MetroWay - Marrickville Railway
The "MetroWay" is coming (eventually). Here is what it looks like today.
The government just MetroWay cycleway to tender. But you don’t have to wait until 2028 to ride the alignment.
Big news dropped yesterday ** : The NSW Government has officially christened the Sydenham to Bankstown active transport link the “MetroWay” and sent the contract out to tender.
The promise is huge: a 13.8km “cycling spine” connecting Bankstown to the GreenWay and on to Sydenham. They are promising trees, lighting, and a seamless path for all ages. The catch? While the Metro trains start running later this year, this shiny new cycleway isn’t due for full completion until late 2028.
But you can ride the “draft” version right now.
Your Personal Spoiler - Take your bike out to trace the alignment from the Cooks River to Marrickville. What exists today isn’t the glossy artist’s impression—it’s an eclectic collection of bumpy paths, roads marked with paint, and the odd cycle path. It has character, it has “Under The Sea” artwork, and it even has what I call the government’s “Pink Seal of Approval” (Metro talk for ride a bike - no trains today).
It might be rougher than what is coming, but it is what appeals to my exploring ways. Plus, it is already shorter than heading down the Cooks path and turning at Carrington Rd. It may not be quicker, just different.
Here is an 11-minute “before” snapshot of the route. Watch it now so you can say “I rode it before it was famous.”
The Ride: Cooks River to Marrickville
Ride time: ~11 mins
Difficulty: Mixed. Some adult-only road crossings, though standard walkways are available on Livingston Rd.
Watch the Video:
Key moments to look out for:
0:00 – The Lang Rd Bridge: One of Sydney’s finest engineering spots.
1:51 – The GreenWay Connection: Where the MetroWay will eventually intersect with the GreenWay (finished 2025).
2:25 – Dulwich Hill Station: You can see the new plaza area here.
3:20 – “Under The Sea”: The artwork highlight of the trip.
6:17 – Marrickville Metro Station: The future heart of the ride.
8:30 – Meeks Rd: A small section of new cycleway that gives a hint of what’s to come.
What do you think? Will the MetroWay be the “cycling spine” Sydney needs Will this actually be completed end 2028 ? Let me know in the comments.
You can follow this track on RideWithGPS. It is called Cooks Ride 24 - Marrickville Railway and Sydenham and goes down the new council Sydenham to Sydney Park cycle route.
And yet there is more - above was only a few kms
Canterbury to Bankstown by the railway track - MetroWay
Further south of Canterbury Metro is the future southern section of the MetroWay.
You can turn west near Canterbury using one of three bridges to get to Campsie. From there, it’s a nice ride along the side of the railway to Punchbowl. After that, you can carefully use roads to get to Bankstown. Just west of Campsie you can go south or north of the railway line as shown on the map.
See all the photos of the Campsie to Punchbowl section here
See the map of the trail »> Here is the ride on RideWithGPS (Ride 41)
Start exploring the MetroWay in 2026 or you will be waiting till 2029 (my guess). You may even see a test Metro Train whilst riding
** The Government Announcement
The NSW Government has announced the MetroWay, a 13.8-kilometre active transport corridor for walking, running, and cycling, running parallel to the Southwest Metro line between Sydenham and Bankstown. This project will feature new trees, lighting, wayfinding, and over 350 bike parking spaces at metro stations.
NSW Government
The MetroWay will connect to the existing GreenWay at Dulwich Hill, creating a continuous route to Iron Cove and the Bay Run. A new 1,200-square-metre public plaza at Dulwich Hill Station has also opened, improving connections between transport modes. Read the full details at NSW Government.
Following is the map shown in purple. It pretty well follows the existing trails on the CycleSydney map. In particular notice the proposed trail crosses and does not follow the Cooks River trail. The section between Canterbury Station and Dulwich Hill is odd as it by-passes the terrific underpass of Canterbury Rd. After Dulwich Hill, it looks like it sticks close the Marrickville Rail Line trail
For recreational cyclists like me, it looks like it will be third alternative to a Cooks River ride - you can do the bottom end of Cooks River, the Greenway or the Metroway back to the city. If built properly it should be a good bicycle commute route.