Sydney train strike action from tomorrow to put pressure on Metro, bus, light rail services and roads

With Sydney's train services expected to grind to a halt over the weekend from tomorrow morning, the immediate question is how the city will respond.

The NSW government have resumed talks about a new enterprise agreement with the Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) to head off plans for protected industrial action by train workers that will cause massive transport disruption across the state.

As a result, Sydney Train and inter-city services will not run between Friday and mid-morning Sunday.

In response, those dependent on public transport have been warned to prepare now.

"We've given people as much notice as we can, and we'll continue to update the travelling public. We've also asked people — if they need to travel — to consider travelling out of peak times," NSW's Minister for Transport Jo Haylen said.

"If you can change your working arrangements, that would be best."

There are numerous events in Sydney across the three days, including the Pearl Jam concert and six A-League double headers.

An RTBU spokesperson said on Thursday that while there is currently no resolution, it is hoped a solution can be found to get commuters moving tomorrow.

For those needing to get around on public transport during the shutdown, this is what we know so far about what your options are.

When does the Sydney trains strike start?

The strike is expected to commence from Friday morning and last until Sunday mid-morning.

Is the Metro affected by the Sydney trains strike?

The Metro line is expected to continue running on Friday, with services running every four minutes until 8pm, then every 8 minutes until 1:30am. 

On Saturday and Sunday though, Metro services will only run between the Tallawong and Chatswood stations due to planned maintenance.

What's happening with public transport in Sydney?

The rest of Sydney's public transport networks will not stop running during this shutdown.

That means all buses, ferries and light rail services are expected to continue as normal.

However, the prediction is also that these services — particularly buses — will be at capacity over this period due to heightened demand.

There's also a very real possibility that bus services could be delayed due to anticipated traffic congestion.

Will there be replacement services?

Currently, yes, but exactly what those services look like isn't entirely clear at this stage.

So far, Transport for NSW plans to introduce more bus services during the shutdown. But it hasn't publicly stated what that number is or what routes will be supported.

Transport for NSW has confirmed that a "major event bus plan" is in development for Sydney Olympic Park, which will be confirmed before Saturday, but that this won't be able to cater all routes or capacities.

Light rail services will also have an increased frequency between 7am and 7pm on Saturday.

"We will do everything we can, but we cannot accommodate a million people a day switching to other modes of transport," Transport secretary Josh Murray said.

For anyone planning to go to Sydney Airport during the shutdown, there doesn't appear to be any planned shuttle or bus services to respond to the shutdown.

"We encourage passengers to allow extra travel time and consider alternative transport options before heading to the airport," a spokesperson for Sydney Airport told the ABC.

Are trains outside of Sydney striking?

The shutdown appears to also be impacting services outside of the state's capital, with any inter-city regional train services running along the Sydney Trains network expected to be affected.

"Long-distance regional train services provided by NSW TrainLink run part of their journeys on the Sydney Trains network. As a result, any protected industrial action that causes disruption in the Greater Sydney area also affects regional services," a Transport for NSW spokesperson told the ABC.

Some services may be replaced by coach services during the shutdown. Exactly which aren't clear yet, but those already expecting train-replacement coaches prior to announced industrial action, like the Sydney to Dubbo XPT service, will run as planned.

But, given the extent of disruptions and the number of replacement coaches required, it's expected that services will be cancelled over the shutdown period.

The shutdown may also impact local train networks. Sydney Trains chief executive Matt Longland said the action would impact commuters on the Hunter Valley's local Hunter Line.

The Hunter Line connects Newcastle to cities like Maitland, into mining areas like Muswellbrook and Singleton, and rural centres like Dungog.

What about taxis?

It does appear that there may be more taxis available across Sydney, with NSW Taxi Council encouraging the pool of Sydney's estimated 8,500 drivers to work over the period, but that number is not expected to be much higher.

"If we say about 4,000 to 4,500 of those operating in Sydney, we're not going to suddenly see a rush or increase of more taxis registered and on the road," NSW Taxi Council CEO Nick Abrahim said.

While there may not be a higher number, the message is for taxi drivers to operate tactfully, servicing places of high demand, and for customers to consider sharing fares if they're heading in the same direction.

But, like other methods of transport, the expectation is that this won't address the demand.

"When you talk about 4,000 to 5,000 taxis versus hundreds of thousands of commuters using trains on a daily basis, we've got to be very clear about what the role taxes and rideshare do provide."

According to Transport for NSW, rideshare providers Didi and Uber have confirmed they will limit surge pricing during the shutdown.

Major roadworks are scheduled on the M7 near Roper Road and at the Warringah Freeway Upgrade this weekend, Transport for NSW said.

Additional reporting by Giselle Wakatama, Bridget Murphy and Lani Oataway.