The new intercity Mariyung trains will enter services on the Blue Mountains Line in New South Wales, Australia, marking the first new intercity train to hit the tracks in two decades.
The first Mariyung passenger service is scheduled for 13 October leaving Lithgow Station, a major station on the 157 km Blue Mountains Line that starts west from Sydney to the major town of Katoomba and on to Mount Victoria, Lithgow and Bathurst.
By the end of October, seven new intercity trains are due to be operating on the Blue Mountains Line, primarily during peak periods, comprising a mix of 10 and six-carriage sets. The Mariyung trains will progressively replace the V-set trains currently servicing Blue Mountains Line.
The Mariyung double-deck EMUs, which began on the Central Coast and Newcastle line in December 2024, offer more spacious and comfortable two-by-two seating with arm rests, a much quieter journey with modern air-conditioning and modern heating, dedicated spaces for luggage, prams, bicycles and wheelchairs, as well as enhanced safety and improved accessibility.
“We are delivering the first Mariyung passenger service on the Blue Mountains, which is exciting for train travellers in the region as far as Lithgow and all through the Mountains. These trains will change the game in terms of comfort on the longer journeys between Sydney and the Mountains, with improved accessibility and increased safety and security,” Minister for Regional Transport Jenny Aitchison said.
The improvements include tray tables, high seat backs and charging ports for mobile devices,on-board digital information screens are easier to read, and CCTV throughout the new trains will enhance the safety and security of passengers and staff and help deter anti-social and criminal activity.
The introduction of the Mariyung allows for the gradual retirement of the V-sets that have been on the tracks since the 1970s and have become a magnet for vandals and graffiti. The Mariyung has closed-circuit television systems throughout to deter anti-social behaviour.
The Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator (ONRSR) has signed off on the introductio to the Blue Mountains Line.
The fleet will be rolled out on the South Coast Line in 2026.
Mariyung train fleet
The new intercity Mariyung trains will improve reliability for passengers on the Blue Mountains Line while also providing a smoother ride for passengers at Western Sydney centres like Penrith, Blacktown and Parramatta. The trains are manufactured by Hyundai Rotem under the RailConnect NSW consortium, also including UGL and Mitsubishi Electric Australia. The consortium was awarded the contract to design, build and maintain more than 500 new train carriages for the New South Wales intercity network. The Mariyung fleet trains will carry passengers from Sydney to the Central Coast, Newcastle, the South Coast, the Blue Mountains and Lithgow.
UGL is responsible for the maintenance and whole-of-life asset management of the 512 new carriages for 15 years once they are added to the NSW TrainLink Fleet.
In 2021, Transport for New South Wales awarded RailConnect JV a contract extension to deliver and maintain 56 additional double-deck intercity railcars to increase the size of the Mariyung train fleet, previously known as the New Intercity Fleet.
610 double-deck coaches have been delivered by the consortium under the contracts awarded in 2019 and 2021. They can operate in 4, 6, 8 and 10 car formations.
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