Perth's new underground railway stations ready for action.

14/10/07
Perth's public transport system will be transformed dramatically overnight with passenger trains due to begin servicing the city's two new underground stations from tomorrow morning.
From early tomorrow morning, Joondalup line passenger trains will run through the CBD tunnels to access the new stations at Perth underground (platforms under William Street) and the Esplanade underground station.
Planning and Infrastructure Minister Alannah MacTiernan described it as a day that would change Perth and one that would bring the Mandurah line a big step closer to completion.
"New MetroRail is the biggest public infrastructure project undertaken in Western Australia and the City Project - the tunnels and these world-class stations - is a key part," she said.
"Thousand of passengers tomorrow morning will be the first to experience and travel through the tunnels between the Perth underground platforms and Esplanade Station.
"WA is already recognised as having one of the best urban public transport systems in Australia. This, and the Mandurah line when it opens, elevates it to a world-class system."
The Minister thanked the people of Perth for the good spirit with which they had endured the week-long shutdown of the Fremantle line and part of the Joondalup line while the northern and southern lines were being linked up.
"The people of Perth understood and accepted that the shutdown was necessary before we could bring these fantastic stations on-stream," Ms MacTiernan said.
"This is a huge technical, engineering and architectural achievement in which the people of Perth can and should take great pride.
"Joondalup line trains will no longer go into the existing Perth Station and Northern line trains will, from tomorrow, be operating on a new timetable to reflect the new route. The feeder bus timetables have also changed to better integrate connection times with the revised train schedules.
"The Carpenter Government is working to ensure our strong economy is delivering better services for all Western Australians."
Minister's office - 9213 6400