List of urban rail systems in Australia

Last updated

Urban rail transport forms a vital part of transportation in major Australian cities.

Contents

Definitions

The Commonwealth government Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics and industry peak body Australasian Railway Association, who jointly publish the Trainline statistical report categorise Australian passenger systems as "urban" or "non-urban". [1]

Urban networks are further classified as "light rail" or "heavy rail". [1] Light rail in Australia includes established tram networks in Melbourne and Adelaide continuously operating in various forms since the 19th century, as well as networks in other cities newly constructed after the cessation of tram operation. Heavy rail networks primarily describe passenger operations over parts of mixed-traffic rail systems centred on capital cities and also includes the Sydney Metro system, which operates on its own dedicated corridor.

Non-urban passenger networks are classified according to their passenger task. "Inter-city" or "regional" networks are defined to be those whose primary market "...include[s] daily commuting or day return business or leisure travel" to major cities and are therefore included in this article. Other markets, such as long-distance operations between cities and regional centres, tourist-focused and heritage services, are excluded from this list. [1]

Urban rail systems

Average daily patronage, where possible, is taken from the last calendar or financial year. System lengths are given in route kilometres. The largest, most extensive urban (as distinct from interurban) system is found in Melbourne, while the system with the highest patronage is found in Sydney. Patronage figures are for 2018–19 unless otherwise stated.

Primary CitySystemOther cities servedTypeAverage daily boardingsLinesStations/ stopsLengthAverage daily boardings
kmmiper kmper mi
Sydney Sydney Trains Commuter rail1,033,150 [2] 9 [3] 161355.5220.9 [4] 2,7994,505
Sydney Metro Rapid transit236,000 (2025) [5] 12152324,5387,303
Sydney Light Rail Light rail128,171 (2025) [6] 34224.715.33,4825,604
Parramatta Light Rail Light railTBA116127.5TBATBA
NSW TrainLink (commuter services) Newcastle, Wollongong, Scone, Dungog, Goulburn, Bathurst, Nowra (Bomaderry) Commuter rail112,300 [7] 5156977607114183
Newcastle Newcastle Light Rail Light rail3,400 (2019) [8] 162.71.71,2592,026
Melbourne Metro Trains Melbourne Commuter rail660,300 [9] 172194052521,6452,647
Yarra Trams Tram493,292 (2023) [10] 241,7632501601,9733,175
V/Line (commuter services) Geelong, Bendigo, Ballarat, Seymour, Latrobe Valley Commuter rail57,500 [11] 56661038094151
Perth Transperth Mandurah Commuter rail168,600 [12] 8831871169361,506
Brisbane Queensland Rail Citytrain Gold Coast, Ipswich, Sunshine Coast Commuter rail150,000 [13] 13152689428206332
Gold Coast G:link Light rail1192012
Adelaide Adelaide Metro Commuter rail42,880 [14] 68112678340550
Glenelg trams Tram333159.3
Canberra Canberra Light Rail Light rail114127.5

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Trainline 7 (PDF). Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics. December 2019. pp. 44, 52. Archived (PDF) from the original on 21 March 2020. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
  2. "Sydney Trains Annual Report 2018-19" (PDF). Transport NSW. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
  3. Sydney Trains Network Map Archived 14 October 2020 at the Wayback Machine Transport NSW
  4. Train Statistics 2014 Archived 28 February 2020 at the Wayback Machine Transport for NSW page 6
  5. https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/data-and-research/data-and-insights/public-transport-trips-all-modes
  6. https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/data-and-research/data-and-insights/public-transport-trips-all-modes
  7. "Transport for New South Wales Train Patronage Monthly Figures". Bureau of Transport Statistics. Archived from the original on 30 July 2020. Retrieved 11 September 2019.
  8. "ONE YEAR OF THE NEWCASTLE LIGHT RAIL". NBN News. Archived from the original on 21 October 2023. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
  9. "PTV Annual Report 2018–19" (PDF). Public Transport Victoria. Retrieved 10 March 2020.
  10. Planning, Department of Transport and. "Patronage". dtp.vic.gov.au. Archived from the original on 22 September 2023. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
  11. "Annual Report 2018-2019". V/Line. Archived from the original on 18 June 2023. Retrieved 12 September 2019.
  12. "Public Transport Authority Transport performance". Public Transport Authority. Archived from the original on 15 July 2018. Retrieved 12 September 2019.
  13. "Queensland Rail 2018–2019 Annual Financial Report" (PDF). Queensland Rail Limited. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 March 2020. Retrieved 17 January 2020.
  14. "Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure 2018–19 Annual Report" (PDF). Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure. Retrieved 12 September 2019.