Inner West & Leppington Line

"Airport, Inner West & South Line" redirects here. For the current line between Macarthur and the city via Revesby, see Airport & South Line.

The Inner West & Leppington Line (numbered T2, coloured light blue) is a commuter rail service currently operated by Sydney Trains, serving the inner west and south-western regions of Sydney, Australia. Consisting of 37 stops, the service commences from the City Circle, then heads west to Granville. The line branches at this point; services either head northwest to Parramatta or south to Leppington. A third terminus at Homebush is used when the part-time Parramatta branch isn't operating. The line commenced operations on 26 November 2017, replacing the T2 Airport, Inner West & South Line.

Inner West & Leppington Line
An A set at Glenfield.
Overview
Service type	Commuter rail service
Status	Operational
Locale	Sydney, New South Wales
Predecessor	Inner West (1999–2013) South (1999–2013) Airport, Inner West & South (2013–2017)
First service	26 November 2017; 6 years ago (2017-11-26)
Current operator(s)	Sydney Trains
Route
Termini	City Circle Leppington Parramatta
Stops	37
Average journey time	1h 29m (Leppington to Museum) 59m (Parramatta to Museum) (Weekday offpeak times, journey times vary based on stopping pattern and time)
Line(s) used	City Circle Main Suburban Old Main South Main South South West Rail Link
On-board services
Disabled access	Yes
Technical
Rolling stock	K, T, M, A and B sets
Track gauge	Standard gauge
Electrification	1,500 V DC from overhead catenary^[1]
Depot(s)	Auburn
Track owner(s)	Transport Asset Holding Entity
Timetable number(s)	T2
Sydney Trains services Metro North West North Shore & Western Inner West & Leppington Bankstown Eastern Suburbs & Illawarra Cumberland Lidcombe & Bankstown Olympic Park Airport & South Northern v t e

v t e T2 route diagram
Legend
km km North Shore line 3.0 Circular Quay Wynyard 2.1 4.4 St James Town Hall 1.2 5.0 Museum Central New Southern (Airport) line 1.3 Redfern Illawarra line 2.5 Macdonaldtown 3.1 Newtown 4.7 Stanmore 5.5 Petersham 6.3 Lewisham Inner West Light Rail 7.0 Summer Hill 8.4 Ashfield 9.4 Croydon 10.6 Burwood 11.8 Strathfield Main North line 12.7 Homebush 14.3 Flemington Flemington Depot Metropolitan Goods line Olympic Park line Lidcombe 16.6 Auburn 18.6 Clyde 18.4 Berala ■ Granville 21.2 19.9 Regents Park Main Western line Merrylands 23.5 Metropolitan Goods line 22.1 Birrong Guildford 25.7 20.2 Yagoona 18.7 Bankstown Yennora Distribution Centre Bankstown line 21.2 Sefton Yennora 27.4 22.3 Chester Hill 23.7 Leightonfield Fairfield 29.0 24.5 Villawood 25.9 Carramar Canley Vale 31.0 Cabramatta 28.4 Warwick Farm 34.2 Liverpool 35.7 M5 Motorway Casula 38.8 East Hills line Glenfield 33.0 Main South line M31 Hume Motorway Edmondson Park Leppington

History

T2 Airport, Inner West & South Line

 

Original route (October 2013 to December 2015)

Branch to Leppington added (December 2015 to November 2017)

Following the 2011 state election, the newly elected O'Farrell government embarked on reform of transport in New South Wales, and created a new organisation, Transport for NSW, in November of that year. This was followed up with another government reform, which saw Sydney Trains take over operation of the Sydney suburban rail network from CityRail in July 2013.

Transport for NSW developed a new rail timetable and branding, which was put into effect on 20 October 2013. This saw three of CityRail's lines, the Airport & East Hills Line (Macarthur - City via Sydney Airport or Sydenham), the Inner West Line (Liverpool or Bankstown - City via Regents Park) and the South Line (Campbelltown - City via Granville), merged to form the Airport, Inner West & South Line. A new numbering system was also introduced and the new line was given the number T2. The 2013 timetable was designed to integrate the projects of the Rail Clearways Program, a 2004 plan to divide the network's fourteen metropolitan rail lines into five independent "clearways" by installing extra tracks, passing loops, turnouts and turnbacks at pinch points around the network.^[2] By 2013, the Rail Clearways Program was substantially complete. At the same time, the delivery of 78 new Waratah trains was almost complete as well.^{[citation needed]}

During the CityRail era, the Airport & East Hills Line was through-routed with the South Line, and the Inner West Line formed a loop with the Bankstown Line. A substantial change introduced by the 2013 timetable was the abolition of Bankstown loop services and most Liverpool via Regents Park services. These changes were made possible by Rail Clearways projects to construct new turnbacks at Homebush and Lidcombe. Such changes resulted in the West of Bankstown area experiencing significant transport disadvantage and has been one of the matters investigated by the NSW Legislative Council Inquiry into Current and future public transport needs in Western Sydney.^[3]

These 2013 timetable changes allowed the operation of the Inner West and Bankstown lines to be separated as part of internal Transport for NSW plans to convert the Inner West Line from Central to Homebush and the Bankstown Line to Lidcombe/Cabramatta into rapid transit.^[4] However, the changes attracted criticism due to the increased number of interchanges and increase in travel time for passengers for all stations between Carramar/Berala and Birrong^[5][6] especially as proposed conversion of the Inner West Line and Bankstown Line west of Bankstown Station into rapid transit did not proceed.

The former T2 South Line added a branch to Leppington on 13 December 2015, replacing a temporary shuttle service to Liverpool.^[7]

Current line

A new Sydney Trains timetable was introduced on 26 November 2017. The former T2 line was split in two. The new T2 consists of services from Leppington to the city via Granville, with a branch to Parramatta being added. A new T8 Airport and South Line provides services from Macarthur to the city via Sydney Airport or Sydenham.^[8] The new T2 is coloured light blue - a similar colour to CityRail's South Line. The T8 inherited the green line colour from the old T2, which was itself derived from the colour of CityRail's Airport & East Hills Line.^[9]

T5 Cumberland Line services were modified to no longer travel to and from Campbelltown, instead starting and terminating at Leppington.^[10] These changes mean the section of the network between Glenfield and Macarthur is served exclusively by services operating via the East Hills railway line.^[10][11][12]

Future line

In 2020, Transport for NSW commenced planning for rail services west of Bankstown, including the release of an options paper indicating a preference for the return of the Liverpool to City via Regents Park service.^[13] Transport for NSW has confirmed that from mid-2024 to 2030 that the former Inner West Line between Lidcombe and Liverpool will be rebranded as the T3 Liverpool & Inner West Line^[14] with direct services to City Circle running via Regents Park, in addition to existing services from Leppington to City Circle via Granville.

Route

 

A route diagram of the T2

Services on the Inner West & Leppington Line commence by taking the City Circle (generally in an anti-clockwise direction) and then the Main Suburban railway line, on the local pair of tracks. At Homebush, trains on the "inner west" stopping pattern terminate. Services that proceed further west towards Parramatta to Leppington merge onto the suburban pair of tracks. At Granville, trains can take the Main Western line a short distance to Parramatta or the Old Main South railway line to a junction north of Cabramatta, then continuing onto the Main South railway line as far as Glenfield. At a junction south of Glenfield, services switch to the South West Rail Link to reach the terminus at Leppington. The following stations are served by T2 Inner West & Leppington Line trains:

• Museum, St James, Circular Quay, Wynyard, Town Hall and Central on the City Circle
• Redfern, Macdonaldtown, Newtown, Stanmore, Petersham, Lewisham, Summer Hill, Ashfield, Croydon, Burwood, Strathfield, Homebush, Flemington, Lidcombe, Auburn and Granville on the Main Suburban line
• Harris Park and Parramatta on the Main Western line
• Merrylands, Guildford, Yennora, Fairfield, Canley Vale, Cabramatta, Warwick Farm, Liverpool, Casula and Glenfield on the Old Main South and Main South lines.
• Edmondson Park and Leppington on the South West Rail Link

Services

The line usually runs on two stopping patterns. The first stopping pattern runs to Leppington, making limited stops between Redfern and Homebush, with the specific stopping pattern depending on the time of day. West of Homebush all trains make all stops, except for Clyde, where trains do not stop on weekends. The second stopping pattern makes all stops between Redfern and Homebush, with many weekdays trains continuing to Parramatta, making all stops. These two patterns both run at 4tph (trains per hour) during the off-peak, with additional services during the peaks. Additionally, there are express trains between Ashfield and the city during the morning peak.

 

T2 interactive map

T2 stations

Name	Code	Distance from Central ^[15]^[16]^[17]^[18]^[19]	Opened ^[15]^[16]^[17]^[18]^[19]	Railway line	Serving suburbs	Other lines
City Circle – Granville
Museum	MUS	4.99 km	1926	City Circle	Sydney CBD	T3 T8
St James	STJ	4.4 km	1926
Circular Quay	CQY	2.97 km	1956		Sydney CBD, The Rocks
Wynyard	WYN	2.05 km	1932		Sydney CBD, Barangaroo	T1 T3 T8 T9
Town Hall	TWH	1.18 km	1932		Sydney CBD	T1 T3 T4 T8 T9
Central	CEN	n/a	1855		Sydney CBD, Chippendale, Strawberry Hills, Ultimo, Surry Hills
Redfern	REF	1.30 km	1878	Main Suburban	Redfern, Waterloo	T1 T3 T4 T8 (peak only) T9
Macdonaldtown	MAC	2.48 km	1892		Macdonaldtown	none
Newtown	NTN	3.1 km	1855		Newtown
Stanmore	SMN	4.67 km	1878		Stanmore
Petersham	PSM	5.50 km	1857		Petersham
Lewisham	LWI	6.25 km	1886		Lewisham
Summer Hill	SMH	7.03 km	1879		Summer Hill
Ashfield	AFD	8.38 km	1855		Ashfield
Croydon	CYD	9.42 km	1875		Croydon
Burwood	BWD	10.62 km	1855		Burwood	T9
Strathfield	STR	11.81 km	1876		Strathfield	T1 T9
Homebush	HSH	12.74 km	1855		Homebush	none
Flemington	FMG	14.32 km	1924		Homebush West
Lidcombe	LDC	16.61 km	1858		Lidcombe	T1 T3 T7
Auburn	AUB	18.63 km	1877		Auburn	T1
Clyde (weekdays only)	CYE	20.66 km	1882		Clyde
Granville	GAV	21.22 km	1860		Granville
Granville – Parramatta
Harris Park (weekdays only)	HPK	22.53 km	c. 1800s	Main Western	Harris Park	T1 T5
Parramatta (weekdays only)	PAR	23.21 km	1860		Parramatta	T1 T5
Granville – Leppington
Merrylands	MLN	23.47 km	1889	Old Main South	Merrylands	T5
Guildford	GUD	25.72 km	1876		Guildford
Yennora	YNN	27.44 km	1927		Yennora
Fairfield	FFL	29 km	1856		Fairfield
Canley Vale	CVE	30.98 km	1878		Canley Vale
Cabramatta	CAB	28.43 km	1870	Main South	Cabramatta	T3 T5
Warwick Farm	WKF	34.16 km	1889		Warwick Farm
Liverpool	LPO	38.68 km	1856		Liverpool
Casula	CSL	38.8 km	1894		Casula	T5
Glenfield	GFD	41.93 km	1869		Glenfield	T5 T8
Edmondson Park			2015	South West	Edmondson Park	T5
Leppington			2015		Leppington

Patronage

The following table shows the patronage of Sydney Trains network for the year ending 30 June 2022.

2021–22 Sydney Trains patronage by line^{[n.b. 1] [20]}

T1	41,980,000
T2	23,077,000
T3	11,198,000
T4	27,775,000
T5	3,503,000
T7	605,000
T8	16,879,000
T9	10,415,000

1. Figures based on Opal tap on and tap off data.

See also

•  Railways portal

References

1. Asset Standards Authority (19 March 2014). (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 June 2015. Retrieved 22 August 2015.
2. Transport for New South Wales (15 August 2014). . Archived from the original on 11 July 2015.
3. "Bundle of documents relating to inquiry and T3 Sydenham to Bankstown metro conversion, tendered by Mr Royden Ng" (PDF). NSW Parliament - Inquiry into Current and future public transport needs in Western Sydney. 4 December 2013. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
4. Saulwick, Jacob (6 October 2011). "Paris-style train plan for city". Sydney Morning Herald.
5. Roydon Ng isn’t giving up on his year-long campaign to restore the Inner West line 13 June 2015 at the Wayback Machine, Daily Telegraph 14 January 2015
6. Beech, James (31 March 2015). "NSW Election 2015: Tania Mihailuk saves Bankstown for Labor and vows to fight state privatisation". Canterbury-Bankstown Express. from the original on 1 April 2015. Retrieved 22 August 2015.
7. . Transport for NSW. Government of New South Wales. 15 October 2015. Archived from the original on 19 November 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
8. "Changes to Sydney's train network" (PDF). Transport for NSW. (PDF) from the original on 9 August 2017. Retrieved 9 August 2017.
9. (PDF). Rail Corporation New South Wales. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 May 2013. Retrieved 25 November 2017.
10. "More Trains, More Services for South Western Sydney" (PDF). Transport for New South Wales. Government of New South Wales. 27 February 2017. (PDF) from the original on 27 February 2017. Retrieved 27 February 2017.
11. Barr, Eliza (27 February 2017). "Southwest Sydney train service to increase with new peak hour trains and north-south connection from Leppington to Parramatta and Blacktown". The Daily Telegraph. Australia. from the original on 1 March 2017. Retrieved 27 February 2017.
12. O'Sullivan, Matt (27 February 2017). "Decision on rail link to new Sydney airport 'many years off', Transport Minister Andrew Constance says". The Sydney Morning Herald. from the original on 28 February 2017. Retrieved 27 February 2017.
13. "Planning for rail services west of Bankstown Station in 2024 | Your Say Transport for NSW". yoursay.transport.nsw.gov.au. from the original on 24 July 2020. Retrieved 29 July 2020.
14. Southwest Link - Transport for NSW
15. "City Circle". NSW Rail.net. from the original on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 3 March 2017.
16. "Airport line". NSW Rail.net. from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 3 March 2017.
17. "East Hills line". NSW Rail.net. from the original on 10 August 2017. Retrieved 3 March 2017.
18. "Main South line". NSW Rail.net. from the original on 18 April 2013. Retrieved 3 March 2017.
19. "South West Rail Link". NSW Rail.net. from the original on 3 March 2017. Retrieved 3 March 2017.
20. "Train Patronage – Monthly Figures". Transport for NSW. Retrieved 20 August 2022.