All six of Sydney’s major suburban train lines have failed to meet punctuality targets set by Transport for NSW, with one in five peak hour services running late in some of the worst-affected lines despite a decade-long project to improve the network’s reliability.
The worst performing train lines on average in the past five years have been the T1 North Shore and T9 Northern Line, with an average of just 86 and 88 per cent of all services running on time, respectively. It is below Sydney Trains’ benchmark to have at least 92 per cent of peak-hour suburban services arrive at stations within five minutes of their scheduled time.
Annual performance averages show every train line except for the T8 Airport and South line has not met this target for more than three years. The most punctual train lines were the T4 Eastern Suburbs and Illawarra line and the T8 Airport and South line, with 90 and 92 per cent of all services, respectively, coming on time.
A handful of stations on Sydney’s train network are also equipped with Sydney Metro stations, making them optimal for commuters looking to transfer between train and metro services. For example, Epping station on the T9 Northern Line and Chatswood station on the T1 North Shore Line both serve as popular interchanges for commuters.
However, one in five – or 20 per cent – of all T1 North Shore and T9 Northern line train services did not arrive on time in the 2024-25 financial year.
This means while a metro trip from Epping to Victoria Cross, instead of to the nearby North Sydney station, can shave 21 minutes off a trip, any time saved is potentially lost if commuters need to wait for delayed trains at interchange stations.
In comparison, the T8 Airport and South line was the most punctual train line in 2025, with 91 per cent of services arriving within five minutes of their scheduled time.
The only years when more than 90 per cent of all services on all six train lines ran on time were 2020, 2021, and 2022 – two of which were beset by COVID-19 lockdowns and reduced patronage.
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