Police say teenager in critical condition after likely train surfing on Sydney Harbour Bridge

Fall on the bridge

A multi-agency response brought a CareFlight helicopter and medical team to Bradfield Park. Paramedics treated the boy on the bridge, then moved him about 400 metres to safety before he was taken by road to Royal North Shore hospital.

Police examine circumstances

Police transport command inspector Luke Barrett said the teenager had been hanging from the outside of the train. He described train surfing as the likely activity, while initial inquiries, CCTV review and witness accounts indicated the boy was riding outside the train in what is also called buffer riding.

The boy was with two other people, Barrett said. They were assisting police with inquiries on Thursday afternoon and had not been arrested; police inquiries were expected to continue over the coming days.

Warnings over train surfing

Barrett said train surfing, particularly on rear carriages, had been increasing, especially during school holidays and warmer months. He urged people not to be drawn in by social media videos that portray the activity positively, warning that it carries extreme risks and can cause severe injuries or death.

Sydney Trains acting chief executive Jas Tumbler called the incident tragic and said first responders faced a difficult task moving the boy. He warned that contact with a 400-tonne train can have life-changing consequences and said the risks were not worth seeking a few seconds of online attention.

Safety steps and injury figures

Since September, passengers have been barred from rear carriages on Tangara trains on selected weekend and night services. The restriction was extended to every Tangara train during the school holiday period to prevent people from riding on the back.

The New South Wales government announced in November last year that devices would be installed across the fleet to block access to the tread plate between carriages. Tumbler said about 600 train-surfing incidents were recorded in 2025 and close to 150 so far this year, while CCTV installation across all Tangara trains was hoped to finish by the end of next year.