Chris Minns vows no-frills Metro for Western Sydney

The expensive fit-outs of one Metro City station were so luxe they surprised even a European royal, but the Metro West stations will be far more pedestrian, with Premier Chris Minns prioritising function over form.

Western Sydney commuters are being promised a no-frills, functional Metro service focused on getting them to and from work, with Premier Chris Minns shunning the flashy fit-outs that made four Metro City stations so expensive.

While stations like Martin Place, Victoria Cross, Gadigal and Waterloo captured the imagination of tourists and locals alike when they opened last August, the architecturally-designed masterpieces also came with a big price tag.

The stations cost, on average, $700m each – including the cost of excavation, construction, and fit-out.

The stations also featured premium materials designed to blend in with their locations, including granite, sandstone, and marble.

The quality of the fit-out at Barangaroo is even said to have come as a surprise to one European royal, who asked why the former government had put “beautiful” Belgian marble on the floor of station – where people could walk all over it.

The sandstone, art and marble of the Barangaroo Metro station won’t be seen anywhere on the no-frills Metro West. Picture: Richard Dobson

When Belgium’s Princess Astrid visited Sydney in October 2023, then-transport minister Jo Haylen accompanied the royal for a tour of Barangaroo station, which was being constructed by Belgian company BESIX Watpac as part of a $217m contract.

Mr Minns recounted the story to The Daily Telegraph in an interview to mark the halfway point of his government.

“There was a story about some of this European marble that was presented to a royal,” Mr Minns said.

The luxe Metro City stations are canvasses for multiple public art projects. Picture: Richard Dobson

“(The marble) was on the ground, and the royal said, ‘that’s fantastic, it’s beautiful, why’d you put it on the floor?’”

Ahead of the Telegraph’s Future West event next week, it can be revealed stations for the Metro West project set to open in 2032 will prioritise function over form.

“You’re going to have a world class, 21st century Metro. But the primary job of the metro would get people to and from work,” Mr Minns said.

Metro West stations will look more pedestrian, similar to Metro Northwest stations. Picture: AAP/Image Matthew Vasilescu

“It won’t be as elaborate as the CBD stations from the Metro Sydney project, Metro City and southwest project.”

Mr Minns insisted he will not allow blowouts in the $25bn Metro West project linking the city to Parramatta.

“I can’t have a $25bn project become a $40bn project.”

Metro West is currently under construction. Picture: NewsWire / Nikki Short

After casting doubt on the future of the project, Mr Minns confirmed in December 2023 that Labor would build the new Metro line – albeit with construction delayed by two years.

The Metro West stations, which will include Five Dock, Westmead, and Parramatta, are expected to be built to the standard of the Metro Northwest stations from Chatswood to Tallawong.

“Commuters on the Metro West line will enjoy world-class, high frequency rail services, much like the existing M1 North West and Bankstown line,” Transport Minister John Graham said.

Mr Graham said the Minns Government would not be spending extra cash on flashy art installations like a series of sculptures at Martin Place.

“Metro is a rail service. We will focus our art and museums spending on galleries and museums and our metro spending on getting people from A to B as quickly and safely as possible,” he said.