Opening date mooted for first phase of Sydney’s new CBD and South East light rail network

It’s a year late, over budget and won’t fully open until 2020, but a date is firming for when the first passengers will be able to ride Sydney’s shiny new trams.

Sydney’s much-delayed $2.7 billion new tram network is set to open early next month. At least partially.

Trams will return to the heart of Sydney’s CBD for the first time since they were withdrawn in the early 1960s.

It’s reported that the 13 kilometre Sydney CBD and South East Light Rail will begin taking passengers on Saturday, December 7. However, that could be pushed back by a week or more if further testing is necessary

Transport for NSW (TfNSW), the government transport agency, isn’t committing to a date yet.

It told news.com.au today that “we remain on track to open the light rail line in December”, but “more information would follow” on an exact date.

However, sources have indicated to news.com.au that the first people should indeed be able to climb aboard from December 7.

Sydney’s new light rail network is due to open early next month. Picture: AAP Image/Dean Lewins.

The new light rail vehicles, some of the longest in the world, have been plying the route for months on test runs. From last weekend, testing of the full timetable began, with lots of empty trams shuttling up and down the main CBD thoroughfare of George St.

From December, trams will begin taking passengers from Circular Quay, close to the Opera House, via Wynyard, the Queen Victoria Building, Central Station and the Sydney Cricket Ground to Randwick.

It will be known as the L2 line, with the current line from Central to Dulwich Hill designated the L1.

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But the branch to Kensington and Kingsford, in the city’s eastern suburbs, won’t open in December, TfNSW has confirmed. The year-long delay to the light rail system, which involved the Government and builder Acciona heading to court, led to the Randwick branch being prioritised so something could be opened this year.

The Kingsford branch is due to open in March 2020.

“Testing and driver training is still underway and going well. We remain on track to open the light rail line from Randwick to Circular Quay in December. More information will follow after further tests are completed in coming weeks,” a spokeswoman told news.com.au.

Empty trams are now running to the full timetable up and down George St in Sydney’s CBD. Picture: John Grainger

The Sydney Morning Herald has reported passengers will be able to ride for free on December 7 while the system is put through its paces and ahead of the commuter rush the following Monday.

Major changes to the bus networks in the eastern suburbs are expected with many city routes truncated at Randwick and Kingsford, forcing people to change modes to complete their journeys.

Inner-west commuters may also have their bus routes altered as they enter the CBD to connect to the new light rail.

However, TfNSW said any changes would be delayed until the Kingsford branch opened next year.

“We will monitor the impact of light rail on customers’ travel patterns before updating the community on the proposed new South East bus plan,” a spokeswoman said.

Sydneysiders are having to get used to looking out for trams. Picture: John Grainger

The opening of the Sydney CBD and South East light rail route comes during a renaissance for trams in Australia. During the last decade, networks have opened on the Gold Coast, in Newcastle and Canberra, and the Adelaide system has been extended.

The NSW Government is about to start work on an isolated tram network centred on Parramatta in western Sydney. This will take over part of the existing T6 Carlingford rail line, which will be closed in January.

News.com.au has contacted TfNSW for comment.