A foolish game of "chicken" among three "intoxicated" friends at Fairy Meadow train station ended in tragedy on Friday afternoon.

A man, believed to be aged between 35 and 45, was hit by a train and killed just before peak hour, throwing the start of the long weekend into chaos for commuters.

A man was hit and killed by a train at Fairy Meadow train station. Credit:Adam McLean

Police are treating the man's death as "misadventure".

Emergency services were called to the scene just before 4pm with reports of a fatality on the tracks.