The $955 million Central Walk is a significant upgrade to Sydney’s busiest rail interchange, Central Station, forming part of the broader Sydney Metro program. The Central Walk project is an 80-metre-long, 19-metre-wide accessible concourse that runs east-west under Central Station, connecting the Chalmers Street (Surry Hills) entrance with the north-south concourse. The project provides direct access to the station from the Surry Hills catchment area, new access points to Sydney Trains platforms 16 to 23, an interchange for passengers from the CBD and South East Light Rail, and escalators directly to suburban platforms. The project was delivered alongside new underground Sydney Metro platforms and an upgraded northern concourse.
The Judging Panel was particularly impressed by the delivery complexity of the project, completed with minimal disruption to usual station operations and passenger thoroughfare. The Panel commended the project for its improved accessibility to the station for customers of various ages and capabilities, including significant improvements to customer flows travelling across train, bus, metro and light rail transport modes. The high-quality architecture and provision of public spaces that enhance safety and amenity were also noted.