Save the date: Public Transport timetables are changing

OPAL card data has confirmed it - Sydney is in desperate need of more train services.

Research conducted by Sydney Trains has revealed that average trainloads have risen significantly, with a record 1.3 million people now making a journey each weekday.

Opal card data has confirmed it - Sydney is in desperate need of more train services.

Research conducted by Sydney Trains has revealed that average trainloads have risen significantly, with a record 1.3 million people now making a journey each weekday.

This surge in passenger numbers has resulted in some services being overcrowded, with five of the 15 train lines running over the average of 135 per cent of seating capacity in the morning peak."

And with one million more people planning to make Sydney their home over the next ten years, our transport system will only get more and more constrained.

To cope with the increased demand, the NSW Government has invested more than $1.5 billion to enhance Sydney’s rail network.

This money will be spent on new trains and services, as well as a simplification of the existing rail network.

The funding will see 24 new Waratah-style trains introduced into the network, which will mean 1500 new services including an extra 750 on weekends.

The result will be a reduction in wait time for commuters, with 71 per cent of stations set to receive a minimum 15 minute service frequency.

Benefits will also be felt out west, with 20 new express trains to run between Parramatta and the Sydney CBD per hour in the busiest periods, that’s one every three minutes.

The aim is that eventually, commuters will be able to throw away their timetables and just turn up and go.

In the meantime however, Sydneysiders are urged to check the new train timetable, which will be rolled out on Sunday 26 November. This is particularly important if you rely on a regular train service or transport connection to get you to and from work.  

The timetable changes won’t just affect trains either. If you catch a bus or ferry, the timetables for some of these services will also be changing to ensure they better align with the new trains.

To find out more about the 26 November timetable changes across train, bus and ferry services, go to: transportnsw.info/moving-forward

Originally published as Save the date: Public Transport timetables are changing