By Matt O'Sullivan
A major underground walkway beneath Sydney's Central Station will become an arterial route for hundreds of thousands of commuters each day, linking a new metro line to suburban trains and light rail.
Unveiling the planned "Central Walk" on Wednesday, Premier Gladys Berejiklian said commuters would encounter some disruptions at Australia's busiest station during the three-year construction of the concourse, which was due to start by the end of next year.
"It won't affect train services but some customers will have different platforms from which they catch their trains," she said.
"This is about modernising the centrepiece of our rail network. Alongside the metro project, we will ensure that Central rail station will have it's much needed upgrade."
The new pedestrian link at Central Station will be 19 metres wide.
The 19-metre-wide pedestrian tunnel will connect a new light rail line on Chalmers Street, on the eastern side of the station, to a yet-to-be-built metro line and existing platforms for suburban trains.
Platforms 13, 14 and 15 – which are used for country train services – will need to be dug up to allow for the walkway and the second stage of the $20 billion metro rail line to be built.
The government did not release costings for the walkway, but the outlay is expected to be similar to that for the $300 million Wynyard Walk, which connects Barangaroo to Wynyard Station and opened to pedestrians last year.
About 450,000 people are forecast to pass through Central every day by 2036, up from about 250,000 at present.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Transport Minister Andrew Constance at Central Station on Wednesday.Credit: Peter Braig
"Access around Central is like a rabbit warren. What this will do is open it up," Transport Minister Andrew Constance said.
"Look at Grand Central Station in New York – this is what we're going to see here in the heart of mid-town in terms of Sydney."
Central Walk will connect the new metro line with platforms for the existing lines.
One commercial property will be compulsorily acquired for the new walkway, and as well as a number of leases at the station.
The government has called for expressions of interest from the private sector for the fitout of the station and the new Central Walk on Wednesday.
A bridge will also be built from Regent Street, on the western side of the station, to the construction area at Central.
Sydney Trains chief executive Howard Collins described the plans as a "massive game changer" for people who had difficulty getting around the station.
"It will just make interchanging so much easier," he said.
Timetable changes to be released next year for Sydney's rail network will incorporate the first stage of the new metro line from Rouse Hill in Sydney's north west to Chatswood, as well as the impact of the temporary loss of the three platforms at Central during construction.
Mr Collins urged people to be patient during construction of the walkway and new metro platforms, and said staff would help people navigate the building site and ensure every existing service continued to operate.
"We're not cancelling services but there may be some changes in your route and your pattern of service," he said.
The station for the metro line beneath Central will be 250 metres long and sit 30 metres below the surface.
In September, the government sought community feedback on plans to renovate the 110-year-old Central Station, which covers 20 hectares.
An "outcome report" of that feedback is understood to focus on the need for more shops, cafes, restaurants and bigger spaces.
The station's overhaul will be a key part of the redevelopment of the Central to Eveleigh rail corridor.