Karmactive Staff
The Sydney Metro T6 Lidcombe to Bankstown line will shut down for nine weeks starting April 27, forcing 11,000 daily commuters to find alternative transportation. The closure, lasting until June 29, is necessary for major upgrades that will double the line’s capacity.
Transport for NSW will provide free replacement buses during the shutdown, which affects three stations completely – Yagoona, Birrong, and Bankstown. The other three stations on the line – Lidcombe, Berala, and Regents Park – will remain open with connections to other train services.
“Communities that use this line will experience disruption due to these necessary rail upgrades,” said Transport Minister John Graham. “However once complete, the line will be able to accommodate rail services with double the capacity while connecting to a world class new Southwest Metro service.”
The construction will extend platforms at Bankstown Station to support eight-car trains instead of the current four-car limit. Workers will also install new track layouts to improve platform access and upgrade signaling systems.
Two replacement bus routes will operate during the closure:
- 8T6: stopping at all stations between Bankstown and Lidcombe
- 8AT6: express service between Bankstown and Lidcombe
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Passengers can transfer to other train services at Lidcombe and Regents Park, or connect to the Southwest Link buses at Bankstown. The T1 Western Line, T2 Inner West Line, and T3 Liverpool via Regents Park Line will continue running as normal.
“This is a relatively small shuttle line by passenger numbers, but the loss of services for nine weeks will be disruptive for the passengers who use the T6 Line,” Graham added. “We will have fare-free rail-replacement buses in place and marshals on the ground to ensure all passengers can continue to get where they need to go.”
Transport for NSW Acting Coordinator-General Barbara Wise apologized for the inconvenience, noting that staff will be available to help passengers navigate the changes.
The T6 line was created as a shuttle service following the closure of the former T3 Bankstown line. While it serves fewer passengers compared to the wider Sydney rail network’s million-plus daily riders, the upgrades are critical for integrating with Sydney’s future Southwest Metro service.
The work represents another step in Sydney’s ongoing metro expansion project, which aims to increase public transport capacity and reduce travel times across the city.
