Perth’s much-anticipated Armadale Line has reopened to passengers, now stretching eight kilometres to Byford.
As part of the METRONET Byford Rail Extension project, the community also has a new train station in Byford and a new elevated station in Armadale.
The new Byford Station also has a new platform servicing the Australind train. The new train is currently undergoing dynamic testing and will return to service in early 2026.
Two new over-rail bridges were built at Thomas Road and Eleventh Road, while nine pedestrian and road-level crossings have been removed
Eight hectares of new public open space was created through the elevation of the rail line, complemented by eight kilometres of new shared paths for pedestrians and cyclists.
The Byford Rail Extension project involved installing eight kilometres of dual rail track, 22,000 sleepers, 40,000 tonnes of crushed rock, 430 masts and 72 kilometres of overhead wiring.
Jointly funded by the federal and state governments, the line extension has also supported an estimated 4200 jobs.
Residents using the new Byford Station will reach the CBD in 46 minutes, while fares will be capped to just a single zone from 1 January 2026 when the single zone flat fare comes into effect.
Bus services have been expanded to support the Byford Rail Extension, including 10 extra buses and six new routes connecting directly to Byford Station, adding nearly 500,000 kilometres of bus service to the network each year.
The opening of the Byford Rail Extension marks the completion of all new METRONET rail lines WA Labor committed to at the 2017 State Election, with the final METRONET project, the New Midland Station, expected to open in early 2026.
A community event took place on Sunday October 12 to mark the line’s reopening, as well as the official opening of Long Park, Perth’s newest and longest linear park between Carlisle and Beckenham stations.
Stretching seven kilometres, the six-hectare Long Park features 14 community spaces, including playgrounds, skate parks, dog and fitness parks and youth plazas with sports courts. New shared paths have also been built throughout the parkland area.
WA Premier Roger Cook said the Armadale Line will play an important role as the population of Byford grows.
“We know METRONET is giving people in Perth’s south-eastern suburbs more travel choices and addressing road congestion,” he said.
“Along the Armadale Line, METRONET’s development has also allowed us to open Long Park, which will provide Western Australians with more opportunities to get outside, be active and engage with their local community.
“Today is a huge milestone that demonstrates my government’s commitment to making public transport more affordable and accessible for Western Australians.”
WA Transport Minister Rita Saffioti said: “This is an incredibly exciting moment for communities in the south-east of Perth.
“The upgrades to the Armadale Line have been transformational – linking more people to public transport, better connecting communities and unlocking around 14 hectares of new public open space, which will see the delivery of new parklands, playgrounds and amenities.
“This project is about supporting current and future generations, unlocking new opportunities for development and making more of Perth accessible by public transport.”
