Train delays, cancellations after emergency at Inner West station

Sydneysiders’ commute home via train has been thrown into chaos this afternoon after a death at an Inner West train station.

Crowds at Central Station amid heavy delays. Picture: Supplied

Sydney commuters faced hours of delays after a person died at an Inner West railway station, bringing services to a standstill.

Widespread delays and cancellations hit Sydney’s train lines for several hours after a “fatality” at Macdonaldtown Station just before 3pm, according to Transport for NSW.

The Airport and South, Bankstown, Inner West and Leppington, North Shore, Western, Northern, Blue Mountains, Central Coast and Newcastle lines are all affected, with passengers advised to “allow extra travel time”.

For several hours, trains did not stop between Croydon and Macdonaldtown, but by 7pm trains had resumed with limited stops and continued to run late.

“These delays are expected to continue for the rest of the evening,” a statement from Transport for NSW read.

“Passengers can consider using local buses or catch citybound trains to Redfern and change for trains away from the city, which are stopping at these stations,” an earlier statement from Transport for NSW read.

Rail replacement buses were requested, however transport officials said due to the incident coinciding with school runs, “bus availability may be limited.”

The statement from TfnSW said replacement buses were being organised but passengers would still experience delays.

“Emergency services are on site and once they give the all-clear for rail traffic to recommence, Sydney Trains will work hard to recover the timetable,” the statement read.

It comes after Sydney Trains posted on X less than an hour before the chaos began, encouraging Valentines Day lovers to use the rail network while making their way to any celebrations of the day of love.”Our train stations might not be the best place for your Valetine’s Day date, but a train is the best way to get you there,” the network’s official account wrote online around 2:30pm.