Northern suburbs commuters will benefit from the Malinauskas Labor Government's decisive action to return rail operations to public hands, with faster travel times to be enacted on the Gawler rail line via a major timetable change.
The new weekday timetables will see travel times on 76 per cent of all trips between Adelaide and Gawler shortened.
The changes follow trains returning to public control in February 2025 and the electrification of the Gawler line, which has seen the State Government introduce 12 new Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) trains to service the Gawler line.
The end of privatisation, together with the completed electrification project, has allowed for faster travel times to be rolled out across the timetable, improving journeys across a more reliable and safer public transport system.
The Malinauskas Labor Government returned Adelaide's train services to public hands, completing an historic reversal of the Liberals' privatisation that puts South Australians back in control of their essential rail services.
Another boost for travel in the north will roll out on 13 October, with an extension of the Riverlea Park bus service which connects residents in the new Riverlea development in in Adelaide's northern suburbs.
The development will see an estimated 30,000 additional residents join the fast-growing region over the next 25 years.
Public transport bus services were first rolled out to this area in 2023, and will now be extended to increase the catchment area.
The Malinauskas Labor Government also introduced around-the-clock free public transport for seniors and slashed the 28-day student metro pass from $28.60 to $10.
Commuters have overwhelmingly embraced the cheaper fares, which allow high schoolers to travel for the equivalent of 25 cents per trip.
The former Liberal Government inexplicably sold-off metropolitan rail services, which began with trams in 2020 then trains in 2021. This resulted in service cuts, fare hikes and cost-cutting.
Now, the Liberal Opposition is proposing more underfunding, falling $75 million short in its copycat policy to reduce fares.
The Monday to Friday timetables for the Gawler train line will be updated to reflect these changes from Monday, 13 October 2025.
Most trips between Adelaide and Gawler will be reduced by several minutes on weekdays, with no changes to weekend services.
Connecting bus routes will receive minor timetable changes to maintain efficient and safe connections. Travel times on these services will not change.
For more information on timetable changes head to the Adelaide Metro website.
As put by Peter Malinauskas
We have brought trains back into public hands and now we are delivering better timetables and faster services.
These changes show we're putting people before profits, delivering what we promised when we brought these services back into public hands.
This is a government investing in a faster, safer and more reliable public transport network.
As put by Emily Bourke
By bringing our public transport back into public hands, we're able to make changes that improve the lives of South Australians.
We are shaving time off trips and increasing the investment in safety and efficiency.
These timetable improvements are the first to roll out as part of a broader review of services across the northern network.
The north is the fastest growing region in Adelaide. We're increasing connectivity for current and future residents and future-proofing essential services like public transport for years to come.
