Canberra light rail stage 2B to Woden enters procurement phase

The ACT government has moved Canberra's light rail extension to Woden into formal procurement, releasing a request for proposals to four shortlisted consortia following the completion of the business case and environmental approvals process. A contract award is expected by December, with construction to begin in the first quarter of next year.

Stage 2B of the Capital Metro network will extend the existing Gungahlin-to-City corridor southward through the city centre, crossing Commonwealth Bridge and running along Adelaide Avenue to a new terminus at the Woden Town Centre. Seven new stops are planned, including a new interchange at the Canberra Hospital campus.

Chief Minister Andrew Barr said the extension would connect two of Canberra's largest employment centres — the parliamentary triangle and Woden — by rail for the first time, with journey times of approximately 18 minutes between the two precincts. "This is nation-building infrastructure for our national capital," he said.

The business case published by Infrastructure ACT showed projected weekday patronage of 14,200 trips on Stage 2B by 2035, rising to 23,400 by 2045. The case for the investment was strengthened by the corridor's current bus congestion, with six routes currently operating through the city tunnel well above capacity at peak times.

The hospital stop has been designed with a future spur line capability to allow an extension to the Garran residential precinct if demand warrants it after the line opens, projected for late 2028.

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