If you live near one of the new Southwest Metro stations, you may be hearing station chimes and announcements from inside your home, sometimes well into the evening. In most homes, the windows are where that noise gets in.
Magnetite retrofit double glazing is fitted in front of your existing windows, creating a sealed air gap that reduces the noise coming through them. Your original windows stay in place, and it won’t change the look of your home from the outside.
What’s happening along the new Southwest Metro line?
The Sydenham to Bankstown section of the metro opened to passengers on Friday 30 October 2026, bringing metro services to 10 converted stations from Marrickville to Bankstown. Within days, residents near several stations were reporting noise from chimes and platform announcements that they say can be heard inside their homes.
Some locals living close to Hurlstone Park station say they can hear signals every few minutes until around 1am, and others say announcements reach their bedrooms even with the windows shut. Residents have started a community group to share their concerns. Sydney Metro has said its technicians are assessing sound levels along the line, while noting that announcements need to meet standards for emergencies and for passengers to hear them clearly.
We’ve seen the effect first hand. Just last week, customers who live right next to one of the new stations came into our showroom looking for a way to reduce the noise in their home.
Why do station chimes and announcements get inside your home?
Sound travels through the air, and it finds the easiest way in. For most homes, that’s the windows. A standard, single glazed window lets far more sound through than a wall, and any small gaps around the sashes or frame let even more in.
Three things make metro noise especially noticeable:
- It’s frequent. Sydney Metro runs turn-up-and-go services every four minutes in the peak, so chimes and announcements repeat throughout the day.
- It’s higher pitched. Chimes, voices on a PA system and the sound of doors and braking sit in the mid to high frequency range. These are the sounds your ears pick out easily, even at lower volumes.
- It carries into the evening. When services run late, noise that’s easy to tune out during the day becomes much harder to ignore when you’re trying to sleep.
Many homes along the line, from Marrickville and Dulwich Hill through to Campsie and Bankstown, are older homes with original timber windows. They have plenty of character, but they weren’t built with a busy station next door in mind.
Windows are usually the main way noise gets in, but walls, roofs, ceilings and floors also play a part. That’s why we treat windows and doors as one part of the picture, not the whole answer.
How does Magnetite retrofit double glazing reduce metro noise?
Magnetite retrofit double glazing adds a second, sealed window in front of your existing window, on the inside of the room. It works in three ways:
- An air gap between the two windows. A foamed PVC subframe is fitted inside the window reveal, creating an air gap between your existing window and the new secondary window. That gap helps reduce the sound that makes it through.
- Airtight magnetic seals. Like a fridge door, the Magnetite panel closes against magnetic seals to create an airtight seal, closing off the small gaps that let noise and draughts in.
- Optical grade acrylic glazing. It’s clear, lightweight and well suited to reducing the mid to high frequency sounds that metro chimes and announcements produce.
Magnetite and Soundtite can reduce noise coming through existing windows and doors by up to 70%, backed by NATA-accredited lab tests. How much difference you’ll notice depends on the type of noise, the air gap and the system chosen.
If the main problem at your home is lower-pitched rumble, such as trains on the tracks or heavy vehicles on a nearby road, a Magnetite representative may also talk you through the Soundtite secondary aluminium system, which uses laminated acoustic glass.
There’s a bonus heading into summer, too. Acrylic glazing is up to six times more thermally efficient than glass, so the same windows help keep your home cooler in summer and warmer in winter.
Which rooms should you treat first?
You don’t need to do every window at once. Start where the noise affects you most:
- Bedrooms facing the station or rail line. Evening chimes and announcements have the biggest impact on sleep.
- Nurseries and children’s rooms. Young children nap during the day, when services are at their most frequent.
- A home office or study. Repeated announcements make calls and concentration harder.
- Living areas facing the line. Where you relax, watch TV and talk with family.
- Doors facing the corridor. Sealtite acoustic and weather seals, including automatic bottom door seals, close the gaps around doors that windows alone can’t.
What else can you do about metro noise?
- Report it to Sydney Metro. Note the dates, times and type of noise, then contact the Southwest Metro community information line on 1800 171 386 or email southwestmetro@transport.nsw.gov.au. Sydney Metro has said it is looking at sound levels along the line.
- Check your windows and doors for gaps. Run your hand around the frames on a breezy day. If you can feel air coming through, sound is coming through too.
- Think long term. Even if announcement volumes are adjusted, trains will keep running past your home for decades. Treating the windows and doors facing the line is a lasting improvement, whatever happens with the PA system.
Frequently asked questions
Will secondary glazing stop me hearing the metro completely? No product can promise that. Magnetite reduces the noise coming through your windows and doors, and how much depends on the type of noise, the air gap and the system chosen. A Magnetite representative will look at your home and explain what you can realistically expect.
Do I need to replace my existing windows? No. Magnetite is installed in front of your existing windows, which stay in place. That makes it a practical option for older Inner West homes with original timber windows, because it won’t change the look of your home from the outside.
Can I still open my windows for fresh air? Yes. Magnetite panels slide or lift out, so you can open your existing windows for fresh air and cleaning.
Will it work on my type of windows? Magnetite suits timber, aluminium and steel windows, as well as doors and skylights.
Does it help with anything other than noise? Yes. The same panels reduce draughts and improve thermal comfort, helping keep rooms cooler in summer and warmer in winter.
How much does it cost? Every home is different, so we quote on the size and type of windows and the system that suits the noise you’re dealing with. A Magnetite representative measures up in person and gives you a tailored quote.
Living near the new line? Talk to Magnetite
If metro noise is affecting your home in Marrickville, Dulwich Hill, Hurlstone Park, Canterbury, Campsie or anywhere along the line, book a measure and quote with a Magnetite representative. We’ll look at where the noise is coming in, which rooms matter most to you, and the system that suits your home. You’re also welcome to visit our Sydney showroom to see and hear the difference for yourself.
