Trains in Sydney have resumed service after a communication issue brought the entire system to a standstill, but travellers are facing a nightmare commute with “serious delays”.
All trains were stopped at station platforms for about an hour and a half, with station doors shuttered and hoards of people gathering outside the public transport service.
Transport NSW said commuters should look to take alternate transport if they can, or delay their trip for at least 60 minutes to avoid further congestion.
“Passengers are advised to consider alternative transport or allow plenty of extra travel time due to a communication issue affecting the rail network,” Transport NSW said in a statement.
“Trains on the Sydney rail network and intercity lines are stopped at platforms.
“Crews are working to fix the issue as quickly as possible but there is no forecast.
“Passengers already travelling on the rail network are advised to listen to announcements and check information displays for service updates.”
Stations were closed off to customers in an attempt to stop huge crowds from building up, but large crowds of commuters have still been filmed waiting on platforms on the city’s third-straight day of 30-degree temperatures.
Transport for NSW has confirmed the issue causing the standstill is a failure of the radio system used for communication on the network.
“At 2.45pm we were notified the Digital Train Radio System (DTRS) had failed on the Sydney Trains network,” a spokesperson said.
“This is the digital radio system that connects the train crew with the signaller and our Rail Operations Centre.
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“As a result, for safety reasons we have had to halt trains at platforms until we can reboot the system.
“We have managed to move all trains to platforms and there are no people trapped on trains.
“People were able to safely get off trains.
“Air conditioning and public announcement systems are working.
“Engineers are on site and looking at the system fault and determining if we implement a back-up system located at Homebush.
“We are advising people to avoid train travel now and we will update when the system is back up and running.”
In addition to the delays on the train network, disruptions are also impacting other transport services, with one 9news.com.au reporter on his way home describing bus stops as “absolute chaos”.
As a result, the cost of rideshare services has soared as surge pricing kicks in.
An Uber from Central Station to the airport is quoted at almost $90, while a trip from North Sydney to the Shire was seen as high as $280.
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