Sydney Commuters Urged to Avoid Travel After ‘Catastrophic’ Train Outage Prompts Review

May 28, 2025

Travelers have been informed that disruptions on Sydney’s railway system will improve starting Thursday following another day of disorder.

Extensive interruptions throughout Sydney’s rail network persisted on Wednesday, as NSW Premier Chris Minns declared an inquiry into the region’s transportation infrastructure.

People who use the railway system, which has had numerous issues, were advised to “steer clear of travel” following difficulties in recovering from a situation where a train got tangled with overhead power lines during Monday’s busy period.

A representative from Transport for NSW stated that trains were anticipated to operate according to their regular schedule on Thursday.

Mr Minns recognized that his administration was operating under tight constraints when it came to commuters, who were urgently seeking explanations.

“I want to say from the get-go that rail performance for Sydney Trains in New South Wales has not been good enough,” he said.

Many individuals depending on the public transportation network feel that we have failed them.

Mr Minns stated that a brief and focused assessment of Sydney’s transportation infrastructure would examine whether the funds allocated for upkeep are being used effectively, ensure reliability across the network, and improve communications from transit officials.

The CEO of Sydney Trains, Matt Longland, stated that continuous endeavors to stabilize the railway system are underway following several months of labor disputes involving train employees.

He stated that they have observed enhancements during the past few months following the conclusion of the industrial action.

However, what transpired yesterday fell significantly short of expectations.

Mr Longland stated that an “overhead wiring issue” was probably responsible for the incident rather than the severe weather conditions affecting Sydney.

On early Wednesday morning, Transport for NSW stated that significant delays would keep affecting various services across Sydney.

It was stated that if you require transportation across the network, only a few shuttle services will be running.

Should travelers need to journey, ensure you prepare accordingly and account for additional transit time. Our services include trains operating across all routes, albeit with fewer departures than usual.

Buses ‘at full capacity’

A total of 20 shuttle buses will operate between Lidcombe and Ashfield.

“You can understand that the bus network is operating at maximum capacity,” said Jas Tumber, the Transport for NSW executive director of rail operations, to the ABC.

Even with our buses running, we’ll still lack sufficient capacity to handle the demand in that region.

Electricity has been reinstated in the zone around Strathfield Station following overnight repair efforts by the workforce.

A 1,500-volt overhead wire fell onto some carriages close to Strathfield station in western Sydney, leading to the evacuation of around hundred passengers from the impacted train and affecting three others due to a related power failure.

Crews working overnight tackled the damp weather to evaluate the destruction, with Transportation Minister John Graham characterizing the stormy and dim circumstances as “challenging.”

Even though the “extremely serious” and “disastrous incident” was contained on Tuesday evening, Mr Graham indicated that its effects would continue into Wednesday.

Fare-free Monday

Mr Minns stated that commuters will enjoy complimentary rides the following Monday, following the turmoil that has beset the Sydney rail system in the last 24 hours.

Mr Minns stated that the network is “far from adequate.”

He mentioned that this small gesture can demonstrate our acknowledgment of significant disturbances.

Residents of Sydney were encouraged to explore alternative transportation choices where feasible, as the metro, light rail, and local bus services remained unaffected.

Passengers were advised to stay updated with the most recent information through Transport NSW’s service.
information website
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“Sydney Trains has expressed regret to commuters for the disruption,” stated a representative.

Howard Collins, the coordinator general at Transport for NSW, apologized to affected commuters and assured the public that the upkeep of the railway network’s energized lines probably wasn’t responsible for the incident. He also ruled out heavy rain as a potential cause.

“I understand it can be extremely frustrating, but we’re requesting everyone to remain quite patient. We will investigate the cause of this incident,” he stated.

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news · news media · railway systems · trains · transportation

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