What is the minimum pay for a Sydney train driver?

The Sydney Trains and NSW TrainLink Enterprise Agreement 2025 sets minimum weekly rates for railway classifications. For example, a qualified tradesperson or signaller trainee (RC 3 Level A) earns at least $1,587.17 per week ($41.77 per hour). Train drivers are typically at a higher classification, with the top rate reaching $3,104.04 per week. These rates are from the agreement approved by the Fair Work Commission.

How does a Sydney train driver salary compare to the national average?

The national full-time adult average weekly ordinary time earnings is $2,083.70 (ABS Average Weekly Earnings, May 2026). A Sydney train driver at a mid-level classification would likely earn above this average. For context, the average weekly earnings for the Transport, postal and warehousing industry nationally is $2,032.30, while the New South Wales all-industries full-time average is about $2,108.80 per week.

What would a Sydney train driver take home after tax?

Take-home pay depends on the exact classification and hours. Using the industry average of $2,032.30 per week ($105,680 per year) as a proxy, the 2026–27 tax on that income would be about $25,842 plus Medicare levy of $2,114, leaving roughly $77,724 per year ($1,495 per week). A driver earning the top agreement rate of $3,104 per week ($161,408 per year) would pay about $47,525 in tax and Medicare, taking home about $113,883 per year ($2,190 per week).

Sydney train driver salary: how it compares to the national average

How much does a Sydney train driver earn?

The salary for a Sydney train driver is set by the Sydney Trains and NSW TrainLink Enterprise Agreement 2025, approved by the Fair Work Commission. This single-enterprise agreement covers train drivers, station staff, signallers, customer service, maintenance, and operations staff across the Sydney metropolitan and NSW regional rail networks. The agreement classifies roles into Railway Classification (RC) grades 1 to 6, each with multiple levels.

Minimum weekly rates under the agreement range from $1,183.58 for an entry-level cleaner or labourer (RC 1 Level A) to $3,104.04 at the top classification. A qualified tradesperson or signaller trainee (RC 3 Level A) earns at least $1,587.17 per week, or $41.77 per hour based on a 38-hour week. Train drivers typically fall into higher RC grades, so their minimum pay is above that level. The exact rate depends on experience, shift work, and any applicable allowances or penalties.

These figures are sourced from the Fair Work Commission document and the PayCheckR summary of the agreement. The agreement nominally expires on 1 July 2028.

How it compares to the national average

The national full-time adult average weekly ordinary time earnings is $2,083.70, according to the ABS Average Weekly Earnings survey for May 2026. That works out to about $108,352 per year (multiplied by 52). This is the reference line used on this site.

A Sydney train driver at a mid-level classification would likely earn above this national average. For broader context, the ABS reports that the average weekly ordinary time earnings for the Transport, postal and warehousing industry nationally is $2,032.30. In New South Wales, the all-industries full-time average is about $2,108.80 per week ($109,658 per year).

By comparison, the national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour, or $1,004.90 per week for a 38-hour week ($52,255 per year). Award minimums rose by 4.75% from that date.

Take-home pay: a resident sketch

To give a sense of what a Sydney train driver might take home after tax, we can use the industry average as a proxy. The Transport industry average of $2,032.30 per week equates to about $105,680 per year.

For the 2026–27 financial year, Australian resident tax rates are:

Nil on the first $18,200
15% on income from $18,201 to $45,000
30% on income from $45,001 to $135,000
37% on income from $135,001 to $190,000
45% on income above $190,000

Plus a Medicare levy of 2% (before any reductions).

On $105,680 per year:

Tax: $5,092 (on $18,201–$45,000) + $18,204 (on $45,001–$105,680) = $23,296
Medicare levy: $2,114
Total tax: $25,410
Take-home: $80,270 per year, or about $1,544 per week.

A driver earning the top agreement rate of $3,104 per week ($161,408 per year) would pay:

Tax: $5,092 + $27,000 (on $45,001–$135,000) + $9,761 (on $135,001–$161,408) = $41,853
Medicare levy: $3,228
Total tax: $45,081
Take-home: $116,327 per year, or about $2,237 per week.

These are rough estimates and do not include the tax-free threshold, offsets, or deductions that may apply.

State comparison

The full-time average weekly ordinary time earnings for New South Wales is $2,108.80 (ABS, May 2026), which is slightly above the national average. A Sydney train driver's pay, depending on classification, may be above or below this state average. The highest state average is the Australian Capital Territory at $2,290.20 per week, while Tasmania has the lowest at $1,846.30.

For more detail on how salaries vary across Australia, see our States and territories page. You can also Place a salary on the line to see how any figure compares to the national full-time average.

Industry and job medians

For broader context, the ABS Employee Earnings and Hours survey (August 2025) reports a full-time median of about $90,532 per year and an all-employees median of about $74,100. The Transport, postal and warehousing industry has its own median, which may differ from the average. Our Industry medians and Job medians pages provide more detail.

Key takeaways

The Sydney train driver salary is not published as a single figure, but the enterprise agreement sets minimum weekly rates from $1,183.58 to $3,104.04.
A typical train driver likely earns above the national full-time average of $2,083.70 per week.
After tax, a driver earning the industry average of $2,032 per week would take home about $1,544 per week.
The New South Wales full-time average is $2,108.80 per week, slightly above the national figure.