Perth commuters will finally be able to catch a train to the airport, after the state and federal governments launched the $1.86 billion Forrestfield-Airport Link, two years behind schedule.
The new train line, one of six planned as part of Metronet, joins the existing rail network at Bayswater station, with three new stations built at Redcliffe, Airport Central and High Wycombe.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was among the first passengers to take the inaugural journey from High Wycombe Station along with WA Premier Mark McGowan, Transport Minister Rita Saffioti and 40 people who won the chance to join them.
"[This] is one of six new rail lines transforming the way that this great global city of Perth operates, making it easier for people to get around," Mr Albanese said.
"At the same time of course we've seen thousands of jobs created as a direct result of this project."
Future proofing the city
The new line adds 8.5 kilometres to Perth's rail network, and travels underneath the Swan River and Perth Airport, reaching around 27 metres below ground at its deepest point.
Fares will be capped at $5 with 20,000 daily trips expected in the first year.
Mr McGowan said the project was aimed at future proofing Perth.
"This is an historic day. This will be a piece of infrastructure that lasts for centuries to come," he said.
"The six rail lines we're building are built at a fraction of the cost of a single rail line in Sydney or Melbourne.
"This project means that you can go from the city to the airport for $5 … and $5 back to the city. In Sydney it costs you $20.
"And of course the people of High Wycombe and Redcliffe, and all the surrounding eastern suburbs will have access to a state-of-the-art rail line as well."
Sinkholes, sandy soil and supply shortages
The jointly-funded project has been almost ten years in the making, with construction beginning under the Barnett government in late 2016.
The incoming McGowan government incorporated the airport link into its Metronet plan in 2017 but was forced to push back the opening date by two years.
It attributed the delays to a number of issues including a water leak that led to a sinkhole, workplace safety concerns, labour shortages and supply disruptions resulting from the pandemic.
"There was obviously difficulties because of supply chain issues brought on by COVID and all of the issues that affected the world economy because of Russia's invasion of Ukraine," Mr McGowan said.
"Also some of the technical difficulties because of the fact that we were tunnelling through sandy soil, but the great thing is it's now open."
The first weekday service will leave Perth Station at 5.12am on Monday, arriving at the Airport Central station at 5.30am.
Trains will run until around midnight, and later on Friday and Saturday nights.
There will be 1,200 parking bays for commuters at High Wycombe Station and 500 bays at Redcliffe Station for $2 a day.
Opposition slams government as 'petty'
The opposition spokesman for Metronet Tjorn Sibma welcomed the ribbon-cutting ceremony but criticised the government for the budget and time blowouts on Metronet.
“The project scope has ballooned,” he said.
“Metronet has grown from a $3 billion project to a $10 billion project over the course of five years and the minister [Saffioti] refuses to answer questions as to why that is."
Mr Sibma said if the government had approached Metronet in stages, hiccups outside of its control would have had less of an impact.
“COVID, war in Ukraine, supply shortages – [the government] made life difficult for themselves by being so naive and opportunistic to try to build it all at once.”
He also accused the government of being ‘petty’ for not inviting the former premier Colin Barnett to the opening.
"It showed a lack of gratitude and class, it would've cost them nothing but it is absolutely emblematic of this government, that halfway through its second term, it's cutting the ribbon on projects devised by Colin Barnett."
