List of urban rail systems in Australia

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Urban rail transit 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". Light rail in Australia includes established tram networks in Melbourne and Adelaide continuously operating in various forms since the late 20th 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.

CitySystem nameOther cities servedTypeAverage daily patronageLinesStations/ stopsLengthPatronage/km
Sydney Sydney Trains Heavy rail1,033,150 [2] 8 [3] 170369 km [4] 2,799/km
Sydney Metro Rapid transit74,000 (2023) [5] 11336 km2,055/km
Sydney Light Rail Light rail86,444 (2023) [6] 34224.7 km3,500/km
NSW TrainLink (commuter services) Newcastle, Wollongong, Scone, Dungog, Goulburn, Bathurst, Nowra (Bomaderry) Heavy rail112,300 [7] 5156977 km114/km
Newcastle Newcastle Light Rail Light rail3,400 (2019) [8] 162.7 km1,259/km
Melbourne Metro Trains Melbourne Heavy rail660,300 [9] 17219405 km1,645/km
Yarra Trams Light rail493,292 (2023) [10] 241,763250 km1,973/km
V/Line (commuter services) Geelong, Bendigo, Ballarat, Seymour, Latrobe Valley Heavy rail57,500 [11] 566610 km94/km
Perth Transperth Mandurah Heavy rail168,600 [12] 675187 km936/km
Brisbane Queensland Rail Citytrain Gold Coast, Ipswich, Sunshine Coast Heavy rail150,000 [13] 13152689 km206/km
Gold Coast G:link Light rail11920 km
Adelaide Adelaide Metro Heavy rail42,880 [14] 681126 km340/km
Glenelg trams Light rail33315 km
Canberra Canberra Light Rail Light rail11412 km

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 Trainline 7 (PDF). Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics. December 2019. pp. 44, 52. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
  2. "Sydney Trains Annual Report 2018-19" (PDF). Transport NSW. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
  3. Sydney Trains Network Map Transport NSW
  4. Train Statistics 2014 Transport for NSW page 6
  5. NSW, Transport for (4 December 2023). "Metro Patronage Monthly Comparison" . Retrieved 4 December 2023.
  6. "Light rail: Sydney finally embraces CBD tram line as patronage surges". amp.smh.com.au. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
  7. "Transport for New South Wales Train Patronage Monthly Figures". Bureau of Transport Statistics. Retrieved 11 September 2019.
  8. "ONE YEAR OF THE NEWCASTLE LIGHT RAIL". NBN News. 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. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
  11. "Annual Report 2018-2019". V/Line. Retrieved 12 September 2019.
  12. "Public Transport Authority Transport performance". Public Transport Authority. Retrieved 12 September 2019.
  13. "Queensland Rail 2018–2019 Annual Financial Report" (PDF). Queensland Rail Limited. 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.