Sydney, Australia

Sydney Metro — City & Southwest

Delivery Management Partner for tunnel and station excavation on one of the Southern Hemisphere’s largest metro rail projects.

Client Sydney Metro (Transport for NSW)

Contract value Confidential

Duration 2017 – 2024

Status Completed

Services

Program & construction management Tunnel engineering Stations & civils Risk & schedule

Build Forge was Delivery Management Partner for one of the Southern Hemisphere's largest metro rail projects — supporting the client through program controls, risk management, and independent assurance from design through to revenue service.

Overview

Sydney Metro City & Southwest extends the metro network from Chatswood under Sydney Harbour and the CBD to Bankstown, transforming how millions of people move across the city.

Build Forge was appointed Delivery Management Partner to support the client in managing design, procurement, and construction of the twin 15.5 km tunnels and six new stations. Our role spanned program controls, risk management, interface coordination, and independent assurance across multiple major contracts.

The project included excavation under Sydney Harbour — a first for Australian metro — and construction through some of the most complex urban geology and existing infrastructure in the country. We helped bring together international contractors, designers, and client teams to deliver on time and to the highest safety and quality standards.

15.5 km Twin running tunnels

6 stations New underground stations

31 km Total project length

100+ contracts Managed interfaces

The Challenge

The client needed a partner that could provide robust program and risk management across a multi-billion-dollar program with numerous contractors, tight urban constraints, and first-of-a-kind elements — including tunnelling under Sydney Harbour and through the CBD. Coordination between design, procurement, and construction had to be seamless to protect schedule and avoid cost escalation.

Multiple major design-and-construct contracts running in parallel
Interface management across tunnel, stations, systems, and existing rail
Stakeholder and community expectations in a high-profile corridor
Geotechnical and construction risk in variable ground conditions

Our Approach

We embedded a dedicated delivery management team within the client organisation, providing program controls, risk and opportunity management, schedule analysis, and independent assurance. Our team worked alongside the client’s technical and commercial leads to support decision-making and drive performance across the supply chain.

Program controls

Integrated cost, schedule, and change management with clear reporting and forecasting.

Risk & assurance

Structured risk registers, quantitative analysis, and independent reviews at key gateways.

Interface coordination

Alignment between tunnel, stations, systems, and existing network operators.

Results & Impact

The Sydney Metro City & Southwest line opened to passengers as planned, delivering a step-change in capacity and reliability for Sydney’s rail network. Our delivery management support helped the client maintain visibility and control across the program and make informed decisions at critical points.

On-time delivery — Major milestones and revenue service date achieved as scheduled.
Safety — Industry-leading safety performance across tunnelling and station construction.
Stakeholder confidence — Clear reporting and assurance supported government and public confidence.
Legacy — Reusable processes and lessons for future metro and infrastructure programs.

Project gallery

Construction and completion imagery from tunnel, station, and systems delivery.

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