestern Sydney University campuses.
The L4 Line is part of the Transport Opal network–passengers can tap on and off atOpalreaders located at each light rail stop, with ticket machines at Westmead Hospital,Childrens Hospital and Ngara stops.
Passengers can plan their trips by visiting transportnsw.info or the Opal Travel App.
Over the coming weeks, additional staff will be placed at each stop to support passengersas they become familiar with the new service.
Audio help points are also located at each stop which connect directly to staff atParramatta Light Rail’s Operations Control Centre.
Parramatta Light Rail is the first light rail project in the State to deliver ‘green track’,incorporating it with wire-free technology, in park lands and heritage-sensitiveenvironments along 1.3kms of the alignment. The award-winning ‘green track’ designused81 per cent less concrete in its construction, reduces noise and urban heat, and deliversenvironmental and health benefits.
Additionally, a new 5.7km walking and bike riding path between Carlingford and Parramattaopened to the public in May 2023 as part of theproject, providing residents and visitors withmore active transport options. Cyclists will benefit from 160 new bike hoops located nearthe majority of the light rail stops across the alignment, with the trams equipped with fourbike spots.
Parramatta Light Rail has converted the former single-track T6 Carlingford Line betweenCamellia and Carlingford, which ran two train services per hour and stopped 70,000 drivers
each day at the historic level crossing on Parramatta Road, Granville to dual-track light rail.This will provide residents with more frequent services and better connections to towncentres, including Parramatta and the Sydney CBD.
With the Parramatta Light Rail now operational, bus routes 535which ran alongtheCarlingford to Parramattaalignmentduring construction and testing,andthe900Parramatta shuttlebuswill be withdrawn from service.
By 2026, around 22,000 people are expected to use Parramatta Light Rail every day, with anestimated 130,000 people living within walking distance of the 16 light rail stops.
Parramatta Light Rail was delivered by Ford Civil, Ventia, Diona Ward Joint Venture,Parramatta Connect (CPB Contractors and Downer Joint Venture), Great River City Light Railconsortium (Transdev and CAF Rail Australia), and their subcontractors.
In the 2024-25 Budget, the Minns Labor Government committed $2.1 billion to ParramattaLight Rail Stage 2 to extend Stage 1 and further connect growing communities in WesternSydney between Ermington, Melrose Park, Parramatta, and Olympic Park.
Early works commenced this month on the Parramatta Light Rail Stage 2 Enabling Worksproject to deliver the first 1.3km light rail alignment. This will include a 320m public andactive transport bridge between Wentworth Point and MelrosePark. Major bridgeconstruction is expected to commence in 2025.
The Parramatta Light Rail stages 1 and 2 network from Westmead to Sydney Olympic Parkwill support the Greater Parramatta and Olympic Peninsula (GPOP) priority growth area, oneof Sydney’s fastest growing areas.
With GPOP’s population expected to exceed 277,000 by 2041, light rail will be critical toserve this growing demand and connect residents to key employment hubs, entertainment,and amenities
For more information, visit www.nsw.gov.au/parramatta-light-rail
