The largest escalators in the Southern Hemisphere have been installed at what will be the new Central Station as work continues on the $955 million transformation of Australia’s busiest station.

Two 45-meter escalators have been installed as part of 42 escalators which are currently being built as part of the redevelopment of Sydney’s Central Station.

The redevelopment is happening as the NSW Government’s ambitious Sydney Metro rail project is expected to see the number of people who pass through the station increase from 170 million today to 450 million by 2040.

The escalators will be accompanied by a new 80-meter long, 19-meter wide concourse which will run underground between platforms 16 and 23.

Know as Central Walk, the new concourse will link Chalmers Street within the new Sydney Metro platforms.

Excavation of the underground cavern and installation of the new metro platforms are now complete.

The redeveloped station will also have new platforms beneath platforms 13, 14 and 15 to cater for Sydney Metro trains.

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet welcomed progress on the development.

“This city-shaping work is an extraordinary engineering and construction accomplishment. We’re delivering this Metro rail station below the surface at Central, while existing train services continue above,” Perrottet said.

“The upgrade to Central Station will create more than 5,500 jobs over the four years of construction and represents the biggest improvement to the station in decades.”

Transport Minister David Elliot says the Northern Concourse canopy which has been installed is now part of the Central landscape and is delivering an extra 540 square meters of open space.

The feature roof over the new pedestrian thoroughfare was made in the Hunter Valley. It sits about 16 meters above ground and weighs 330 tonnes.

Both Central Walk, the new escalators from Platforms 12 to 23 and the lifts to Platforms 12-23 will be open later this year.

New Metro platforms will become operational once Sydney Metro City & Southwest services begin in 2024.