The Metro West station at Parramatta will be close to light rail. Photo: ANDREW KACIMAIWAI
Parramatta is now connected to the Metro underground after a 17-month ‘trip’ by two tunnel boring machines (TBMs) through solid rock from Sydney Olympic Park.
The TBMs arrived at the Parramatta station box earlier this week, the NSW Government announced.
This marks 90% completion of all tunnelling on the Sydney Metro West project and comes after a double breakthrough at Pyrmont at the eastern end of the line.
The government says the TBMs have chewed through 200 metres of sandstone every week since early 2024, excavating 1.25 million tonnes of rock (enough to fill the Olympic pool at Sydney Olympic Park 204 times).
TBM Betty (named after Australian “Golden Girl” Olympic sprinter Betty Cuthbert) broke through into Parramatta first and is now on its way towards Westmead.
TBM Dorothy (named after human rights activist Dorothy Buckland-Fuller) broke through into the station box on Thursday last week and will receive maintenance before it pushes onto Westmead to complete the western end of the line by the end of the year.
NSW Premier Chris Minns says the station breakthrough is a huge step towards delivering Sydney Metro West.
“When it’s up and running, Metro West will make it significantly easier to travel between Sydney’s west and Sydney’s CBD,” he says.
It is expected to reduce drive time from Parramatta to the Sydney CBD to 20 minutes, government says.
“Metro West will double rail capacity, it’ll link new communities, support the growth of housing and jobs in Western Sydney.”
Transport Minister John Graham says the Sydney-Parramatta route is one of the most important transport connections.
“These TBMs delivered a rock-solid performance, working around the clock for 17 months to reach Parramatta. Now it is time for them to finish the job to Westmead.”
METRO WEST NETWORK
The new Metro station at Parramatta is close to new tram services and links directly to the new Civic Link, a 450-metre-long pedestrian spine connecting the metro precinct to the future Powerhouse Parramatta.
The TBMs have installed more than 48,000 precast concrete segments (each weighing up to four tonnes) to line the tunnels.
Six of the nine station boxes for the Sydney Metro West project have been lined: The Bays, Five Dock, Burwood North, North Strathfield Sydney Olympic Park and Westmead.
Work continues at Parramatta, Pyrmont and Hunter Street station (City CBD) which will link pedestrians to Martin Place Station on the M1 Metro line.
Sydney Metro West’s target open date is sometime in 2032.
For more details about the project, visit sydneymetro.info/west/project-overview.
