- Today marks 30 years since the opening of the Joondalup train line
- The train line opened on 20 December 1992
- More than 381 million passengers have travelled on Joondalup Line since it opened
- Works continue to progress well on the Yanchep Rail Extension
The Joondalup train line has reached a significant milestone, with today marking 30 years of service.
Perth’s second busiest rail line opened on 20 December 1992 and was originally known as the Northern Suburbs Rail Link.
When it began operations in 1992, it was the first new passenger rail line to enter services in the metropolitan area in 100 years.
Construction on the project started in 1989 – after the then Labor Government announced the rail line was the preferred mass transport solution for the rapidly growing area north of Perth, with the existing bus network to feed into the new line.
It was a project that changed the look of Perth. The Mitchell Freeway was widened to accommodate the rail reserve and seven new stations, and significant works were needed at Perth Station to link the new line to the city.
The line opened to the public on Monday, 21 December, 1992 and more than 700 passengers were on the first public train to leave Joondalup for Perth, becoming part of local transport history.
At the time, only the Joondalup, Edgewater and Leederville stations were completed. Construction continued on Glendalough, Stirling, Warwick, Whitfords and Currambine stations, which all opened in 1993.
More than 381 million boardings have been recorded on the Joondalup Line since it opened, and it is now the second busiest line on the Transperth network behind the Mandurah Line.
Three decades later the Joondalup Line continues to undergo significant transformation, with METRONET’s Yanchep Rail Extension project well under way to extend the line to Alkimos, Eglinton and Yanchep.
As stated by Transport Minister Rita Saffioti:
“When the Joondalup Line opened in 1992, it marked a significant achievement for the Labor Government of the day, providing a much-needed fast transport option to the rapidly growing northern suburbs.
“More than 700 people were on the inaugural public train from Joondalup to Perth, and since then, there have been more than 381 million boardings on the Joondalup Line, proving the critical importance of investing in public transport infrastructure.
“Three decades on and we continue the strong tradition of Labor Governments delivering new transport infrastructure through our METRONET program, not only extending the Joondalup Line further north with the Yanchep Rail Extension, but also providing necessary rail links to other growing areas around Perth through the Morley-Ellenbrook Line, Thornlie-Cockburn Link and Byford Rail Extension.”
