Four eight-car Mariyung trains have been extended to 10-car services for weekday morning and afternoon peak periods, adding an extra 692 seats across the network. A further two train sets will also be expanded to 10 cars later this year, completing the staged rollout of the fleet.
Since entering service in December 2024, Mariyung trains have carried more than 19 million passengers on the Central Coast and Newcastle Line, which remains NSW's busiest intercity rail corridor. Around 30,000 commuters board services during weekday peak periods.
Patronage has continued to rise, increasing from around 780,000 ticketed trips in December 2024 to more than 1.12 million in June 2026, reflecting growing demand for rail travel between Sydney, the Central Coast and Newcastle.
The Mariyung fleet now operates across the Central Coast and Newcastle, Blue Mountains and South Coast lines, with 19 trains currently servicing every station on the Central Coast route.
As more Mariyung trains enter service, they are gradually replacing Oscar trains on intercity services, allowing the older fleet to transition to suburban operations.
Passengers have welcomed the new trains, which feature modern heating and air conditioning, spacious two-by-two seating with extra legroom, tray tables, USB charging points, luggage and bicycle storage, and improved accessibility.
The fleet also includes dedicated wheelchair spaces, accessible toilets, priority seating, CCTV and enhanced passenger information systems.
The announcement follows the NSW Government's record $2.1B investment in rail maintenance and reliability outlined in the 2026-27 State Budget.
Minister for Regional Transport Jenny Aitchison said the additional capacity was a timely response to increasing demand.
"We're seeing more people choose rail to travel between Sydney, the Central Coast and Newcastle, so increasing capacity on our busiest intercity corridor is the right investment at the right time," she said.
Minister for the Hunter Yasmin Catley said the additional carriages would improve comfort for commuters.
"Our communities deserve modern, world-class public transport that is safe, comfortable and reliable," she said.
"Each extra carriage we can add creates more comfort, capacity and peace of mind for commuters as they head to the station each morning."
Central Coast MP David Harris said the expansion would ensure more passengers could benefit from the state-of-the-art trains as demand continues to grow.
