With the final Metro conversion of the T3 Bankstown line in Sydney well underway, some parts of NSW are set to see major timetable changes.
Transport for NSW is advising people in regional and outer metropolitan parts of the state to check their public transport services and plan ahead, with changes coming into effect from October 20.
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With the T3 Bankstown out of service for at least the next 12 months, these changes will ensure passengers get the best and most efficient service to take them where they need to go.
Some parts of Sydney will see major timetable changes which will flow on to Intercity train services on the Blue Mountains, Central Coast and Newcastle, Hunter and Southern Highlands train lines.
Blue Mountains passengers will benefit from an increase in services across the week for stations between Medlow Bath and Lithgow.
There will also be some changes to bus timetables in the Hunter, Central Coast and Newcastle, Blue Mountains and Southern Highlands for routes that connect with train services.
There will also be some minor timing changes to selected NSW TrainLink booked regional train and coach services. These changes will be updated in the online reservation system and affected passengers will be contacted.
Blue Mountains
- Intercity train services on the Blue Mountains Line will be retained at current service frequencies east of Katoomba with some minor timing adjustments.
- There will be more services to Medlow Bath, Blackheath, Mount Victoria, Bell, Zig Zag and Lithgow stations
- There will be more consistent stopping patterns on train services
- Bus timetable alterations to align with the new rail timetable across a number of routes including in Blaxland, Emu Plains, Faulconbridge, Glenbrook, Katoomba, Lapstone, Leonay, Mount Victoria, Springwood and Penrith.
Central Coast & Newcastle
- Intercity services on the Central Coast & Newcastle Line will be maintained at current service frequencies with some minor timing adjustments
- Some trains will overtake suburban trains at Epping in the off peak, improving journey times for longer distance passengers
- There will be more consistent stopping patterns on rail services
- Wyong to Narara train passengers will need to interchange at Gosford for services to Wondabyne, Hawkesbury River and Cowan during the AM peak
- Bus timetable alterations in the Newcastle area align to the new rail timetable and takes traffic conditions into account to improve punctuality, with no trip expected to be impacted by more than 10 minutes
- Bus timetable alterations on the Central Coast and Lake Macquarie areas across a number of routes to align with the rail timetable changes. This will maintain connections to Cardiff, Fassifern, Gosford, Morisset, Ourimbah, Tuggerah, Woy Woy, Wyee and Wyong stations.
Hunter
- Intercity train services on the Hunter Line will be retained at current service frequencies, with minor timing adjustments to maintain direct connections for passengers interchanging to the Central Coast & Newcastle Line at Hamilton
- A timetable adjustment on bus route 24, Wallsend to Marketown via Mayfield, to align with the rail timetable changes.
Southern Highlands
- Intercity train services on the Southern Highlands Line will be retained at current service frequencies. There will be minor timing adjustments where necessary to accommodate revised T8 Airport & South Line services and maintain connectivity
- A new late-evening service will operate on Sunday nights departing Goulburn for Campbelltown at 9.07pm and departing Campbelltown for Moss Vale at 12.54am (early Monday morning). This new service matches the existing Saturday-only late-night service
- Bus timetable alterations to route 828, Picton to Bowral, to align with the new rail timetable and route 900, Picton to Campbelltown via Narellan, to reflect actual traffic conditions
- Timetable alternations to NSW TrainLink coach services between Campbelltown and Goulburn to align with new train timetable.
South Coast
- There will be no changes to intercity train services on the South Coast Line.
Canberra region
- Under the new rail timetable, the midday Sydney to Canberra NSW TrainLink train service will operate approximately 10 minutes later and the evening Sydney to Canberra service will operate approximately 25 minutes earlier
- Timetable alternations to NSW TrainLink coach services between Moss Vale and Wollongong to align with the new train timetable.
Southern NSW
- Gunning will be added as a request stop on overnight NSW TrainLink train services between Sydney and Melbourne. This means services will only stop to pick up and set down booked customers when required.
Western NSW
- There are minor timing changes to Bathurst, Dubbo and Broken Hill NSW TrainLink train services
- Stuart Town will become a request stop. This means services will only stop to pick up and set down booked customers when required
- Alterations to bus timetables in Lithgow and Bathurst to align with new train timetable.
North Coast NSW
- Minor timing changes to NSW TrainLink train services.
North West NSW
- Minor timing changes to NSW TrainLink train services.
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