Sydney Trains

Sydney Trains
Sydney Trains A set at Central station in July 2013
Background
Locale	Sydney
Transit type	Train operator
Number of lines	11
Number of stations	176
Annual ridership	287 million
Website	www.sydneytrains.info
Operation
Began operation	1 July 2013
Operator(s)	Transport for New South Wales
Technical
System length	815km
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Electrification	1500V (DC) overhead line

Sydney Trains is an Australian train operator. It is owned by the Government of New South Wales and operates all passenger rail services in metropolitan Sydney. Sydney Trains is a subsidiary of Transport for New South Wales.^[1][2]

The network is a hybrid metro-suburban railway with a central underground core running at metro style frequencies, which branches out into a suburban commuter type network. Ticketing is incorporated in the New South Wales MyZone ticketing system with limited sections using the Opal card ticketing system.

History

In May 2012 the Minister for Transport announced a restructure of RailCorp.^[3][4][5][6] This resulted in all services in the Sydney Metropolitan area bounded by Berowra, Emu Plains, Macarthur and Waterfall transferring from CityRail to Sydney Trains and NSW TrainLink on 1 July 2013.^[2]

In April 2013 the Sydney Trains logo was unveiled.^[7] Nicknamed The Hop, the new logo replaced the L7 logo that has been carried on Sydney's trains in various colours since introduced by the Public Transport Commission in the 1970s and was still carried by most trains, even though officially superseded by the Waratah logo in 2009.

Network

Sydney Trains network

Rail Lines

Sydney Trains operates seven suburban lines, plus a late night NightRide bus network across metropolitan Sydney.

In conjunction with a new timetable released on 20 October 2013, the Sydney Trains network was reorganised with a new numbering system. The number of lines was reduced from eleven to seven.

NightRide

To provide a passenger service between midnight and 05:00 while leaving the tracks clear of trains for maintenance work, parallel bus services were established in 1989. NightRide services operate typically at hourly intervals (some routes depart more frequently on weekends). NightRide services are run by private bus operators, and identified by route numbers beginning with "N". All valid Sydney Trains tickets for a destination (apart from single tickets, which can be purchased from the driver) are accepted on NightRide services.^[8]

Network overview

The concourse of Central Railway Station, the main station on the Sydney Trains network that opened in its present location in 1906

The hub of the Sydney Trains system is Central station, where most lines start and end. Trains coming from the Airport & East Hills Line and Bankstown Line, after travelling anti-clockwise on the City Circle sometimes terminate upon arrival at Central and proceed to the Macdonaldtown Turnback. However, most trains continue on and become respective outward bound Inner West trains and South Line trains. The reverse applies for trains coming from the Inner West and South Lines, which, if not terminating, become outward bound trains on the Airport & East Hills and Bankstown lines respectively. In the same manner, most trains on the Western Line become the North Shore Line and also most trains on the Lower Northern Line (from Epping via Strathfield) become the Upper Northern Line (from Hornsby via Macquarie Park) once they reach Central.

Operations

Fleet

Sydney Trains A set at Campbelltown

Sydney Trains inherited a fleet of S (circa 300 carriages), K (160 carriages). C (56 carriages), T (447 carriages), M (140 carriages), and A sets (circa 350 carriages) from CityRail.

The Sydney Trains network is divided into three sectors, based around three maintenance depots.^[9] EMU trainsets are identified by target plates, which are exhibited on the front lower nearside of driving carriages.^[10] Target designations and set numbers are used in identifying EMU train sets. The composition and formations of train sets, and the target designations are subject to alteration.

Ticketing

Sydney Trains's current ticketing system is the Automated Fare Collection System. Dating from 1992, it is based on magnetic stripe technology and interoperable with the Sydney Buses and Sydney Ferries systems. Since June 2013, Opal cards have been valid for use on the City Circle and Eastern Suburbs lines. Opal cards will be introduced to the rest of the Sydney Trains network by the end of 2014.

Unlike the ticketing systems of other cities in Australia, most of Sydney Trains's ticket prices are calculated on the distance travelled, and were found to be inexpensive by world standards as at December 2003.^[11]

Entry to privately owned train stations at Sydney Airport require a Station Access Fee in addition to the train fare. This station access fee does not apply for Green Square and Mascot.^[12]

See also

• Commuter rail in Australia
• List of Sydney Trains railway stations
• NSW TrainLink
• Proposed railways in Sydney
• Railways in Sydney
• Sydney underground railways

References