Western Australia Premier and METRONET Open $1.65 Billion Ellenbrook Rail Line to Commuter Passenger Service

Historic 21-Kilometre Rail Artery Delivers Turn-Up-and-Go Transit to North-East Suburbs

PERTH, Western Australia — In the largest single suburban passenger railway expansion in Western Australian history, Premier Roger Cook, Deputy Premier and Transport Minister Rita Saffioti, and federal transport officials have officially inaugurated revenue passenger operations on the landmark $1.65 billion METRONET Ellenbrook Line (Morley-Ellenbrook Line). The transformative 21-kilometre rail corridor permanently connects Perth’s rapidly growing north-eastern corridor directly into the central passenger network, fulfilling a generational civic commitment.

Jointly funded by the Australian Commonwealth Government and the Western Australian State Government, the new dual-track electrified line branches off the existing Midland Line east of Bayswater Station. It travels north along the median corridor of Tonkin Highway before terminating at a newly constructed transport hub in central Ellenbrook, providing rapid, turn-up-and-go service seven days a week.

Five Brand-New Architectural Stations Engineered for Multi-Modal Integration

The project delivers five architecturally designed, fully accessible passenger stations built to serve expanding residential communities and commercial precincts:

• Morley Station: Strategically situated within Tonkin Highway near Broun Avenue, featuring a high-capacity multi-bay bus interchange and multi-deck park-and-ride facilities.
• Noranda Station: Located at the Benara Road overpass, providing direct transit access for established residential suburbs with pedestrian footbridge linkages.
• Ballajura Station (Malaga): Positioned at Hepburn Avenue, serving major industrial employment centers and future commercial development landholdings.
• Whiteman Park Station: Constructed adjacent to Gnangara Road, establishing a dedicated mass-transit gateway to the iconic Whiteman Park conservation and leisure precinct.
• Ellenbrook Station: The vibrant northern terminus located in the heart of Ellenbrook town centre, offering sheltered bus platforms, cycling facilities, and extensive public parklands.

High-Capacity WA-Built Alstom C-Series Electric Trainsets

Commercial services along the Ellenbrook Line are operated by Western Australia's next-generation Alstom C-series electric multiple units (EMUs), proudly manufactured and assembled locally at the state-owned Bellevue Railcar Manufacturing Facility. The state-of-the-art six-car trainsets feature capacity for approximately 1,200 passengers, dynamic wide passenger doors for rapid boarding, integrated passenger Wi-Fi, USB charging ports, and dedicated wheelchair and bicycle storage zones.

The new line slashes commute times between Ellenbrook and Perth Central Station to just 30 to 31 minutes—cutting travel times by nearly half compared to private car journeys and crowded feeder bus routes during morning and evening rush hours.

Catalyzing Urban Infill, Housing Growth, and Regional Economic Vitality

Transport Minister Rita Saffioti emphasized that the opening represents far more than an infrastructure milestone; it serves as a catalyst for sustainable urban development. Supported by over 3,300 new park-and-ride parking bays, modernized feeder bus timetables, and more than 20 kilometres of newly paved principal shared bicycle and pedestrian paths, the line connects north-east communities to jobs, healthcare, and universities across Perth.

As METRONET projects continue rolling out across greater Perth, the Ellenbrook Line stands as an enduring benchmark of modern Australian rail engineering and forward-looking city shaping.