Commuters in Melbourne experienced chaos as train delays ensued due to a communication outage.

Melbourne commuters are bracing for significant disruptions on their morning journey to work following a widespread train system outage. Just past 5 a.m. on Wednesday, Metro Trains made an announcement that train services were temporarily halted throughout the network due to a “communications outage.”

This outage is believed to be a consequence of the ongoing Optus blackout. Although by shortly after 6 a.m., train services had been restored, passengers were cautioned to anticipate delays on all train lines. Metro Trains tweeted, “There are substantial delays on all lines as we work on resuming services with some service adjustments and cancellations. Please stay tuned for announcements and monitor information displays.”

The communication outage appears to have hindered train drivers from communicating with one another or their respective depots, resulting in the disruptions. In addition, replacement buses have been made available as an alternative transportation option.