Transport for NSW Opens Landmark $2.875 Billion Parramatta Light Rail Stage 1 Connecting Westmead to Carlingford

Transforming Western Sydney's Transit Backbone with 12km Light Rail Corridor

PARRAMATTA, New South Wales — In a transformative infrastructure triumph for Western Sydney's growing population and knowledge economy, the NSW Government and Transport for NSW have officially opened passenger service on the landmark $2.875 billion Parramatta Light Rail Stage 1. Designated as the L4 Westmead and Carlingford Line, the 12-kilometre dual-track system connects Westmead’s premier medical research precinct through the vibrant Parramatta CBD and out to Carlingford.

Delivered by delivery consortium Great River City Light Rail—a partnership between Transdev Australasia and rolling stock manufacturer CAF—the project represents Western Sydney’s first modern light rail network. Replacing the former single-track T6 Carlingford heavy rail line, the converted rapid corridor brings frequent, high-capacity zero-emission mobility to one of Australia’s fastest-growing employment hubs.

Sixteen Fully Accessible Stations Across Key Regional Hubs

Operating 365 days a year from 5:00 AM to 1:00 AM, the L4 Line services 16 fully accessible, state-of-the-art passenger stops:

• Westmead Health Precinct: Direct step-free access to Westmead Hospital, The Children’s Hospital at Westmead, and Cumberland Hospital.
• Entertainment and Civic Venues: Direct stops at Prince Alfred Square serving CommBank Stadium, Riverside Theatres, and Parramatta Park.
• Commercial CBD Heart: Parramatta Square and Church Street ('Eat Street') stops providing frictionless transfers to Parramatta heavy rail station, bus networks, and the future Sydney Metro West line.
• Eastern Communities: High-frequency suburban connectivity linking Rosehill Gardens, Yallamundi (Camellia), Dundas, Telopea, and Carlingford.

Every station is equipped with hearing induction loops, emergency assistance buttons, dual-sided digital arrival screens, and full Opal card contactless fare validation.

Custom CAF Urbos Fleet and 1.3 Kilometres of Living Green Track

Passenger operations are powered by a fleet of 13 custom-built, 45-metre CAF Urbos 100 low-floor light rail vehicles. Each air-conditioned tram carries up to 400 passengers—equivalent to removing six full buses or 250 cars from Parramatta's road network. Maintenance and stabling are managed from the newly built 6-star Green Star-rated depot facility in Camellia.

A signature environmental highlight of the project is the deployment of 1.3 kilometres of living 'green track'. Installed along Cumberland Hospital, Robin Thomas Reserve, and Tramway Avenue, natural grass and hardy groundcover replace traditional concrete track slabs, dramatically curbing the urban heat island effect, soaking up stormwater runoff, and dampening acoustic wheel noise.

Active Transport Corridor and Regional Economic Renaissance

Complementing the rail corridor, the project delivered a brand-new 5.7-kilometre shared walking and cycling path (Active Transport Link) connecting Carlingford directly to Parramatta CBD, giving cyclists and pedestrians safe, grade-separated active mobility. Along historic Church Street, outdoor dining, widened footpaths, and mature shade trees have revitalized local restaurants and storefront businesses.

NSW Premier and transport officials emphasized that Parramatta Light Rail Stage 1 is an indispensable anchor for Western Sydney’s multi-decade transformation, connecting over 130,000 residents and workers directly to world-class healthcare, higher education at Western Sydney University, and burgeoning commercial technology precincts.