About 20 passengers were left stranded at Queanbeyan station after their train was cancelled. Photo: Wikipedia.
Alleged abuse by passengers and communication woes have thrown regional travel “disruption management” into the spotlight.
One traveller, Alison (name changed on request) was recently planning to travel from Queanbeyan Train Station to Sydney with her sister for an appointment.
The train was meant to leave Queanbeyan Station at 5:16 pm on the evening of 5 July.
But the train was cancelled after alleged abuse of staff and passengers by two teenagers on the Sydney-Canberra run near Bungendore Station.
Alison said that when their service was cancelled, they had to wait several hours on the platform.
“It was a safety issue, as well as the inconvenience of people having to book other travel,” she told Region.
“Sometimes a train is half an hour late, but I’ve never experienced something like this … It just seems to be that there was a lack of clear communication.
“I know things happen, but just communicate it to people.”
Replacement buses were organised to pick up those waiting at Queanbeyan.
Alison said the cancellation left them waiting “frozen to the bone” in the winter cold.
She said there was no area where people could get warm, as the doors to an inside space at the station stayed open.
“It was stressful seeing other people who weren’t warm enough, who were obviously on their way to somewhere else and not expecting to be on a platform for all those hours,” Alison said of the wait.
A Transport for NSW spokesperson confirmed that there’s no heating in the station waiting room.
“Passengers typically arrive shortly before their scheduled train departure, and it is uncommon for customers to spend extended periods waiting at the station,” they said.
Alison also claimed that, while they were told a replacement bus would arrive by 7:30 pm, they were later told it had already arrived and left.
It had passed through Queanbeyan around 6 pm.
“That [the earlier time] was not the instruction that we were given … [It was then] they said people have to find their own way, somehow.”
A Transport for NSW (TfNSW) spokesperson said passengers at the station were advised by email and text notification that the replacement coaches were on the way.
But a “miscommunication” between those messages and the information provided at the station meant that some passengers missed boarding the service when it arrived.
Nationals MLC Nichole Overall said the incident raised concerns about passenger amenities and the support provided when people are “stranded”.
“[I will be] asking the NSW Government if it has plans to further improve passenger amenity and disruption management,” she said.
But Member for Monaro Steve Whan appeared to rule out adding heating to the station.
He told Region that it risked making the station “a more attractive place” for rough sleepers or people looking to vandalise it.
Mr Whan also said that, as an unattended station, the ability to control the heaters would be limited.
“It’s had quite a lot of work done on it … but it is an unattended station, and it has been for decades, so it’s not a station where you can leave the heater on,” he said.
“That’s a drawback of that [site].”
He pointed to works to improve passenger accessibility and safety, which were completed in 2025.
Alison has called for reimbursement of any out-of-pocket costs for passengers (such as airfares and accommodation). She said her sister ended up booking a flight, which cost about $260.
When asked by Region about that possibility, the TfNSW spokesperson said affected passengers have been provided with information about rebooking or a refund.
“NSW TrainLink sincerely apologises for this and distress caused to passengers,” they said.
As for the alleged incident that caused the train’s cancellation, a NSW Police spokesperson said officers met the train at Queanbeyan train station, but the teens “couldn’t be located”.
Descriptions of two people police believe can assist with the investigation have since been released.
One is a boy described as Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander in appearance. He has dark hair and was wearing a black hoodie with white stripes, black pants and carrying a black backpack.
The other is a girl described as Caucasian in appearance with brown hair. Police say she was wearing a grey hoodie, jean shorts and white Nike shoes at the time.
Anyone with relevant information or mobile phone footage from between Bungendore and Queanbeyan Stations between 3:45 pm and 4:25 pm on 5 July has been asked to contact Queanbeyan Police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Original Article published by Claire Sams on Region Canberra.
