Metro closes full M1 line two weekends running for Southwest testing

Sydney Metro will shut the entire M1 line for two consecutive weekends in May as testing accelerates ahead of the Southwest Metro extension opening in the second half of 2026.

Full line closures are scheduled for 9-10 May and 16-17 May. Replacement buses will run between Tallawong and Chatswood during both weekends.

The intensive testing schedule reflects the final push to integrate the new Southwest extension, which will stretch the network to 66 kilometres serving 31 stations when complete. Testing has already covered 3,000 kilometres of track over 700 hours.

Southwest Metro project director Alia Karaman said the closures were essential for critical integration work. “If we don’t shut down, then it means we’re not able to complete a critical part of the work,” she said.

The Southwest Metro will transform the 130-year-old former T3 Bankstown railway line into metro standards, extending from Sydenham to Bankstown. Current testing involves running trains at up to 100 kilometres per hour with loaded water containers to simulate passenger loads.

Member for Willoughby Tim James has criticised the timing of recent closures, particularly during Easter. “I’m conscious of what it means for small businesses,” James said, noting that businesses around Chatswood Station have seen a 35 per cent surge in passenger numbers since Metro opened.

Social media users have expressed frustration with the frequency of weekend disruptions. One commenter suggested Metro should “just publish the dates that the metro is actually open.”

The Easter weekend closure alone enabled over 120 individual checks and 1,000 kilometres of test running, with the testing fleet doubled from two to four trains for the first time. When complete, Southwest Metro will deliver four-minute peak frequency compared to the current T3 Bankstown line’s less frequent service.