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Free ride: New Sydney metro line will be free for commuters on Sunday

A photo of the new driverless train in a station.
The new driverless trains. (Photo: Sydney Metro)

The soon-to-be-unveiled Sydney metro will come with a neat perk for passengers travelling on its opening day: it won’t cost you a cent to hop on.

The new Northwest Metro line will be unveiled just after 11am this Sunday 26 May.

According to Transport NSW, “large crowds are expected” for the unveiling of the 36km metro line that will stop at 13 stations between Rouse Hill’s Tullawong Station and Chatswood.

"Trainspotters will become train riders on Sunday. If you can come later in the day, that would be preferable because there will be large crowds," said NSW transport minister Andrew Constance.

The ride will be completely free for those travelling within the $7.3 billion line on Sunday, but you’ll need to tap on and off to travel across the rest of the Sydney Trains network, according to Transport NSW.

Travelling on Sydney’s public transport network using your Opal card on Sundays has a cap of $2.70.

The soon-to-be-unveiled Northwest Metro line is the “first driverless railway system” in Australia, featuring 22 driverless trains. It is also the city’s first privately operated suburban line, as reported in SMH.

An infographic detailing the features of Sydney's new metro trains designed by Alstom.
Features of Sydney’s new metro trains designed by rail manufacturer Alstom based on the international Metropolis train used in 25 global cities. (Source: Sydney Metro)

The trains will start in Tallawong Station and stop at Rouse Hill, Kellyville, Bella Vista, Norwest, Hills Showground, Castle Hill, Cherrybrook, Epping, Macquarie University, Macquarie Park, North Ryde and terminate at Chatswood station.

A map of the 13 stops on the new Northwest Metro line.
The 13 stops on the new Northwest Metro line. (Source: Yahoo Finance screenshot/Transport NSW)

Morning peak hour will see trains arrive every five minutes, and reduce to four minutes once the line is at full operation.

Thousands of commuters are expected to change trains at Chatswood for city-bound trains on business days, and the Northwest Metro timetable has been synched with Chatswood to reduce delays and crowding.

The new metro line is expected to be a preview of other metro lines under development, such as the Sydney Metro Southwest, Sydney Metro West and the St Mary’s to Badgerys Creek lines, according to News.com.au.

A picture of a driverless train on Sydney's new Northwest Metro line, to be unveiled on Sunday May 26 2019.
A driverless train on Sydney's new Northwest Metro line, to be unveiled on Sunday May 26 2019. (Photo: Transport NSW)

Constance said the line was well prepared for the interchange at morning peak times.

"We are planning for 10,000 people or thereabouts to interchange at Chatswood,” he said.

The last service on the new line this Sunday will depart Chatswood at 10:05pm and Tallawong at 9:35pm.

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