School Spectacular 2024
Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney Olympic Park
to
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Friday session 1 start
11:00
Friday session 1 end 13:30
Saturday session 1 start 13:00
Saturday session 1 end 15:30
Friday & Saturday session 2 start 19:00
Friday & Saturday session 2 end 21:30
Important Travel Advice
Attendees are encouraged to plan their trip and consider all the available travel options ahead of time.
Trains run regularly to Olympic Park from Lidcombe and the venue is a short walk from the station.
Remember, you'll need to use an Opal card or contactless payment card/device when travelling on public transport to and from the event. Register your details online at Opal or via the Opal Travel app ahead of time.
Traffic may be heavier than usual on roads approaching Olympic Park as attendees travel to and from the sessions. Traffic delays are expected for Friday's evening session as attendees travel in the already busy evening peak. Allow extra travel time, you can find real-time updates on traffic conditions at livetraffic.com.
Opal
You can use an Opal card for all modes of public transport in Sydney and surrounding regions, including metro, trains, buses, ferries and light rail.
Remember to top up your Opal card before you travel to avoid waiting in line at top-up machines. You can top up your card online or at an Opal retailer.
More ways to pay
If you have a contactless-enabled American Express, Mastercard or Visa debit or credit card, or a linked device, you can use it to pay for your travel by tapping on and tapping off at Opal card readers. Available on all public transport, contactless payments are another way to pay on the Opal network. Adult Opal fare pricing applies and you will receive Opal benefits, including daily and weekly fare caps.
Sydney Metro services are high-frequency, driverless trains running between Sydney’s north-west and south-west via the city.
The M1 Line operates turn up-and-go Metro services in both directions between Tallawong, Chatswood and Sydenham. Metro services start running from early morning, every 5 to 10 minutes, until late at night.
Change at Epping or Central for trains towards Lidcombe then Olympic Park.
For Metro service disruption information, check trackwork and travel alerts or plan your trip using the Trip Planner.
The closest station to Qudos Bank Arena is Olympic Park.
Trains run regularly to Lidcombe where you can head to Platform Zero for a direct train to Olympic Park, running every 10 minutes until late.
To help you get to Saturday's shows, additional express trains will leave Central at 10.30am and 11am – stopping at Redfern, Strathfield and Olympic Park.
Trackwork
Planned trackwork is taking place on the following lines and may affect how you travel to and from the event. Plan ahead using the Trip Planner:
Friday 29 November
- T1 North Shore Line: From 10.20pm, trains will not run between Gordon and Wynyard. Buses replace trains between Gordon, Chatswood and Milsons Point. Use metro services if you are travelling to or from the City. Trains run between Berowra and Gordon, some to a changed timetable.
- South Coast Line: Buses replace trains between Bomaderry and Wollongong. Trains run between Port Kembla, Wollongong and Bondi Junction, some to a changed timetable. Buses do not run to the train timetable. If you are connecting with trains at Wollongong you may need to catch an earlier bus to ensure you meet your train connection
- Central Coast and Newcastle Line: Trains may run to a changed timetable due to trackwork between Strathfield and Central.
- Blue Mountains Line: Trains may run to a changed timetable due to trackwork between Strathfield and Central.
- T9 Northern Line: Until 8am, trains run between Berowra and Central, platforms 1-12, to a reduced frequency, every 30 minutes. From 8am, trains run between Berowra or Hornsby and Central, platforms 1-12 only. Change at Central for City Circle trains, metro or light rail services to continue your journey. Extra metro services run between Tallawong, Epping and the City.
- T8 Airport & South Line: From 9am to 3pm, trains may run to a changed timetable due to trackwork between Revesby and Turrella
- T6 Lidcombe & Bankstown Line: Trains run between Lidcombe and Bankstown to a changed timetable, every 30 minutes.
- T5 Cumberland Line: Buses replace trains between Richmond and Blacktown. Trains run to a changed timetable between Blacktown and Liverpool. T2 trains run to a changed timetable between Leppington and Olympic Park via Granville and between Leppington and Lidcombe via Regents Park. You may need to change trains to continue your journey.
- T3 Liverpool & Inner West Line: Buses replace Inner West Line trains between Strathfield and Central. Express trains continue to run, stopping at Strathfield, Burwood, Redfern and the City. Trains run to a changed timetable between Leppington and Lidcombe via Regents Park, every 30 minutes. Change trains at Lidcombe to continue your journey. T1 Western Line Penrith trains make extra stops at Flemington, Homebush and Burwood.
- T2 Leppington & Inner West Line: Buses replace Inner West Line trains between Strathfield and Central. Express trains continue to run, stopping at Strathfield, Burwood, Redfern and the City. Trains run to a changed timetable between Leppington and Olympic Park via Granville and between Leppington and Lidcombe via Regents Park. Change trains at Lidcombe to continue your journey. T1 Western Line Penrith trains make extra stops at Flemington, Homebush and Burwood.
- T1 Western Line: Buses replace trains between Richmond and Blacktown. Trains run to a changed timetable between Blacktown and Liverpool. Change trains at Parramatta to continue your journey towards the City. Most Penrith trains make extra stops at Flemington, Homebush and Burwood. From 6.30am to 10.30am, trains run between Blacktown and Central, platforms 1-12.
Saturday 30 November
- T1 North Shore Line: Trains will not run between Hornsby and Wynyard. Buses run between Hornsby, Chatswood and Milsons Point only. Use metro services if you are travelling to or from the City. T9 Northern Line trains run to a changed timetable between Berowra or Hornsby and Central, platforms 1-12, via Strathfield
- T9 Northern Line: From 10.20pm, trains run between Hornsby and Central, platforms 1-12, only. Change at Central for City Circle trains, metro or light rail services to continue your journey
- T1 Western Line: From 10.20pm, trains run between Penrith and Central, platforms 1-12 only, due to trackwork on the T1 North Shore Line. Change at Central for City Circle trains, metro or light rail services to continue your journey.
Trackwork is carried out on an ongoing basis to maintain the safety, reliability, and efficiency of the Sydney Trains network. For train service disruption information, check trackwork and travel alerts or plan your trip using the Trip Planner.
The following Sydney bus services run to Olympic Park:
- Route 525 runs between Parramatta and Sydney Olympic Park via Newington
- Route 526 runs between Burwood and Rhodes Shopping Centre via Sydney Olympic Park precinct and wharf.
- Route 533 runs between Sydney Olympic Park and Chatswood via Rhodes & North Ryde.
For bus service disruption information check travel alerts or use the Trip Planner.
The closest wharf to Qudos Bank Arena is Sydney Olympic Park Wharf. There is a connecting 526 bus to the venue or alternatively it is approximately a 40-minute walk (3.6km) from the wharf.
F3 Parramatta River services run regularly to Olympic Park, but services are very popular and may reach capacity. Keep this in mind if you’re planning on catching an F3 Parramatta River service. Plan your trip and allow plenty of extra travel time or consider the alternative public transport options available.
F3 Parramatta River ferries between Parramatta and Rydalmere may be affected by low tide and replaced by buses, check for updates here.
For ferry service disruption information, check travel alerts or plan your trip using the Trip Planner.
L1 Dulwich Hill Line
L1 Dulwich Hill Line light rail services run between Central Station (Grand Concourse) and Dulwich Hill via Darling Harbour and the Inner West. Services run regularly from 5am to 1am daily. Plan your trip using the Trip Planner.
Change at Central for trains to Lidcombe then Olympic Park.
L2 Randwick and L3 Kingsford Lines
L2 Randwick Line light rail services run between Circular Quay and Randwick via Central Station (Chalmers Street) and L3 Kingsford Line services run between Circular Quay and Juniors Kingsford via Central Station (Chalmers Street). Services run regularly from 5am to 1am daily, plan your trip using the Trip Planner.
Change at Central for trains to Lidcombe then Olympic Park.
For maps and service frequencies see light rail service information. For light rail service disruption information, check travel alerts or plan your trip using the Trip Planner.
Traffic will be heavier than usual on roads approaching Sydney Olympic Park as attendees travel to and from the show during the busy weeknight peak.
Travel with your group and allow extra travel time on the M4, Parramatta Road, Homebush Bay Drive and Concord Road.
If you have to drive, carpool with your group pre-book parking online ahead of time to secure a space – available until 11:59pm the night before the event unless sold out prior.
To get to your carpark and avoid the heavy traffic congestion expected at the Homebush Bay Drive roundabout, use Silverwater Road, Holker Street and Hill Road.
Sydney Olympic Park Authority may close some local roads to accommodate increased public transport services and ensure pedestrian safety during events. For road closure details, visit the Sydney Olympic Park interactive map for more details.
For the latest traffic information visit Live Traffic NSW or download a real-time traffic app.
Visit Sydney Olympic Park – Parking to secure your parking space ahead of the event, available until 11.59pm the night before. A flat rate $35 parking fee will apply.
If you have pre-booked a space, follow the directions of staff and have your parking ticket ready to show at the car park entry.
Carpool with your group and allow plenty of additional travel time. Use Silverwater Road, Holker Street and Hill Road to get to your car park and avoid the heavy traffic congestion expected at the Homebush Bay Drive roundabout.
If you haven’t pre-booked, follow the variable message signs within Sydney Olympic Park to the best available casual parking.
Traffic delays are expected after the show as attendees leave the precinct.
Accessible trips are shown in the Trip Planner with the wheelchair icon. You can select "accessible services only" in the Options to ensure you only see accessible services. Only trip plans with accessible train platforms, ferry wharves and buses will be presented. See accessible travel or download a transport app (select the "Accessibility" filter).