The Sydney Trains industrial action has begun, with the weekend timetable in place due to a ban on overtime.

Commuters are being urged to brace for delays, and avoid non-essential travel.

Peak hour services are running every 15 minutes instead of every eight.

The situation will only get worse on Monday with a full 24 hour strike planned.

Transport NSW Coordinator General Marg Prendergast tells Steve Price exactly what commuters can expect.

“Today is going to be so difficult. We aren’t going to sugar coat it, today we’ve got a major reduction in service.

“Normally we run about 2,900 services a day, we’ll be running about 1,600 today.

“We’re worried about the airport, so we’ve got some buses out there.

“But a bus only fits 60 and a train fits 1,500 so we’re just going to try to keep Sydney moving.

“I’m really hoping Monday gets called off because, with no trains, buses simply can’t do the job.”

NSW Transport Minister Andrew Constance also spoke with Steve Price just minutes before entering a Fair Work Commission hearing aimed at preventing Monday’s strike.

“We had an agreement with the Union leadership and then all of a sudden we had this illegitimate texting go on.

“I hope that the strike action will be suspended, but it’s in the hands of the commission and we’ll await the outcome, come 12 o’clock today.”

Click PLAY below for the full interview with Marg Prendergast

Click PLAY below for the full interview with Andrew Constance

Click here for information on what train services are running.

60+ people in middle section of one carriage. Air con turned off. Train stopped due to medical emergency @ Sydenham. Dangerous play from #SydneyTrains pic.twitter.com/JQYoNqxc5c

— Tim Green (@timothydgreen) January 24, 2018

there are people literally standing on the edge with their toes desperately trying to get on #SydneyTrains pic.twitter.com/DnMT9KXIK4

— michael 🐶 (@mikedenton_) January 24, 2018