Greetings from Germany!
New Sydney Metro on the way to Hamburg/Bremerhaven/Rotterdam

There has been a significant renewal of the fleet at this depot, all shiny brand new (covering areas mostly around the inner west but also a couple of routes out to Bondi Junction), with the recent arrival of a mass order of new BYD Volgren Optimus and Custom Denning Element 2 buses (both pictured), which have already recently replaced all remaining 12m diesel and gas buses at this depot. They run alongside existing Yutong electric buses but are also replacing the original Sydney electric buses - the BYD Gemilangs. Why these are being replaced so early I don’t know but I never liked them much anyway, very cramped interior.

The only diesel buses left at Leichhardt as of now are the handful of articulated buses, but even so these are only used during weekday peak hours, so already for a good chunk of the time, ops here are fully electric. A friendly bus driver told me electric bendy’s are coming in the near future and these will soon replace the articulated diesels here as well.

Have to say I think the new BYD Volgrens are a nice bus, and I can tell some drivers have fun driving them - they can accelerate to high speed quite faster than most other models of Sydney bus. Also the end to end low floor of the Custom Denning Element buses is a refreshing change of the usual high floor back

I’m contemplating if it’s worth getting an e-bike for my daily commute to and from the station but I’m concerned the racks will get filled up before I get there like the car spaces tend to by 8am.
I’m curious if anyone knows if this is an issue? And if it is what time is it usually full by? Also, is theft an issue? I’m particularly thinking of either Norwest or Bella Vista station.

Key directions for the Illawarra Shoalhaven transport system include:

introducing rapid, frequent 'core' bus services and infrastructure

improving safety and resilience on roads and rail

improving rail infrastructure and services

developing a connected network of cycling and pedestrian infrastructure

responding to significant anticipated growth with network and service upgrades.

three Transport Oriented Developments planned around North Wollongong, Corrimal and Dapto stations are expected to accommodate around 5,500 residents and 2,000 jobs, creating new opportunities to connect people with public transport, employment and essential services.

Often when I use the armrests on the Mariyung trains, I will feel a sharp pain somewhere on the part of my arm that’s touching the armrest. It feels like being pricked with a needle; not super painful but enough for me to move my arm away.

None of my friends know what I’m talking about and I can’t find anything about it online. Anyone else experience this? What is it caused by?

You can take a guess how I found out

I travel on the south coast line and noticed that my mobile phone Telstra service is significantly better on a mariyung vs an Oscar that normally travels on this line. Do they have signal boosters onboard?

T128/76 have been cancelled today for unknown reasons

Council calling for duplicated L1 DH terminus allowing more frequent IW trams, adding more bus frequency and additional bus routes including Five Dock Metro to Ashfield.

From time to time I noticed that there are express trains from Liverpool and Campbelltown that get to central in 40 minutes, 50 minutes.

There are also express trains from Blacktown to central.

One weekend I took a train from Blacktown to central and it took 30 minutes or so. The very express train from Campbelltown to central also didn’t even take 50 minutes where it usually a lot longer.

Why can’t we have more of those?

I recently linked my debit card to my concession and it was confirmed on the website. Yet When I use my debit car to tap on and off I still get charged the full fare. Anyone else experiencing this?

Commuters will have to wait at least another four weeks before the Minns government reveals the date for the opening of the final stretch of Sydney’s $30 billion M1 metro line as intrusions by wildlife along the rail corridor complicate the testing of driverless trains.

Transport Minister John Graham conceded on Monday there were “clearly some issues to resolve before we can open” the 13-kilometre section between Sydenham and Bankstown of the M1 line.

Graham, who met officials from the national rail safety regulator on Friday, said the latest advice from Sydney Metro was that it should have “much firmer information” about the progress of testing by the end of September and be in a position to give an indication about the opening date “all going well”.

The two main operational hurdles were ensuring that an intrusion detection system along the corridor worked effectively and “doesn’t alert the team too often”, and that screen doors and mechanical gap fillers between platforms and trains were successfully integrated. “Making sure that’s working effectively is one of the things we’re working through,” he said.

Graham told a budget estimates hearing that wildlife intrusions, including from ibis birds, were presenting challenges. “The system’s working well and providing alerts, erring on the side of too many rather than too few,” he said.

Confidential documents have previously shown that the government was targeting “mid-October” for the first passenger service along the final section between Sydenham and Bankstown.

Under questioning by Greens MP Cate Faehrmann about whether the mid-October target date was too ambitious, Graham said commuters had been “very patient” and he did not want to give them a “false start”.

The city-section between Chatswood and Sydenham of the M1 line was initially planned to be opened in early August 2024, but delays in gaining regulatory approval led to the first passenger services starting several weeks later.

Tens of thousands of commuters have been forced to catch replacement buses each day between Sydenham and Bankstown since September 2024, when the T3 heavy rail line was shut to complete the final section of the M1 line.

In mid-2018, the former Coalition government told commuters that the line would need to be closed for three to six months. Even before it closed in September 2024, the Minns government said the shutdown might last longer than its earlier estimates of 12 months.

With the corridor between Sydenham and Bankstown now closed for 23 months, Graham conceded that it “just wasn’t possible” to deliver the project in 15 to 18 months because of its complexity.

However, he said authorities had “broken the back” of weekend closures of the operating part of the M1 line between Tallawong and Sydenham to enable testing of trains along the entire corridor.

Despite an expected patronage boost when the final stage opens, Sydney Metro acting chief executive Hugh Lawson said the agency was not anticipating a need to purchase extra trains to boost the size of the 45-strong fleet and increase service frequency.

“At the moment, passenger numbers on the metro are arising in line to our forecasts, so we’re not anticipating a need to purchase additional trains,” he said.

Trains run every four minutes in both directions on the M1 line during weekday peaks. An increase in frequency to a service every three minutes will require the purchase of extra trains.

Lawson said it could take about three years for a new train to arrive in Sydney ready for passenger service after an order was placed.

The government also remains locked in a protracted dispute over costs, completion timeframes and probity arrangements with a consortium building a 23-kilometre metro line to Western Sydney International Airport.

Internal Sydney Metro documents have revealed the new airport line risks being delayed until 2028, which would be about 18 months later than originally planned.

Graham said it would become clear over the next two months whether the dispute would be resolved through negotiations, in which case the government would be able to confirm an opening date. If they failed, he said it would be left to the courts to arbitrate on the dispute.

The government confirmed last December that legal claims made by the consortium led by Italian engineering company Webuild might increase the airport rail line’s eventual cost by $1 billion-plus, to more than $12 billion.

This two carriage empty heritage train just went through Erskineville Station. It’s marked as being a cruise express.

Does anyone know what type of train this is and what this excursion train involves? I presume it involves picking up passengers from a cruise ship at Central or Circular Quay.

Alarm just went off 5 ish minutes before firies all the emergency doors closed like at the top of the escalators etc very muffled announcement that I think was saying to evacuate once but the alarm was just a consistent alert tone no voice announcements besides the one unintelligible one alarm seems to be off now anyone know what happened

Also we would all die in a fire no one evacuated lol

TLDR
Alarm went off in Bondi junction fire department attended absolutely zero instructions on evacuation or what to do anyone know what it was

Hi all! Does anyone know where to find the old Sydney trains/cityrail t8/east hills line timetables? I heard the old stopping patterns were interesting, however I do not know how to find them, hence, I need to find out where the old timetables are, so does anyone know where to find the old timetables please?

Hi all! I'm currently looking for old T8 trainline timetables, as i know that the old t8 stopping patterns where intresting to say the least, however I want to find a way to see them, hence, does anyone know where to find the timetable?

PSA for ferry users:

Ferries will not operate on Wednesday 2nd of September from 9 am till 2 pm due to an ongoing pay dispute with private operator Transdev. All travel on Sydney ferry services will be free from 2pm onwards.

More information in the tele:

*Sydney ferries set to be docked for hours as union begins industrial action over pay*

Sydney ferry workers will walk off the job for five hours in a pay dispute, suspending harbour services before offering commuters free rides home.

August 29, 2026 - 1:53PM
The Sunday Telegraph

Sydney's iconic ferries will stay docked for most of Wednesday as staff launch industrial action, stopping work for five hours before giving commuters free rides home in an escalating row over pay and working conditions.

Services across the harbour will be suspended between 9am and 2pm as members of the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) walk off the job to assemble for a meeting, taking action against private operator Transdev.

Commuters travelling to and from Manly, Circular Quay, Parramatta and the rest of the Sydney fleet will be affected.

The union has been negotiating with Transdev -- who operate the Sydney fleet -- over a better enterprise bargaining agreement, asking for a five per cent increase, plus a yearly increase to keep up with rising inflation.

MUA Deputy Branch Secretary Paul Garrett apologised to commuters, but said they are "happy to escalate to get this fixed," as workers have had to deal with a number of hurdles recently.

"Our members worked through Covid, worked through 13 boats that were built overseas and weren't fit for purpose, and they're looking for a wage increase. They do long hours, and they expect fair pay for the work they do," he said.

Mr Garrett said Transdev Sydney Ferries hasn't been able to get a proper wage offer on the table, as they seek proper wage indexing.

To soften the blow for travellers, Opal readers will be off from 2:00pm for the rest of the day, offering passengers a free trip, as a gesture to say sorry for the disruptions.

Mr Garrett said "ferries should be in public hands," and it could be only the beginning of indefinite disruptions if a resolution isn't reached quickly.

"We're trying to deal with a private operator, but if they're not prepared to meet with a serious offer, then we'll have to take action accordingly."

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/sydney-ferries-set-to-be-docked-for-hours-as-union-begins-industrial-action-over-pay/news-story/cc827a4f95c4b5c75e946f5d78b57f66

Hi folks, I know there's trackwork on the Illawarra line this weekend but I can't see replacement bus info - i.e. times, how long it takes etc. Specifically, I need to get from North Wollongong to Sydney International Airport on Sunday morning for a 12pm flight. Isn't it strange there is no info? Can anyone provide any insight?

UPDATE :

Limited buses are replacing trains between Granville and Blacktown due to an issue with the overhead wiring that was found during planned maintenance activities at Westmead.

Train services continue to run between Parramatta and the city, and also between Blacktown and Richmond/Penrith.

Passengers heading West of Parramatta will need to change at Granville for a bus.

Blue Mountains Line trains heading towards the city will end at Blacktown. Please change at Blacktown for a bus to Granville.

Train services between Parramatta and Blacktown will not resume until Monday morning.

Please avoid non-essential travel. If you must travel, allow extra travel time and consider using other transport options.

For service updates, please check transport apps, information screens and listen to announcements.

I really want a V-Set double seat to have as decoration in my room. Any way I can purchase/get my hands on them?

When can we expect the tfle set to go on the day roster to bondi cronulla please

Anyone know if there’ll be more capacity with the new regional trains?

Trains on Canberra to Sydney line sell out days in advance nowadays and surely they’re missing out on revenue (as well as people missing out on travel).

I've put my concession opal card on my bank card the day it was allowed.

Been using it ever since and haven't touched my opal card ever since. Just tapping on with my phone. It worked and even got asked to show my concession card so I KNOW it works. And it worked this morning as per photo.

Fast forward to now. It now refuses to work. Wouldn't work on the bus, or tram and didn't work when I got off the train at central this morning. I ain't paying extra $ for a ticket or opal card cause it only $2.50 but it just not working. Just keeps throwing up card not valid. How?. How do you come to that conclusion? Works for a month then decides not it's worth it and stops working . Like who do I get in contact with to fix it?

My card in general is working fine been using it to lime bike and buy stuff like a human being but doesn't work with transport. Even the physical card says NO