Melanie Tait October 29, 2026 — 7:00pm
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To the people of Marrickville, Dulwich Hill, Hurlstone Park, Canterbury, Campsie, Belmore, Lakemba, Wiley Park, Punchbowl and Bankstown: Crikey, haven’t we been through it over the past two years? Haven’t we suffered? Haven’t we lost what feels like decades of our lives to pink buses?
We’ve waited for the Southwest Metro to open and change our lives, sometimes patiently, sometimes not so patiently. We’ve spent endless time stuck in traffic. We’ve had our reputations as punctual people constantly scrutinised. We’ve said goodbye to relationships whose chat simply wasn’t worth the 40 minutes on the pink bus.
On Friday, that changes. The Southwest Metro opens and so do our lives – and our connections with the rest of the city are going to flourish, oh yes they are! The opportunities to get to know our city are now off the rails.
May you enjoy these ideas about what you can do with this new-found transportation freedom as much as you’ll enjoy hurtling towards your destination in a shiny new metro carriage, after enjoying the artwork adorning your now-open station:
Melanie Tait is a playwright, journalist and public transport enthusiast.
The opening on Friday of the final stretch of Sydney’s M1 metro line is prompting authorities to make extra contingency plans to handle crowds.
Modelling shows the stations along the south-west section of the M1 metro line that are expected to become busiest after it opens on Friday.
The long-awaited Southwest Metro is promising faster train services. But along its 30km corridor, the biggest transformation could take place above ground.
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