
The South Coast rail line is vulnerable to bad weather. Photo: TfNSW.
A Transport for NSW spokesperson has urged rail passengers to plan ahead and allow extra travel time from Friday 11 to Friday 18 July.
Buses will replace train services between Thirroul and Sutherland across the eight days as Sydney Trains carries out critical upgrades and essential maintenance work.
Express buses will also run between Wollongong, North Wollongong and Sutherland, where passengers travelling to the city can join a T4 Illawarra rail service. T4 services will continue to run between Bondi Junction and Cronulla and Waterfall.
“The South Coast Line is vulnerable to bad weather due to its topography, particularly between Waterfall and Thirroul,” the Transport for NSW spokesperson said.
“We are proactively working to improve the resilience of the South Coast line with our ongoing maintenance programs.
“The work includes ballast cleaning between Waterfall and Coalcliff, cutting and embankment works at Waterfall and Scarborough, cyclic track maintenance at Helensburgh, drainage and vegetation maintenance, and defect removal and routine inspection for electrical, signal and track assets.
“Sydney Trains undertakes an extensive maintenance program across the rail network to ensure passenger journeys continue to run smoothly and safely.”
To minimise disruption to passengers, the work is being carried out during the school holidays when fewer people are travelling on the network.
Sydney Trains apologises for the inconvenience and thanks passengers for their patience.