Sydney rail commuters spent the morning peak packed like sardines in hot, humid carriages due to reduced services across the city as the NSW government tried to head off a 24-hour strike on Monday.

The afternoon peak is the next hurdle for commuters with the state’s transport coordinator predicting the situation will worsen after a “busy, difficult morning” of timetables operating on a Saturday schedule.

Trains are running every 15 minutes on a working day, instead of every eight, meaning many city-bound services were crammed with workers.

Commuters look at a timetable board at Strathfield train station in Sydney. Photograph: David Moir/AAP

Bondi Junction station in the city’s east had to be temporarily closed due to overcrowding.

Commuters complained of tightly packed carriages and long waits for trains with some space to get on.

“Very slow and very jam-packed all like sardines,” commuter Chris Neo, who travelled from Pendle Hill to Town Hall, said.

“I caught the train at Punchbowl. It wasn’t too bad getting on, it was pretty full. Lucky to get a seat. Since the timetable change from 26 November that’s how it’s been nearly every trip,” Hannah Massoud said at Town Hall station.

“Elbow-to-elbow in sweating business shirts and gym bags this humid January morning commute. Avoid train transport at all cost, mine’s no longer got any capacity for any more customers,” Chloe Grabham wrote on Twitter.

Reduced services meant commuters faced waits for trains with space in Sydney. Photograph: David Moir/AAP

The NSW government has launched legal proceedings in the Fair Work Commission to stop the 24-hour strike by rail workers scheduled for Monday and an indefinite union ban on overtime work.

A decision was due at midday. If it goes ahead, no trains will run across the state on Monday for 24 hours after the Rail, Tram and Bus Union this week rejected a 2.75% pay rise for rail workers, a $1,000 one-off payment and free bus travel as not good enough.

The union is holding out for 6% a year pay rises over four years and other conditions.

The NSW transport coordinator general, Marg Prendergast, said despite having hundreds of additional buses on the roads, authorities weren’t able to replace the full capacity of Thursday’s cancelled services.

“We’re just trying to manage it the best we can,” she told ABC. “This afternoon, we’re even more worried. I’m going to be honest because what we have this afternoon is, you know, Wynyard, Town Hall and Central under pressure.

“We’ve brought 230 buses and coaches to the CBD, with a few more at Parramatta. Basically what we want to do is just manage that overcrowding.”

The transport minister, Andrew Constance, thanked commuters for their patience.

“Thanks for working with us and getting up super early and avoiding the peak,” he told 2GB Radio.