Sydney trains: Delays cause pressure as Premier promises free-fare day for Monday

NSW Premier Chris Minns has said no one will need to “tap-on, tap-off” on Monday, May 26 as he promises a “free-fare day” to make up for today’s massive train delays.
Sydney trains have been a big talking point today as an electrical issue on Tuesday night has caused widespread outages.
Chris Minns will also bring in an airline professional to investigate how to improve the punctuality of Sydney’s rail network.
READ MORE: Here are all the free things you can do at Vivid Sydney this year.

Sydney trains have been on the frustrated minds of commuters this morning with delays across the board.

On Tuesday evening, a 1,500-volt live wire was somehow loosened and came down on top of some carriages near Strathfield station. And while the 300 passengers on board the beleaguered train were safely evacuated, the issue, coupled with “tough rainy conditions”, has led to widespread delays this Wednesday morning.

That’s all Sydney’s section of social media can talk about right now, and the frustration of passengers missing work (plus important work events) has been papered in just about every major news outlet. It’s caused a swift make-do response for NSW Premier Chris Minns, who has now announced a uniformed fare-free public transport day.

“We know the last 24 hours on the Sydney Trains network has been very difficult,” Minns posted on social media just hours after the delays.

“So on Monday May 26, we’re offering free transport across the Sydney Trains and Metro networks.”

Minns has also promised to take more action with examining how we can improve Sydney’s frequent train delays, which have been much too common for years.

While the power from the voltage mishap was switched back on at 7:20am today, with the first train service running on the affected line after 8am, the system took much too long to reactivate and thousands of Sydneysiders were left either stranded or working from home.

Residual delays are expected for the rest of today, with Transport for NSW encouraging commuters to seek alternate modes of transit. Regular bus services remain unaffected and the Sydney Metro is still running as normal.

“If you need to travel on the network there will be limited shuttles operating,” said a Transport for NSW spokesperson.

“If passengers must travel, plan ahead and allow extra travel time. We have trains running on all lines, but at a reduced frequency.”

Replacement buses are in place between Lidcombe and Ashfield stations for today.

Details for the free-fare public transport day

As above, Chris Minns has promised a fare-free day for the entirety of Monday, May 26.

“In no way is that going to make up for the disruption of the last 24 hours, but hopefully it can go some way to alleviate the financial burden that families have had to deal with over the last few years,” said Minns when speaking to Nine Radio this morning.

“Many people will be furious as a result of that and we have to take that on the chin.”

Sydney trains to get an independent review

In addition, Minns has finally locked in an independent review into Sydney’s train system, citing that delays like this are “nowhere near good enough” and that our system is “certainly not on par with international cities around the world.”

“We are looking at bringing someone in from the airline sector… A fresh set of eyes that can look at three things: the maintenance program that we’re undertaken, the punctuality of trains on the Sydney trains network, and also communication.”

What does the train delay mean for Vivid Sydney?

With Vivid Sydney starting this Friday May 23, people are understandably concerned about having a significant train issue just days before the festival of light, music, ideas and food kicks off.

In all likelihood, trains should be up and running as per usual by Friday, especially since Vivid Sydney is a major priority for NSW Government.

This is the one event that puts the most pressure on our rail network each year so the timing couldn’t be worse. If delays continue for a few more days, we suggest leaving your Vivid Sydney plans until next week. The free-fare day also coincides with the first Monday of Vivid Sydney 2025, so we expect the Vivid Light Walk to be busier than ever.

While you’re here, plan your Vivid Sydney experience with Sydney Travel Guide

Sydney Travel Guide has rolled out several Vivid Sydney 2025 guides so you can make the most of your experience and plan ahead. You’ll want to if you’re going to avoid the crowds, see more in less time, and spend your money wisely.