By Matt O'Sullivan
It feels more spacious inside and open to natural light than Sydney's existing trams. And, once coupled to another, the new tram sets for Sydney's $2.1 billion light rail will be twice the length of those running on the 12.8-kilometre inner west light rail line.
After weeks wrapped in white plastic at a new yard at Randwick, the first of 60 trams for Sydney's $2.1 billion light rail line from Circular Quay to Randwick and Kensington was unveiled on Tuesday.
"It will have a very modern smooth feel [for passengers] but obviously longer than any other light rail vehicle they have seen before," Premier Gladys Berejiklian said.
Describing it as a "game changer", she said the new line would provide a better link for people travelling to the CBD or, in the other direction, to the University of NSW at Kensington and hospitals at Randwick.
The first tram is unveiled for Sydney's $2.1 billion light rail line.
"Once the line is up and running, we will find the need to put on additional services and, of course, we are geared up for that," she said.
Built in France and Spain by transport conglomerate Alstom, the 67-metre Citadis X05 tram sets will be among the longest trams in the world when they start operating in 2019.
That is a few metres short of a Boeing 747 jumbo and almost four times as long as one of Sydney's bendy buses.
In all, 30 of the trams sets will eventually be running on the 12-kilometre rail line from Circular Quay to the south east.
The interior is about 10 per cent wider than the trams on the inner west light rail line.
Capable of carrying of up to 450 passengers – the equivalent of nine buses – each coupled set will have 96 permanent seats and 24 flip seats.
Alstom Australia managing director Mark Coxon said passengers were most likely to notice the carriages' double doors, which would allow people to exit and enter more easily and quickly than standard trams.
How Sydney's carriages measure up. Credit: Graphic: Remi Bianchi
So-called "balcony windows" also gave a more open feel to the interiors by allowing more natural light in, he said.
The interiors are 2.65 metres wide, about 10 per cent greater than the trams on the inner west light rail line.
"The wider it is, the easier it is to move around," Mr Coxon said.
The rest of the light rail vehicles will arrive over the coming months, and be housed at a new stabling yard under construction beside Randwick Racecourse. The trams will be tested along a section of new track later this year.