Parramatta Light Rail Is Up & Running

Parramatta Light Rail Is Up

 

It may only cover 12 kilometres, but Parramatta’s much-anticipated L4 light rail service is already being hailed as a ‘game changer’ for the city.

Parramatta locals cannot hide their enthusiasm for the shiny new red vehicles that now whisk commuters and visitors between Westmead and Carlingford – the new service clocked up a staggering 100,000 trips in its first three weeks of operation.

“It is an exciting time for Parramatta,” said Donna Davis MP, Member for Parramatta. “We now have access to a modern and reliable light rail service and new active transport links.” Launched on December 20, 2024, the new light rail line provides a fast and reliable service to key Parramatta locations, including the Westmead Health Precinct, CommBank Stadium (home of the Parramatta Eels), Riverside Theatres, Parramatta Square and the city’s famous ‘Eat Street’.

The new light rail will also prove a boon for students attending Western Sydney University since it connects all three university campuses.

The 13 new 45-metre-long light rail vehicles can each move up to 400 people, making it easier for residents and visitors to connect to and move through Sydney’s second CBD.

The L4 Line is part of the Transport NSW’s Opal network – passengers can tap on and off at Opal readers located at each of the 16 light rail stops; there are ticket machines located at Westmead Hospital, The Children’s Hospital and Ngara stops.

During its launch phase the L4 line will operate a weekday timetable, with regular services between 5am and 1am; services operate every nine minutes between 7am and 7pm.

Passengers can plan their trips by visiting transportnsw.info or by downloading the Opal Travel App.

Transport Minister Jo Haylen expects the new L4 line to carry around 22,000 people a day by 2026, with an estimated 130,000 people living within walking distance of the service.

“This is the public transport network Western Sydney has been waiting for,” she said. “The L4 connects some of our fastest growing communities.”

Fast, Healthy, Planet-Friendly Transport

Parramatta Light Rail is the first light rail project in the NSW to incorporate so-called ‘green track’ design which uses 81% less concrete than traditional rail construction, cutting both noise and heat emissions.

In addition, residents have the use of a new 5.7km walking and bike path between Carlingford and Parramatta. Completed in May 2023 the new path provides an alternative transport option for residents and visitors alike – cyclists can use 160 new bike hoops located near light rail stops; each tram vehicle is equipped with bike storage spaces. The new dual-track L4 service replaces the former single-track T6 Carlingford Line, which ran two train services per hour and stopped 70,000 drivers each day at a level crossing on Parramatta Rd, Granville.

Work has now commenced on Stage 2 of the Parramatta Light Rail project which will link Parramatta CBD to Sydney Olympic Park via Camellia, Rydalmere, Ermington, Melrose Park and Wentworth Point. Parramatta Light Rail Stage 2 will consist of 14 tram stops and cover a total distance of just over 10 kilometres, including a new 320m bridge across the Parramatta River between Melrose Park and Wentworth Point.

In addition to light rail, the new bridge will carry buses, cyclists and pedestrians. Once complete the bridge will form part of a 9.5km walking and cycling network in Parramatta. This work will also see upgrades to surrounding public spaces including Archer Park. The total cost of the Parramatta Light Rail Stage 2 project is $2.1 billion.

Authorities say that the light rail service will operate between 7am and 7pm on weekdays, with travel times of around 31 minutes from Camellia to the Carter Street Precinct via Sydney Olympic Park, and a further seven minutes to the Parramatta CBD.

Stage 2 will link up with existing or soon-to-be-completed transport systems such as Parramatta Light Rail Stage 1, Sydney Metro West, heavy rail in Parramatta and Sydney Olympic Park and ferry services at Rydalmere and Sydney Olympic Park.

Final completion date for Stage 2 has yet to be announced.