People forced to pack into trains despite social distancing rules

As South Australians start on the road back to normality, social distancing is already being made difficult, especially on public transport.

Passengers were packed back-to-back into a train carriage on the Gawler line last night.

Commuter Sandy Holloway told 9News she had now ditched the trains for the bus.

"There's no way you can socially distance, you're shoulder to shoulder with people," she said.

But the government admitted it would be the norm in Adelaide for weeks to come, despite social distancing rules still being in place. Diesel trains will be operating on a modified timetable, with fewer services, as the entire diesel fleet undergoes vital safety works.

Transport Minister Stephan Knoll said he had been advised that by the end of the week, the fleet would have all the parts necessary.

"From there, we'll see trains coming back into service on a progressive basis over the course of the next few weeks," he said.

He expected some of those extra services would start to come online during peak times by Monday.

Meanwhile, he insisted nothing had to change.

"The public health advice hasn't been for the transport department to do anything different than what it is doing," he said.