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Newcastle New Year’s Eve 2025

Newcastle Fireworks CREDIT_ City of Newcastle

Foreshore Park, Newcastle

Start 17:00
Fireworks 21:00
Finish 21:15

Important Event Information

Big crowds are expected to attend Newcastle New Year’s Eve on Wednesday 31 December. From 5pm to 9.15pm, the Newcastle Harbour Foreshore will be transformed into a welcoming and vibrant community party featuring family-friendly activities, live music, local food vendors, and the must-see 9pm fireworks.

Share your hopes and resolutions for the year ahead at the Wish Exchange, an immersive phone booth and mailbox installation. 

NYE 25/26 also features dedicated areas of fun for kids, picnic spots, DJ's, local music and delicious gourmet food.

The best way to get to and from the event is by public transport – train, light rail and ferry services. Plan ahead using Trip Planner.

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.

Heavier than usual traffic is expected, so 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.

The closest station to the event is Newcastle Interchange on the Central Coast & Newcastle Line, and Hunter Line.

From the station, it is approximately 2.5km (35-40 minutes) walk via the foreshore footpath to Newcastle Foreshore.

Alternatively, catch a light rail service from Newcastle Interchange to Queens Wharf. Plan your trip using the Trip Planner.

Following the fireworks, regular and additional services will run from Newcastle Interchange to Telarah at 21:29, 21:59, and 22:36 and to Sydney at 21:32, 22:04 and 22:30.

Trackwork

Trackwork is taking place on Wednesday 31 December until 1.30pm on the Hunter line and may affect how you travel to the event. Buses replace some trains between Newcastle Interchange and Telarah or Muswellbrook. Buses also replace some trains from Dungog to Newcastle Interchange and from Maitland to Dungog.

Trackwork is carried out on an ongoing basis to maintain the safety, reliability, and efficiency of the Sydney Trains network. Trackwork may affect how you travel so allow plenty of extra travel time and plan ahead. For train service disruption information, check travel alerts or plan your trip using the Trip Planner.

Bus routes 11, 13, 14, 21 & 23 will take you in and out of the CBD on a weekday timetable.

Visit Newcastle Transport for bus information. For bus service disruption information, check travel alerts or plan your trip using the Trip Planner.

Ferry services will be extended until midnight.

Visit Newcastle Transport for ferry information. For ferry service disruption information, check travel alerts or plan your trip using the Trip Planner.

Light rail services will run every 7.5 minutes until midnight and then every 30 minutes until 1am. 

Newcastle Light Rail runs between Newcastle Interchange and Newcastle Beach making stops at Honeysuckle, Civic, Crown St and Queens Wharf along the way. Queens Wharf platform is the closest stop to the main event area.

Visit Newcastle Transport for light rail information.

For Light rail service disruption information, check travel alerts or plan your trip using the Trip Planner.

Transport

  • Metro: Sydney Metro is a fully accessible railway. If you have limited mobility, you can travel on all metro services. Every metro station has lifts and there is level access between platforms and trains for people in wheelchairs, scooters, walking frames, prams and strollers. This means no ‘step’ into a carriage.
  • Train: the closest train station is Newcastle Interchange, which is a fully accessible station. If you have limited mobility, you can board and travel on most train services in NSW. There are some exceptions on older NSW TrainLink Regional and Intercity trains.
  • Bus: the majority of local bus services in NSW are accessible. If you have limited mobility, you can board and travel on most buses. On rare occasions, due to operational requirements a non-accessible bus may be used to substitute accessible services. Most buses that will be used to operate shuttle services between McDonald Jones Stadium and Newcastle will be accessible.
  • Ferry: Stockton ferry vessels and wharves are fully accessible.
  • Light Rail: if you have limited mobility, you can travel on all light rail services. Staff can assist you with getting on and off light rail vehicles. There are ramps or lifts for getting to and from the platform and all light rail stops have network maps and electronic information displays indicating when the next service is due.

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).