Christmas will come early for commuters this year with confirmation that more than 8,600 new weekly public transport services will start on 26 November 2017 providing customers more trains, more ferries, more buses and a brand new transport network, the Northern Beaches B-line.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said this was a ground-breaking moment for public transport that will transform the network like never before.
“We are giving thousands of customers an early Christmas present this year with more services and better connections between modes to help them get to where they need to go,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“This will mark the biggest ever change to our transport network and means that since we came into Government in 2011 we have added 27,000 additional weekly transport services.”
The additional services include:
- More than 1,500 new weekly train services across the network, including 750 new weekend services.
- Almost 7,000 new weekly bus services on routes serving the Northern Beaches, Eastern Suburbs, Inner West, Lower North Shore and Northern Suburbs, Macarthur and Hills Districts.
- Introduction of the new B-Line for the Northern Beaches with over 2,000 weekly services.
- More than 140 extra weekly ferry services including a new Cross Harbour ferry route linking the Eastern Suburbs, Lower North Shore, Inner West and Sydney CBD.
Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Andrew Constance said an information campaign will start from today to help customers gear up for the improvements and plan their new commutes.
“These changes are huge. We have better aligned bus services to connect with trains services, we have added new routes, improved existing routes, reduced journey times and ultimately maximised the network to meet the growing demand,” Mr Constance said.
“We are going to make sure everyone knows these timetable changes are coming so from today, customers can expect to see an extensive advertising with plenty of information and announcements at stations, ferry wharves and on buses across the public transport network.”
“Demand for public transport is going through the roof. In addition to game changing projects like Sydney Metro, we are giving customers what they need on the existing public transport network with more services, more often,” Mr Constance said.
The new train timetable is an important part of the NSW Government’s $1.5 billion More Trains, More Services program, which will boost network capacity with more services, better infrastructure and 24 brand new eight-carriage trains.
Customers should visit transportnsw.info or call 131 500 for more information.