Station Link Routes SL1-SL7

The Station Link routes were rail replacement bus routes to substitute for the closure of the Epping-Chatswood Rail Line (the ECRL corridor, had stations Chatswood, North Ryde, Macquarie Uni, Macquarie Park and Epping) during its conversion to the North West Sydney Metro. Transport for NSW required 140 buses to operate on 7 routes, all with the prefix SL and a number from 1-7 at the end. After the opening of the Metro, Station Link buses were redirected to North West Night Bus services, and then redirected to other places.

## Quick Facts: SL1

### Operates between

Epping Metro Station - Chatswood Metro Station

### Running via

Macquarie Park Metro Station, Macquarie Uni Metro Station, North Ryde Metro Station

### Travel Time

Unknown???

SL1 was the main Station Link route, running from Epping to Chatswood via all stations in the ECRL corridor. It was the only Station Link route that ran 7 days a week. During the afternoon peak, buses would operate at a frequency of 1 bus every 6 mins, during weekends and public holidays it would operate at 1 bus every 5 mins in the afternoons while at other times, it would operate at 1 bus every 10 mins.

## Quick Facts: SL2, SL3, SL5

### Operates between

SL2: Epping - ChatswoodSL3: Beecroft - St LeonardsSL5: Eastwood - Macquarie Park

### Running via

SL2: M2 MotorwaySL3: Macquarie Park, Macquarie UniSL5: Macquarie Uni

### Travel Time

Unknown???

SL2, SL3 and SL5 were Station Link routes only running in one direction at a time, only on weekdays. SL2 ran from Epping to Chatswood via the Hills M2 Motorway (skipping Macquarie Park), to Chatswood in the morning and to Epping in the afternoon. SL3 ran from Beecroft to St Leonards, via both Macquarie stations only, running to St Leonards in the morning and to Beecroft in the afternoon while SL5 ran from Eastwood to Macquarie Park via Macquarie Uni, towards Macquarie in the mornings and towards Eastwood in the afternoon. All 3 routes operated at a frequency of 1 bus every 6 mins, but only during peak hours.

### SL4

SL4 was a Station Link route running from St Leonards to Macquarie University via Macquarie Park. It ran only on weekday peak hours in both directions at a time. In the morning peak, services to Macquarie came every 4 mins while services to St Leonards came every 20 mins while in the afternoon, services to St Leonards came every 4 mins and services to Macquarie came every 15 mins.

### SL6, SL7

SL6 and SL7 were Station Link Routes running only during peak hours and in one direction at a time. Both routes started at Epping, however, SL6 went to Macquarie Park while SL7 terminated at the Macquarie University Campus, near Macquarie Uni Station. Both routes run to Epping in the afternoon and to their other terminus in the morning. They both run at a frequency of 1 bus every 10 mins, however, SL6 services to Macquarie come once every 12 mins.

### Trivia

SL2 is the only Station Link route to run via the M2 Motorway.

SL1 and SL4 are the only routes to run in both directions at the same time.

The buses used on these routes are painted in the special Station Link livery, which is the Transport for NSW livery except the front and rear bumpers are pink and the side has the words Station Link printed in pink.

SL7 is the only route to not terminate at a train station.