Widespread delays across Sydney rail network spark peak hour ...

Widespread delays are occurring across the Sydney rail network, sparking chaos for peak-hour commuters.

Sydney Trains has advised passengers to allow extra travel time "due to an incident requiring emergency services" at Macdonaldtown Station this afternoon.

Police confirmed there was a fatality at the station earlier today. 

Affected lines include T1 western line and North Shore line, the T2 inner-west and Leppington line, the T5 Cumberland line, the T3 Bankstown line, the T9 northern line, the T8 Airport and southern line.

"Police and emergency services are in attendance," Sydney Trains said in an update.

"Trains are resuming however at reduced speed through the affected area and will not stop at Macdonaldtown."

Commuters are reporting some services are running up to 74 minutes late while trains are taking longer than usual to travel between platforms.

A limited number of services are stopping at Ashfield and Croydon.

Pictures showed passengers waiting on crowded platforms at Central and North Sydney Stations just after 5pm.

Passengers have been advised to consider catching buses or switch trains at Redfern station for an alternative route.

Some commuters have taken to social media to criticise the handling of the delays.

"No announcements at Parramatta station, no stage trying to control the crowds, turnstiles not open so there is unsafe crowding," one person posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.

"It's not hard to communicate. Plus this has being going on for hours. Sorry this is not good enough."