Sydney may have found the city's most disciplined fare evaders.
Two common mynas regularly use the trains on the North Shore line. And they do so with such confidence, as if they had their own transit pass and a strict schedule.
Journalist Jackie Dent spotted the pair in a carriage after boarding at Roseville station. The birds sat calmly on the backrests of seats, showed no signs of nervousness, and clearly felt right at home.
When Jackie told a train attendant that there were "two birds stuck" in the carriage, the attendant reassured her:
They're not stuck. They're regular passengers here.
According to railway staff, the mynas regularly travel between Lindfield and Artarmon — a journey of about 7–10 minutes. Moreover, they seem to understand when it's time to get off: perhaps they rely on announcements, audible signals, or other familiar cues of their intended station.
The video of the feathered passengers quickly went viral and has already garnered over 4,6 million views. In the comments, people immediately began asking the key question: do the mynas tap their transit card when boarding? 😄
BirdLife Australia specialist Sean Dooley explains that mynas are indeed intelligent and adapt well to living near humans. So using the train as a quick way to get to where food can be found is entirely in character for them.
But from the outside, it all looks much simpler:
two little office workers hopped on the train in the morning, rode a few stops, and went about their business.
And all without a ticket. 😂
The story appeared in Australian media on 4 September 2026, and ABC even published a separate video of this pair in the carriage.
