First Sydney Metro Train Arrives in Australia: MTR Corporation to Lead Railway Operations Starting in 2019

PR083/17

26 September 2017

Sydney's first metro train has arrived in Australia and is getting ready to hit the tracks. The six carriages of the first metro train have been delivered to the Sydney Metro Trains Facility in the northwest of the city and will be prepared for testing over the coming months.

MTR Corporation, a member of the Northwest Rapid Transit Consortium, has responsibility for rolling stock procurement and testing, and will also lead railway operations when passenger service for Sydney Metro Northwest commences in the first half of 2019.

"We are very excited to see a new milestone reached for Sydney Metro. We look forward to continuing to work closely with Transport for NSW and our consortium partners to deliver, test and commission Sydney's new metro trains and then launch Australia's first fully-automated metro rail system in 2019," said Mr Lincoln Leong, Chief Executive Officer of MTR Corporation.

The A$8.3 billion 36-km Sydney Metro Northwest line includes eight new metro stations and five existing stations upgraded to metro standards and will be the first stage of Sydney Metro. Services will extend into the CBD by 2024 with an ultimate capacity to provide metro train service every two minutes in each direction under the city.

The Northwest Rapid Transit Consortium, including MTR Corporation, John Holland, CPB Contractors, UGL Rail Services and Plenary Group along with other financial sponsors, was awarded the Operations, Trains and Systems Public-Private-Partnership contract for Sydney Metro Northwest by the New South Wales Government in 2014. The contract covers design, construction and financing as well as the future railway operations and maintenance for Sydney Metro Northwest starting from 2019 for a period of 15 years.

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About MTR Corporation

MTR Corporation is regarded as one of the world's leading railway operators for safety, reliability, customer service and cost efficiency. In its home base of Hong Kong, the Corporation operates ten commuter railway lines, a Light Rail network and a high-speed Airport Express link on which about 5.6 million passenger trips are made on a normal week day. Another 5.6 million passenger trips are made on the rail services it operates outside Hong Kong in the Mainland of China, the United Kingdom, Sweden and Australia. In addition, the Corporation is involved in a range of railway construction projects as well as railway consultancy and contracting services around the world. Leveraging on its railway expertise, the Corporation is involved in the development of transit-related residential and commercial property projects, property management, shopping malls leasing and management, advertising media and telecommunication services.

For more information about MTR Corporation, please visit www.mtr.com.hk.

Photo caption:

The first Sydney Metro train has arrived at the Sydney Metro Trains Facility in Rouse Hill. MTR Corporation is responsible for the procurement, testing and commissioning of the rolling stock and will also lead future railway operations of Sydney Metro Northwest.