Sydney’s Southwest Metro will open on 30 October, extending the line from Sydenham to Bankstown. The 66-kilometre route will include stops such as Marrickville, Canterbury, and Lakemba, replacing the old T3 heavy-rail line. Transport for NSW says the new Metro will carry 50 per cent more passengers and provide faster trips, with trains running every four minutes during peak times. Premier Chris Minns and Transport Minister John Graham have thanked commuters for their patience during the delays. Further extensions to the line are in early planning stages.
Parties contesting New Zealand's election are promoting different transport measures. National is promising more major roads, while Labour and the Greens are pledging public transport fare caps. An analysis argues these measures will not ease immediate fuel cost pressures or fix unreliable bus and train services. The government's transport programme allocates NZ$6.4 billion to public transport over three years, but councils are expected to recover more costs through fares. The writer says the next government should focus on reliable alternatives that give households more practical choices.
The NSW Government has announced that the Sydney Metro South-West extension will open on Friday 30 October. The 66-kilometre route runs from Bankstown to Sydenham and connects with the existing line to Tallawong. Trains will run every four minutes at peak times and every ten minutes in the evenings and on weekends. The government says the trip times will be shorter for many passengers. Six of the 360 train doors will temporarily stay closed because the gap to the platform is too wide, and pink South-West Link buses will keep running over the first weekend.
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Sydney's $23 billion Southwest Metro will open on Friday, October 30, after more than a year of delays. The first train leaves Bankstown station at 4.31am and runs to Tallawong in the northwest. Residents along the corridor have had no train services since September 2024. Transport Minister John Graham has ruled out a fare-free day, and rail replacement buses will stay on standby for the first three days. Premier Chris Minns apologised for the delays and costs, saying the project will serve the city for over a century.
The NSW Government will add 190 new bus services on routes 413 and 418 before the South-West Metro opens on Friday 30 October. Route 413, which runs between Campsie and the Sydney CBD, will gain 173 extra weekly trips. Off-peak 413 buses will run every 20 minutes instead of every 30. Route 418, linking Burwood and Sydenham, will receive 17 extra weekly trips. Transport Minister John Graham said the extra services work with the Metro. Local MP Jo Haylen said the changes would improve frequency and operating hours for residents.
Sydney's south-west metro extension will open on Friday 30 October, ending more than two years of replacement buses. The first service is set to start at 4.31am. The former T3 heavy rail line closed in September 2024 for conversion to a driverless system. Once open, the line will run 66km from Tallawong to Bankstown, and a Bankstown to Central trip is expected to take 28 minutes. Premier Chris Minns thanked commuters for their patience, calling it a huge moment for south-west Sydney.
The Sydney Southwest Metro will open with its first service departing at 4:31am on Friday, October 30, NSW Premier Chris Minns has said. The new line replaces the 130-year-old Bankstown train line and links south-western suburbs with the Sydney CBD, North Sydney and north-western suburbs. Trains will run every four minutes during weekday peak hours, with services every five minutes during the day and every 10 minutes in evenings and on weekends.
A SkyBus service linking Launceston Airport with the city centre will launch on 2 November as a 12-month trial. It will run hourly, seven days a week, between 4.30am and 11.15pm, with adult fares set at $16. The Tasmanian Government has committed $1 million to the trial, which will be monitored for passenger demand and feedback. The route includes six stops, among them hotels and the Transit Centre. Kinetic, which owns and operates SkyBus, worked with the government and the airport to establish the service. Introductory fares are available until 30 November.
Brimbank council has adopted the Moving Brimbank transport strategy, a long-term plan guiding transport planning, investment and advocacy to 2050. The strategy sets out 10 priority areas, including walking, cycling, buses, trains and parking. Community consultation showed strong support for more frequent and reliable buses, and safer walking and cycling connections. Seventy-seven per cent of respondents backed the strategy's vision. Over the next two years, council plans to develop a Brimbank Bus Plan, local walking plans, a cycling implementation plan and a local roads safety plan.
Western Sydney International Airport will begin commercial flights on October 25, running around the clock. Airlines including Qatar Airways, Qantas and Singapore Airlines have announced routes there. Travellers face varied costs: shuttle buses from St Marys station, express buses from Sydney and Parramatta CBDs, and car parking rates. Transport expert Rico Merkert says airfare savings may depend on jet fuel prices, which have risen during the Middle East conflict.
Brisbane City Council is developing a Dawn Plan to boost early-morning economic opportunities, with a survey open until November 22 to gather resident feedback. Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner says the plan aims to improve park facilities, pathways and public transport options for early risers. Research shows 13 per cent of Brisbane cafes open between 5am and 6am, with half serving customers by 8am.
Police charged 15 people with a combined 23 offences during a two-day operation across Newcastle, the Hunter and the Central Coast. The operation, called Operation Disrupt, ran from 2am on Friday 16 October to 2am on Saturday 17 October. Officers targeted transport hubs and nearby shopping areas in Newcastle, Tuggerah Lakes, Wyong and Gosford. Knife scanning screened 110 people and detected two knives. Police said the operation will continue. Minister for Police and Counter-Terrorism Yasmin Catley praised the results and officers involved.
Victorian Labor says public transport fares will be capped at $30 a week if it is re-elected next month. The cap would start on 1 January, the day after half-price fares end. Premier Ben Carroll said regular commuters could save up to $1,400 a year. Commuters will need their Myki cards to use the capped fares, transport minister Vicki Ward said. The Coalition has said it will not match the cap, citing the state's finances.
Victorian Premier Ben Carroll has pledged to cap public transport fares at $30 a week if Labor is re-elected next month. The cap would run for two years until December 2028, which Victorian Labor estimates will cost $206 million. Carroll says savings elsewhere will offset the cost. The pledge follows a $30-a-week freeway toll cap announced a day earlier. The Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry has urged all major parties to show fiscal restraint, warning that businesses and households carry the state's debt.
Victoria's Labor Party has promised to cap public transport fares at $30 a week for full fare holders and $15 a week for concession card users if re-elected in November. The two-year policy, costing $206 million, aims to save commuters up to $1400 annually. Existing free travel for under 18s and seniors on weekends will continue, with changes taking effect in January 2025. The announcement follows a previous fare surcharge apology and a $1.7 billion Coalition pledge for new trains in Melbourne's western suburbs.
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A man reported missing from Kedron since Friday 16 October has been found safe, police say. Police thanked the community for its help. Earlier, police had appealed for public help after raising concerns for his welfare due to a medical condition. Investigators believed he may have been travelling by public transport in the Kedron, Brisbane CBD or West End area. The media release has been updated to remove identifying details and images for privacy reasons.
Concession card holders in Victoria can now pay for public transport trips by tapping a bank card, smartphone or smartwatch from Tuesday, 13 October. The state government says the expansion is designed to make travel easier for students, carers and pensioners. To link a concession entitlement, passengers tap on at any reader, then follow prompts on the Transport Victoria website. Metro and V/Line customer assistance staff can help with setup, and concession holders should still carry proof of entitlement. Half-price fares are also offered until the end of the year.
More buses, longer operating hours and better connections will be introduced between Lake Haven, Lake Munmorah, Doyalson, Catherine Hill Bay and Swansea. The changes come through an overhaul of Route 99.
Lions Park at Noosa Heads will remain public open space over Christmas and will not be used for overflow car parking. The move gives families and beachgoers more room to relax. Council will focus on park-and-ride, free public transport and traffic management over the summer holidays to reduce congestion. The free Loop Bus will run from 9 December 2026 to 26 January 2027. Council has also introduced a Main Beach drop-off zone with marshals to keep traffic moving.
Residents of outer western Sydney spend far more on vehicles than inner-city residents, according to the Outer Western Sydney Alliance, which chairs the group of councils. Only 12 per cent of Wollondilly Shire residents have regular public transport within 400 metres of home. Wilton resident Caitlin Webster said she was housebound for six weeks after her caesarean section because she could not drive. Penrith Mayor Todd Carney called for rail and Sydney Metro links, while Transport Minister John Graham pointed to $140 million for business cases and $302 million for five new bus routes.
