Image: Adelaide Metro
Commuters on Adelaide’s Belair rail line will need to make other plans this weekend, with the full line temporarily closing to make way for essential renewal and maintenance works on the Australian Rail Track Corporation freight corridor.
From the first service on Saturday, 18 April until the last service on Sunday, 19 April, no trains will operate on the Belair line. In their place, Adelaide Metro will run substitute buses between Adelaide Railway Station and Belair Railway Station.
The temporary closure is needed so ARTC can safely carry out scheduled maintenance on the freight line, with the work unable to go ahead while Adelaide Metro trains are running through the shared rail corridor.
For passengers, that means a full weekend without train services on the line, and a reminder to allow extra travel time, particularly for anyone heading into the city or travelling through the foothills. Adelaide Metro has also confirmed that bikes will not be permitted on substitute buses, something cyclists will need to factor into their plans.
The disruption also lands on a busy weekend for the city, coinciding with the Crows verse Saints match at Adelaide Oval on Saturday night. To help manage the extra movement of footy fans, additional buses will be put on before and after the game.
While the Belair line is offline, Adelaide Metro will also use the opportunity to complete its own minor maintenance works along the metro corridor. That will include signal upgrades at the Wattlebury Road level crossing, allowing crews to make the most of the closure window while train services are paused.
The line is expected to reopen with trains returning to normal from the first service on Monday, 20 April.
Anyone planning to travel on the Belair line over the weekend is being urged to check services before leaving home. Adelaide Metro is encouraging passengers to use its online journey planner and real-time timetable updates to stay across any last-minute changes and map out the best alternative route.
For more information and updates, visit https://www.adelaidemetro.com.au/
