TRAVELLERS have had a mixed reaction to the rail strike that threw Newcastle's schedule out of whack on Tuesday.
While some were frustrated with a lack of communication around the industrial action and its impact on their daily commute, others were happy to stand behind the workers in their fight for 'safer trains' and a better pay deal.
Ethan Littlewood missed a couple of trains on his morning trip into the beach, and said without his licence he didn't have much of an option but to wait for the next one.
"There's information on the app and website if you have a look, it's on there," he said.
"It can be a little bit [frustrating] but you just have to manage your time better, if you know there are going to be delays and trains will be cancelled - get there earlier and catch an earlier train, just work around it.
"They're [the workers] trying to do better for themselves and their situation and if you know that ... do better for it and plan ahead."
As the dispute between the state government and Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) continues, an independent arbiter could be required to help them reach an agreement after more than a year of failed negotiations.
RTBU NSW secretary Alex Claassens has agreed, arguing there needs to be "somebody to drag us all in around the table and keep us there until the matter is resolved".
"At this point nobody has done that, all we get is a succession of different ministers ringing me up and saying 'we've got to sit at the table'," he said.
The industrial action is expected to continue through to Thursday in Sydney's CBD - but services on the Newcastle line should return to normal.
Meetings took place on Friday, Sunday and Monday to try to resolve the long-running dispute.
The union is looking to negotiate its new enterprise agreement, and separately have the government make a Korean-built fleet of intercity trains safer.
Both the government and opposition have called for the strikes to be cancelled.
Labor leader Chris Minns has called for a return to the negotiating table.
"Whatever progress has been made needs to be banked and the two sides need to get back to the negotiating table ... further industrial action will only see commuters be the meat in the sandwich," he said earlier this week.
Sardor Bakhtiyorov was among the travellers headed from Sydney to Newcastle on Tuesday and said using the Transport for NSW app was a big help in navigating the schedule.
"I was worried about the strikes but our train was on time," he said.
"I don't know what it will be like this afternoon or if it will be late, but it won't change my plans that much.
"I don't use the train that often, I moreso get the bus, but maybe some people will have difficulty planning."
Commuters have been advised to avoid non-essential travel, with train schedules expected to be less predictable throughout the week.
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