Thursday, January 29, 2026

Interoperability Guideline Finalised and Released

Following a period of stakeholder consultation, ONRSR has now finalised its latest industry guideline covering Interoperability of Railway Operations.

The new guideline has been released ahead of the expiration of a grace period that followed changes to the Rail Safety National Law Regulations on 1 November 2025.

The amendments require accredited operators on the National Network for Interoperability to identify and consider interoperability when making any changes to their operations.

Rail transport operators have been given until 28 February 2026 to prepare for the full commencement of the regulation changes. The guideline, finalised following feedback and submissions from a range of stakeholders, provides operators with a key resource for ensuring ongoing compliance.

A summary of the consultation and a new set of Frequently Asked Questions have now been posted on the ONRSR website.

Rail transport operators are reminded that the grace period for meeting the new requirement to consider interoperability ends on 28 February 2026. ONRSR will make complementary updates and re-publish guidelines for Safety Management Systems and Safety Performance Reporting.

Operators with any questions are encouraged to contact your local ONRSR office.