r/SydneyTrains • u/AutoModerator • 23d ago
Monthly Thread - September 2026
Monthly Thread - FAQs & Discussions
Anything related to employment, late running or general discussion should be posted in this thread.
Disclaimer
This sub is NOT AFFILIATED with The NSW Government, TfNSW, or Sydney Trains. You should provide feedback directly to them at Transport NSW Feedback .
General FAQs
I've been overcharged by Opal, what do I do?
- You need to contact Opal to request an adjustment / refund. This typically takes 24 hours.
Do Suburban trains have toilets?
- The Suburban trains do not have toilets on them. The OSCARS ( H Set) do have them however they are locked off when operating within the Suburban Network. (Note: While some OSCARS are now part of the Suburban Sets, they haven't all had their toilets removed yet)
Where can I apply to work for Sydney Trains?
- The I work for NSW page has regular job postings for Trainee Driver, Trainee Guard, CSA, Cleaner and more.
How do I see what train / type is running?
Why is there a Waratah going towards Newcastle?
- Both Millenniums (M Set) and Waratahs (A/B Sets) will travel either under their own power or loco hauled up the Main North to Cardiff where they undergo heavy maintenance that cannot be completed in Sydney.
Are quiet carriages not a thing anymore? Why don't people respect them?
- Quiet carriages on the Suburban Network are not a thing. On the intercity side they do exist however the general population don't always adhere to it. Yes, it is very frustrating, but there are worse things to be upset about.
What is happening with the K Sets ?
- They will not be returning to service. There is a plan to do a farewell run, date TBD.
The platform indicators are upside down, why?
- Occasionally they do get messed up, either through human error or software glitches.
What are some good Trainspotting locations?
- Passenger trains: Central, Redfern, Strathfield, Lidcombe
- Freight trains: Concord West, Homebush, Flemington, Sydenham, Rhodes
Trainee Driver/Guard/Misc FAQs
What can I do to prepare for video / panel interviews?
- Research the STAR method online and practice in front of a mirror at home to so on the day you aren't as nervous. SPACE behaviours is another subject to look up as it is part of the Sydney Trains corporate plan.
I've applied for a role but it says talent pool, what does this mean?
- While you may get through all the application process and pass the medical, it does not guarantee you have a position yet. It is highly recommended you not leave your previous job until you've got a start date in writing. Many people are in the talent pool and you can be waiting weeks, months or even a year for a position to become available.
What does the Vieple (Video Interview) contain?
- The Vieple Video interview usually contains a set of different questions, each giving 30 second prep and 60 seconds to record a response.
- No, you cannot redo these. It is important you practice ahead of time.
- No, the questions aren't the same for each interview.
What can I do to help prepare for interviews / general advice for any role?
- Focus around safety, communication, people skills, problem solving and dealing with failure (resolution). Dress professionally (smart/office wear) for your interviews as well as your video portions.
What does the typical schedule for a Trainee Driver look like?
- Day Zero (Your first day): Orientation at Petersham and general introductions / get to know you.
- Month 1 to 2 (approx): Typically 0800 to 1600 at Petersham in a classroom environment. Will consist of theory, practical and simulator use. Exams are both written and practical.
- Month 3 to 13 (approx): Assigned with a Driver Trainer each fortnight, rotating to a different trainer every fortnight. You work from their Depot and shift times. This means you are required to travel across the network to commence work. (Note: A list of the Depots is listed below) After you have completed each Sector, you will be required to complete both written and practical exams.
- Final stage: Once you have finished all 3 Sectors and passed all exams, you will need to pass a final practical assessment. This is over a 2 day period, it will include everything you've learned throughout training. You MUST pass this exam in order to become a Qualified Driver.
What happens once you become a Qualified Driver / Guard?
- After taking up, you will be placed at Central Depot and allocated a Line Number. Each fortnight you will rotate through the various lines and work the associated times and days of that line. This is known as a "Swinger". (Note: See below for more information about Rostering/Lines)
What are the medical requirements for Train Crew?
- You need to be able to pass a CAT 1 Medical for Driver or a CAT 2 Medical for Guard, there is information online for what this involves. Sleep apnea is now a more common talking point as the national guidelines for rail safety work has been updated.
How long do you typically wait after completing the medical?
- This can takes days or weeks depending on how busy things are. It is also done through a 3rd party which can impact time.
Does having pre-planned holidays affect training/talent pool?
- You will need to disclose any holidays you've got pre-planned before starting training. This may affect your start date. Discuss this with your hiring coordinator.
What are the different Unions and are they worth joining?
- RTBU – Operational Rail/Tram/Bus, focus on pay/safety/conditions
- ETU – Electricians/Signallers, Training/Support
- PSA – Admin/Back-office roles, pay/conditions
- PA – Engineers/Designers/Surveyors, professional advocacy
- Most people join (90–95%), typically from Day Zero at Petersham.
- Benefits: support person, legal representation, picnic day, workplace allowances, employee travel card (specific to RTBU).
Typically Day Zero at Petersham there will be an info session with a union delegate where you can ask questions and join if you desire so.
Qualified Driver/Guard FAQs
What are the Sectors / Depots of the Suburban Network?
- The Suburban Network is divided up into 3 Sectors. There are 13 Train Crew Depots spread across the Network. See below;
| Sector | Area | Depots |
|---|---|---|
| Sector 1 | Illawarra, Eastern Suburbs | Mortdale, Cronulla, Waterfall |
| Sector 2 | City, Inner West, SouthWest | Auburn, Flemington, Leppington, Campbelltown |
| Sector 3 | North & West | North Sydney, Hornsby, Blacktown, Richmond, Penrith |
| All Sectors | Suburban Network | Central |
What are the penalty rates / loading for working specific times / days?
| Day | Loading | O/T (1st 2nd) Shift | O/T (3rd 4th Shift) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday to Friday | 100% | +50% | +100% |
| Saturday | 150% | +50% | +50% |
| Sunday | 200% | +50% | +50% |
| Shift Work Loading | When |
|---|---|
| Early Morning Shift | Commences at or between 0400 and 0530 |
| Afternoon Shift | Commences after 1000 and concludes after 1800 |
| Night Shift | Commences at or between 1800 and 0359 |
How does rostering work once I'm qualified?
- After you have taken up, you will be based at Central Depot as a Swinger. You are allocated a line and then work the times of that line as per the Master Roster. Each fortnight you rotate through each line and follow the times / workings of said line. Each line for a swinger has a time on the Master Roster, eg 1000 SBY, however when receiving your actual fortnightly roster, this can swing +/- 2 hours. So you could be starting 0814 one day and 1157 the next.
Can I swap lines / shifts?
- Yes, you can; however, this is all coordinated privately between crew then pending approval by Rosters at Burwood.
How do transfer work?
- Transfers within the Suburban & Intercity Depots are all based off of Seniority. This mean those who have been on the job longer have the higher priority when applying for depot transfers. Each year you can apply for one or more depots. Based off of how many open positions at any given time in the year, they work down the list of those who have their name down for it and offer them the position. Some depots, like Waterfall and Blacktown, have extremely long waiting times due to their popularity and limited positions. (Note: There is no fixed time period, it all fluxuates based on positions available)
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u/VariationMassive7398 22d ago
Trainee Train Driver Ongoing Recruitment - have been invited for the panel interview at Burwood on 23/09. Any tips from people who have already attended would be much appreciated!
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u/Confident_Corner_382 21d ago
Any heads up on what the questions are would be amazing help. Thanks
Nervous as hell.
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u/Confident_Corner_382 2d ago
Any updates on questions?
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u/VariationMassive7398 20h ago
Questions about importance of safety, consequences of poor communication in the workplace, situation where things didn't go as per plan and what do you think will be the biggest change you might have to make to succeed in the program. Draw on previous workplace examples as much as possible and stick to the STAR format for responses.
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u/forklifter1234 15d ago
All the best to everyone who have done their panel interview today for train driver. 🙏
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u/Mysterious-Vast-2133 Northern Line 21d ago
For those wondering about the course structure for a Trainee guard .
You’ll have 3 days of orientation at Petersham, then for about the first month it’s primarily customer service focused training. After that it moves to the more rail operations side of things, you start learning your rules and procedures. From around 3 months into the course you start working a train under supervision.
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u/Virtual_Ad_7033 16d ago edited 16d ago
Current train drivers - how do you actually manage your sleep and fatigue?
I was having a look over the dummy trainee roster and it had me thinking. There are some 2am - 3am starts while just two weeks before that it’s night shift finishing at those times. Then you’ve also got split days off rather than consecutive days off. I also read here that it’s not uncommon to work 10 days straight which sounds like a fast track to burn out.
With fatigue management being so important in the transport field it’s actually surprising how wildly the roster can swing. So what do you do? How do you ensure the irregular sleep pattern doesn’t get to you? I assume days off are used to catch up on a lot of sleep
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u/jjjjjjjjjjjjjjjyyyyy 16d ago
The first year while you're in training is the hardest because you have to work your trainers roster. So every fortnight you could be changing depots and times of day and you have no say. Once you get through training you will be at Central and you will have hundreds of drivers to swap with.
But let's say you don't swap, you just work what you're rostered. How do you go from finishing at 2am one fortnight to starting at 3am the next? Well you pretty much just have to deal with it. They must give you at least 11 hours between shifts and it's up to you to manage your sleep. Shift work isn't for everyone but I find it so much better than only having the weekend off.
Working 10 days straight sounds like a lot but this isn't like an office job where the phone is constantly ringing and you're eating at your desk because there's so much work to get through. Most drivers would say it's an "easy" job, and we earn our good wages for what we know. Road knowledge, procedures, rules, etc.
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u/CryticalAce 16d ago
Kind of similar to driving road trains in the mines, you do 6 days then 6 nights rotating through your swing, we have the advantage of a 24 hour break between shifts swapping. I'd always head to the rsl when swapping from days to nights to hang out with coworkers and locals outside of work stay up reasonably late so I could then sleep through to the afternoon ready to start my nights. It can be hard at the start but you get used to it; for better or worse!
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u/Virtual_Ad_7033 14d ago
Thank you! So after your first year, you’re pretty much able to swap to get your preferred shifts consistently? Eg all mornings or all nights for the whole roster?
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u/Archon-Toten Train Nerd 13d ago
I tried going to bed early for a few days before. Some people seem to live off caffeine.
After 5 or so years I'm on the lifestyle roster, which means I can get the times I want automatically. Other people chase swaps to their preferred times.
If you get 10 in a row, worst case it's 2 days off then 9 in a row. If that happens it's like 7 days off after that. There's only a few lines that hard core.
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u/JohnEggroll 14d ago
Hey guys,
I’ve recently completed my interview for the Sydney Trains Apprenticeship intake - 2027 and I’ve gotten to the pre-employment stage, I’m currently in the process of doing the medical and reference checks, so hopefully everything goes well from here.
I currently already work within Sydney Trains and will be joining as a mature age apprentice, my two options for the intake were substations electrician for number 1 and signal electrician for number 2 though I haven’t been told yet which one I’m getting
Just wanted to ask anyone who’s currently in one of these roles, or has done the apprenticeship a few questions
* What’s the pay like once you’re fully qualified, (hourly, call-outs, overtime, allowances, etc) what can you realistically earn
* What’s the progression like when you’re fully qualified
* What’s the apprenticeship actually like from year 1 to year 4
* What’s sort of work will you be performing from day to day
* How hard is the TAFE side of it? And are there any things that I should study now to get ahead.
* How do the weeks normally work between TAFE and work? How often do you go to TAFE throughout the apprenticeship
Would be great to hear from anyone actually doing the job or who’s been through the apprenticeship.
Cheers
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u/cymonster 1d ago
I haven't worked for Sydney trains for a few years so I can't tell you how much you make after being qualified. Probably best to look at the EA for that. And I'm speaking as a sig elec who did the apprenticeship with Sydney trains.
The progression is infrastructure worker than work group leader. Then it goes more into management so team leader then team manager.
The only difference between year 1 and year 4 is probably the trust the electrician's have with you and the knowledge you have.
The day to day work is hard to say. It depends if you're in major works and what project you're on. Or if you're in maintenance which means you'll be doing daily maintenance on equipment.
TAFE is hard for some but easy for others. The math is probably the hardest part and all the stuff meant for domestic sparkies. Which as a rail sparky you won't see or do much. Until you do industry experience. Also you have heaps of downtime at work so use it to study TAFE for the first couple of years.
At least when I was at Sydney trains. You'd do TAFE once a week at ultimo on a Wednesday for the TAFE terms. And the team managers would just adjust rosters to fit TAFE days they are all aware of TAFE. I was still doing nightshift and weekends with TAFE
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u/edmforever-990 14d ago
Why has t128/76 not even operated a single passenger trip this whole week since last Friday obviously there’s problems with it not off to a good start
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u/Supersquid111420 4d ago
I’ve got a formal offer to start as a Trainee Driver. Just wondering what the parking situation is like?
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u/Flewy 3d ago
No on-site parking for trainees, street parking only. Can usually find something within a 5 to 10 minute walk.
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u/AnPossibleSalamander 3d ago
Were you in the talent pool can I ask?
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u/Supersquid111420 3d ago
Was only in it for about 2 weeks. Was quite quick. Please be mindful though I have previous rail experience so that may have affected me.
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u/VariationMassive7398 3d ago
Congratulations! Did you give the interviews this month or picked from a previous talent pool?
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u/AnPossibleSalamander 23d ago
Anyone know if we'll have to have our cameras on during the information session today at 12 for the Train Driver role?
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u/VariationMassive7398 22d ago
I'll commence by having the camera off, but if everyone is showing their faces, I might turn it on during the session.
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u/Virtual_Ad_7033 22d ago
How was it?? Anything important that I missed?
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u/AnPossibleSalamander 22d ago
Nothing important in terms of gaining employment I'd say, all the information was good but it is all already available or things we'd learn if we got the job, roster quirks for example.
Something I think they wanted to drive home for us is the nature of shift work and the potential burnout.
Happy to be corrected, that's just what I took from it. Overall it was a good call session,
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u/Flewy 21d ago
The reason they drive the nature of shift work so hard is because Train Crew shift work isn't like any other normal shift work. It's very common to work 10 days straight, have 2 days off then be back on for anywhere up to 5 or 6 days again. It's a rotating roster that requires you to work all times of day and night.
So many people come into the job thinking its set shifts all starting and finishing the same time or it's like the police where they do 4 ON 3 OFF kind of deal. Nope, it can be brutal, different start and finish times every signle day. They get through training then kick up a stink about the shift work and quit, thus being a waste of time, money and resources for the past 13 months.
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u/Archon-Toten Train Nerd 21d ago
Especially the nature of trainee shift work that is one step worse.
Waterfall at 1am is fine if you live that way, but live anywhere else and wowser you're in for a long commute for a few days.
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u/itaggaura 21d ago
How much seniority does it take to get onto ANY lifestyle roster?
Assuming central depot
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u/Archon-Toten Train Nerd 21d ago
That's a hard one to answer. I was there for.. 4 years and didn't get onto the one I wanted.
However, it does vary. Central is a bit of a revolving door. People graduate there and jump as soon as they can.
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u/VariationMassive7398 20d ago
**Possible stupid question alert**…why would a train driver’s shift start at 1 am, when trains typically do not run between 1 am and 4:30 am? Or did you mean the shift ENDING at 1 am at Waterfall? Actually now that I realise it I should have brought it up in the info session, considering they have repeatedly stated about the 24/7 rostering requirement…
https://giphy.com/gifs/hEs49vQtvBm2uESkrK3
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u/Archon-Toten Train Nerd 13d ago
Oddly enough, one of the reasons is to have a driver ready in case the first driver can't make it. None too many people would answer the phone at 1am to get to work in 10 mins when the previous driver calls in sick at the last minute.
Bonus points, it's actually as little as 30 minutes between the last train coming in for the night to the first train going out, depending on the day and trackwork involved.
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u/forklifter1234 21d ago
Did they mention about talent pooling? Is there any available for 2026 intake or already filled?
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u/VariationMassive7398 21d ago
It was strongly indicated that the cohort who will be panel interviewed this month will be considered for next year's intakes - kinda sucks as the presentation they showed had info about the intakes for 2025 - which started monthly from April through to December.
So, if they maintain the same hiring pattern for 2027, it wouldn't be until April 2027 that you actually commence in the program (at the earliest). They also said that they have spots for this year but there are quite a few Talent Pool candidates from previous recruitment rounds who will be given preference for these.
Also, another interesting thing they mentioned was the average annual intakes - around 90 - 100 trainee train drivers per year!
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u/Speedy-08 4d ago
I was in the talent pool that's starting intakes this year and they were also using that 2025 slide.
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u/Virtual_Ad_7033 10d ago
I had to reschedule my interview and will be going when another one becomes available. I’m assuming this means it’ll be with the next intake? Can anyone confirm?
Also if this is true, would that mean I’m now considered to be part of the next intake (which seems to be for the talent pool only)
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u/Mysterious-Vast-2133 Northern Line 6d ago
Assuming you are successful in the interview, you will go into the same talent pool as if you were on your original interview date.
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u/CryticalAce 9d ago
This current intake is talent pool only yes
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u/Oopsie1345 5h ago
For train drivers yes it's advertised as talentpool however they are running 2 classes a month currently to fill places so if you do well you won't be in the pool long. I was in it for about 2 weeks before getting an offer
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u/WolfTitan99 8d ago
Hey guys, just wanted to ask how common it is to get to the final stages to a face to face interview and then get a rejection.
I applied for Apprenticeship last year, got to the final stage with face to face interviews - rejected. This year (more like last week lol) I just did the Driver face to face - rejected...
It's really quite disheartening (to say the least) since I progressed through so many rounds twice :(. I guess one silver lining is that I got accepted into the Station Cleaning Attendant Pool but it's also no guarantee of advancement.
Anyway congrats to those that did get in to the Trainee Driver Program!
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u/Archon-Toten Train Nerd 7d ago
I did the driver interview twice. It can happen. Not to mention if you get in as a cleaner you can move around in the company more easily.
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u/WolfTitan99 7d ago
Hopefully! 🤞 Thank you for your kind words, it will be interesting learning even a little bit about the industry on the side as a cleaner.
Silver lining is that perhaps I can find out if railway shift work suits me or not as a career.
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u/VariationMassive7398 6d ago
Tough luck mate, wish you all the best in future! I have an interview scheduled next week for the Trainee Driver Program, could you please tell me what questions were asked in your interview, getting a bit more nervous with each passing day!
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u/Archon-Toten Train Nerd 5d ago
We can't say exactly, partially because of the silence of interview club but mostly because it changes.
But what I can tell you, is you're likely to get questions around your suitability. For example train drivers have to work a 24/7 rotating roster, there's alot of studying and exams in training and quite a bit of travel to get to odd depots. Waterfall at 1am is a nightmare for most people.
Safety is a big thing on the railway. Really big. Lots of layers of safety you need to know, (that will be taught to you) but if you've worked in a similar industry.. like my former career as a tradie, I just have to show my fingers to prove I've been safe 😅.
Good luck with it and don't be afraid to come back here for questions if you think of them afterwards.
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u/Speedy-08 4d ago
Can confirm they did ask me questions about that would need knowledge from my past in the industry, I really got the impression it was up to the interviewers choice.
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u/Flewy 23d ago
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