Operations
As designers, builders, operators, maintainers, and managers of Sydney Light Rail (SLR), our scope of operations is complex and interconnected, often requiring the involvement of multiple partners, stakeholders and local communities. Since our formation in 2014, the ALTRAC story has been through several major developments and highlights, which you can read about below.
Inner West Light Rail
The Inner West Light Rail (IWLR) line (also known as the L1 line) is a 12.7km route featuring 23 stops that runs from Central Station in the Sydney CBD through Darling Harbour, Pyrmont, Leichhardt and out to Dulwich Hill. The IWLR is Sydney’s first light rail route, having opened in 1997, before seeing extensions added in 2000 and again in 2014.
In 2015, ALTRAC began operating the IWLR line on behalf of Transport for New South Wales (TfNSW) – a transition that also saw ALTRAC assume responsibility of the existing fleet of CAF trams, as well as the infrastructure for the IWLR.
CBD & South-East Light Rail
The CBD & South-East Light Rail (CSELR) line is a 12km route featuring 19 stops along two lines (the L2 and L3 lines) that run from Circular Quay to Randwick (L2 line) and Kingsford (L3 line). Read more – Light rail: smooth and sustainable mobility for cities worldwide | Alstom
Project Timeline
The project arose after years of calls for a light rail line running through Sydney’s CBD to help ease congestion and facilitate easier commuter transit in the central city. In December 2014, ALTRAC was awarded the right to design, build, finance and operate the CSELR as part of the Sydney Light Rail (SLR) project. Construction began in October 2015 on George Street, between King and Market streets.
By June 2018, the last track utilities were completed and by July 2018, the new Alstom Citadis X05 trams had arrived at the Randwick Stabling Yard. By December 2019, the Eastern Distributor pedestrian bridge was completed, and the tram testing began in February 2019, with both daytime and night time testing continuing throughout the year.
On December 14, 2019, the first L2 service from Circular Quay to Randwick officially opened, while the L3 line from Circular Quay to Kingsford had its opening in April 2020, signalling an end to a complex project and ushering in a new era of public transport in Sydney.
The CSELR Today
The CSELR line is serviced by 60 Alstom Citadis X05 trams and will be operated by Transdev (a subcontractor of ALTRAC) until 2036. Each year, the CSELR carries in excess of 20 million passengers across the L2 and L3 lines, and offers Sydneysiders and visitors, both domestic and foreign, the ability to explore the city with unrivalled ease and affordability.
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