Premier Mark McGowan announced last week work had begun on the Forrestfield-Airport Link, which will create a direct train line from Perth city to the international airport.
The link is part of the Metronet plan and will include train connections between new stations in Forrestfield, Perth International Airport, Belmont and Bayswater.
The rail line will be entirely underground and should reduce traffic on major roads including Welshpool Road, Orrong Road and Leach Highway.
Mr McGowan said the project would deliver “a significant jobs boost” for WA.
“This important rail link was the number one priority of the Metronet vision,” he said.
Transport Minister Rita Saffioti said the project would create 2000 jobs.
“The link will revolutionise public transport in the eastern foothills and provide choice for how many of us travel to and from Perth Airport,” she said.
The Airport Central Station will be located near the international airport control tower and will contain lifts, stairs, escalators, toilets, ticketing and information services, a kiosk and customer service staff.
Travel from the Perth CBD to the airport terminal will be a two-zone fare.
Domestic travel services were planned to move to the international terminal area in the future as part of the Perth Airport Master Plan meaning both international and domestic travellers will be able to take the link to the new airport station.
An interim transport plan for a connection from the Airport Central Station to the domestic terminal would be decided on after community consultation.
Boring will begin in Forrestfield late next month and was expected to reach Bayswater at the other end of the line in late 2020.
The government said the journey from the airport to the city CBD will take about 18 minutes.
By 2021 the Forrestdale-Airport Link was expected to generate 20,000 passenger trips each day, including 2100 an hour during peak hour.
Daily passenger numbers were expected to increase to 29,000 by 2013.
The Federal and State Governments funded the link jointly – $490 million from the State Government supported by $1.37 billion from Canberra.
