Smart Announcements at Scale for Sydney Trains and NSW Trains
Case Study
A decentralized announcement system delivering over 500,000 daily messages—seamlessly connecting Australia’s busiest hubs and most remote platforms through real-time automation.
PAXGuide
Solution
Railway
Vertical
2015
Launch
About the Customer
Sydney Trains and NSW Trains operate the largest suburban and regional rail networks in Australia. Together, they manage over 400 stations and transport millions of passengers annually across New South Wales. As part of their commitment to modernizing station operations and improving passenger information, they sought a flexible, automated announcement solution that could scale with their network.
The Challenge
Sydney Trains and NSW Trains operate a uniquely complex rail network that spans bustling urban centers like Sydney Central Station as well as remote outback locations with minimal infrastructure. The core challenge was finding an announcement solution that could scale effectively across this vast geographical area while maintaining consistent audio quality and system reliability.
Traditional centralized systems were unsuitable due to the variability in connectivity and infrastructure at different stations. Many smaller platforms lacked fixed network connections, demanding a system capable of operating reliably over both Ethernet and 5G networks. In such a decentralized environment, the solution needed to ensure real-time responsiveness, seamless control, and unified communication across over 400 diverse station sites—without sacrificing reliability or flexibility.
Solution
To meet these demands, Sittig Technologies, together with local partner tm stagetec, developed a robust and decentralized Automatic Announcement System based on its PAXGuide platform. A key innovation in the solution was the deployment of a distributed network architecture comprising 16 decentralized servers across the railway network. These servers work in coordination to enable centralized control of announcements while ensuring local resilience and performance.
This architecture allows high-frequency automated announcements to be played out simultaneously at both major transport hubs and isolated rural stations, without latency or data bottlenecks.
The system integrates with the train information and timetable management systems to trigger announcements automatically in real-time. It supports a hybrid model of Text-to-Speech and pre-recorded prompts, enabling high-quality, multilingual delivery tailored to each station's operational needs. For areas with limited infrastructure, announcements are transmitted reliably over both Ethernet and 5G networks, ensuring uninterrupted service even in remote locations.
The user interface, fully web-based, enables operators to manage announcements remotely with full visibility into system status across the network. The decentralized approach not only enhances fault tolerance and data flow but also ensures that every connected station, no matter how remote, benefits from the same advanced communication capabilities as the main hubs. This scalable, future-ready system has proven its value with over 500,000 automated announcements delivered daily across New South Wales.
Network-Wide Automation
Over 500,000 announcements are now delivered daily—automatically triggered by real-time train data and schedules.
Consistent Communication Across 400+ Stations
From central hubs to remote outback platforms, passengers receive timely, high-quality announcements via a unified system.
Decentralized Reliability
A distributed network of 16 regional servers ensures stable operation and fast response times across vast distances.
Remote Access and Control
Operators can manage announcements securely from any location via a web-based interface, improving operational flexibility.