Adelaide suburb train services privatised to Keolis Downer by the South Australian government from 2021

Seaford suburban train on an electrified line at the revamped Wayville Showgrounds station.

Adelaide’s suburban train network – Belair, Gawler, Grange, Outer Harbor, Seaford and Tonsley lines –  were privatised in a $2.14 billion contract to a joint venture between Downer Group and French transport company Keolis from 2021.

The network, previously run by the South Australian government's transport, planning and infrastructure department through Adelaide Metro, had 81 stations.  Under the new contract, the government would still own all the rail assets, including trains and stations, and would continue to have control over fare price, revenue and standards for service levels.

This was the biggest change to the state's train operations since South Australian Railways were sold as an entity to the federal government’s Australian National in 1978. In that move, country services operating from Adelaide were lost, including: Bute-Moonta, Port Pirie Junction, Hamley Bridge-Balaklava, Blyth-Wilmington, Riverton-Terowie, Kapunda-Robertstown, Nuriootpa-Truro, Murray Bridge-Wailerie, Naracoorte, Kingston SE, Mount-Barker-Milang, Morphett Vale-Willunga. Australia National’s longer-distance trains continued to use Adelaide station for several years until its Keswick passenger terminal opened in 1984. 

Adelaide station, now only serving suburban trains, saw big changes in 1985-87 with the Adelaide Station and Environs Redevelopment (ASER) refurbishing much of its exterior and converting the interior to a casino, building the-then Hyatt Regency hotel over its northern end and removing platforms 12 and 13.

The track layout in the station yard was modified with new signals in 1987-88 with a new control centre overlooking the railcar depot and station. The railcar depot was moved to Dry Creek in 2008 to make way for the new Royal Adelaide Hospital and signal controls also moved to Dry Creek in 2018.