Usually the peak-hour trains on the South Coast line between the Illawarra and Sydney tend to be standing room only.

But this week, according to Warilla's Nathan Harris, the carriages have been "like a ghost town".

Mr Harris commutes from Dapto station to his job in a law firm at Parramatta and he's used to the crowded trains, used to them being standing room only by the time they reach Sutherland.

Ever since Monday this week, he said the passenger numbers had dropped around 75 per cent.

A photo he took of a morning train just after Sutherland shows just four other passengers when there is usually commuters standing in the aisle.

"It was really weird because the train is never that empty," Mr Harris said.

"Even in the afternoon coming home from Central or Redfern, there's always been a seat this week, and that's never the case. You usually have to stand until Helensburgh on the way back."

The empty trains could be a sign that people have been listening to the government's call to work from home where possible.

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Transport Minister Andrew Constance has also encouraged people to look to travel out of peak times to reduce the incidence of person-to-person transmission.

A Transport for NSW spokeswoman said there wasn't a danger that South Coast train services would be cancelled due to the lower patronage.

"We understand the important role public transport plays in the daily lives of our commuters, especially in the regions, and there is currently no plan to reduce services of trains of buses across our network," the spokeswoman said.

"Transport for NSW has established a taskforce to manage incidents and prepare for various scenarios for events that could occur on our network."

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