CBD and South East Light Rail

The CBD and South East Light Rail is a pair of light rail lines running between Sydney's central business district (CBD) and the south-eastern suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Services running between Circular Quay and Randwick are branded as the L2 Randwick Line, with services running between Circular Quay and Kingsford branded as the L3 Kingsford Line. Construction commenced in October 2015, with the L2 Randwick Line commencing services on 14 December 2019 and the L3 Kingsford Line on 3 April 2020.

Background and initial announcement

Since the light rail network's original line opened in 1997, a line through the Sydney central business district had been suggested numerous times but failed to achieve State Government support. This changed in February 2010 when the Keneally Government announced a new line from Haymarket to Circular Quay via Barangaroo. The final route was not decided, with the three options being to send the line north via George Street, Sussex Street or a loop using both.

When the O'Farrell Government took office in March 2011, it committed to building a line through the CBD to Barangaroo, with a preferred route along George Street. It also committed to conducting feasibility studies into the construction of lines from the City to Sydney University and the City to the University of New South Wales. On 8 December 2011, the government announced shortlisted potential routes for these extensions. In 2012, Transport for NSW (TfNSW) decided the routes to Sydney University and Barangaroo via The Rocks provided fewer customer benefits and were considered a lower priority.