Railways in Adelaide - Modern Day

Modern Day

Adelaide Railway Lines
Belair Line
Gawler Central Line
Glenelg Tram
Grange Line
Noarlunga Centre Line
Outer Harbor Line
Showground Central Line
Tonsley Line

Adelaide's metropolitan rail services are operated by Adelaide Metro (formerly TransAdelaide), and the network is the last in mainland Australia to be electrified at 25 kV AC. Funding has been provided in the 2008-09 State Budget for electrification, with $245 million to start work on the Outer Harbor rail line and $209.7 million for the Noarlunga line. The 10-year, $2 billion program will deliver 50 new electric trains, 58 existing trains converted for electric use, 15 hybrid tram/trains.

The five railway lines (all broad gauge) making up the suburban network are:

Belair Line (21.5 km):

  • Adelaide - Belair (previously to Bridgewater) built in 1883. (Belair to Bridgewater was closed in 1987. Adelaide to Melbourne via Belair and Bridgewater was converted to standard gauge in 1995, leaving one broad-gauge track from Goodwood to Belair) - 21.5 km

Gawler Central Line (42.2 km):

  • Adelaide - Gawler Central built in 1857

Grange Line (5.5 km):

  • Woodville - Grange built in 1882 – 13 km

Noarlunga Centre Line (30.2 km):

  • Goodwood - Marino built in 1913 - 18.3 km
  • Marino - Hallett Cove built in 1915 - 3.1 km
  • Lonsdale - Christie Downs built in 1976 - 2.2 km
  • Christie Downs - Noarlunga built in 1978 - 1.3 km
  • Noarlunga - Seaford under construction - 5.8 km

Outer Harbor Line (21.9 km):

  • Adelaide - Port Adelaide built in 1856 - 11.7 km
  • Glanville - Outer Harbor built in 1908 - 10.2 km

Tonsley Line (3.9 km):

  • Woodlands Park - Tonsley - 3.9 km

Adelaide's rail network has decreased in size since the 1970s, with the closure of several lines, branches and stations, including:

  • Henley Beach line: from Grange to Henley Beach 1894 (closed and dismantled in 1957)
  • Willunga line: from Hallett Cove to Willunga built in 1915 (closed in 1969). This is now the Coast to Vines Rail Trail.
  • Penfield line: from Salisbury to Penfield built in 1941 (closed and dismantled in 1991)
  • Northfield line (closed in 1987)
  • Semaphore line : from Port Adelaide to Semaphore.

Read more about this topic:  Railways In Adelaide

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