Vivid Sydney

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.

Vivid Sydney light walk

Vivid Sydney’s popular light walk spans 6.5km this year with more light installations closer together than ever before.

1. Circular Quay & The Rocks
2. Barangaroo (including the Fire Kitchen in Barangaroo Reserve)
3. Darling Harbour (including Cockle Bay and Tumbalong Park) 

The Vivid Sydney light walk is easily accessible by frequent trains, metro, buses, ferries and light rail services stopping at nearby transport hubs including Circular Quay, Town Hall, Wynyard, Martin Place and Central. 

Vivid Sydney drone shows

Vivid's new addition for 2026 is the ever popular drone show, relocating from Circular Quay to Cockle Bay in Darling Harbour this year!

The Starbound drone show will light up the night sky at its new home in Darling Harbour twice a night at 7.30pm and 9.30pm every Sunday to Wednesday night during Vivid (excluding Sun 7 Jun).

With 22 drone shows across 11 nights there is plenty of time to see the spectacle of 1,000 drones so plan your night ahead of time!

Getting to Cockle Bay

• Metro: Alight at Gadigal Station exit via Bathurst Street exit and continue downhill towards Darling Harbour, approximately 1.6km.
• Train: The closest stations to Darling Harbour are Town Hall and Central. From Town Hall Station exit via Bathurst Street and continue downhill, approximately 1.2km. Alternatively get off at Central Station and continue on foot to Darling Harbour.
• Light Rail: L1 Dulwich Hill Line light rail services run regularly between Central Grand Concourse and Dulwich Hill via Darling Harbour. alight at Paddy's Markets or walk from Central. Please note, on Drone Show nights light rail services may not be able to stop at Exhibition or Convention stations due to crowding. Passengers are encouraged to alight at Paddy’s Market or Central Station.
• Ferry: Catch a ferry to Barangaroo Wharf or Pyrmont Bay Wharf to get within short walking distance of Cockle Bay. Be aware that viewing area space is limited on the Pyrmont side of Cockle Bay and may reach capacity quickly; visitors are encouraged to go to the city side via Barangaroo Wharf instead.
• Driving: parking is available at the nearby ICC Sydney entry via Darling Drive – parking is expected to reach capacity early and traffic will be heavy on Drone Show nights, have a back up plan in mind if you must drive.

Getting home from the Drone Shows

• Following each drone show, pedestrian volumes will be extremely high. Please follow directions from event staff and allow extra time for your journey home.
• Light rail platforms at Convention and Exhibition Centre stops will reach capacity quickly. Visitors should use the Pyrmont Bay or Paddy’s Markets Light Rail stops instead.
• Alternatively walk to Central or Town Hall Stations, where there are additional transport modes to make connecting trips home and greater capacity available.

On the water

There will be a number of commercial charter vessels which will be lit up in support of Vivid Sydney adding an extra dimension to the light walk and harbour foreshore. The majority of charter vessels will be operating from the King St wharf area with some operating from Circular Quay charter wharves on select nights, where people can board a vessel to see the Vivid Sydney lights from the water and see other vessels lit up on the waterways. For more information about charter ferries visit, Vivid Sydney on the water.

Sydney Metro services are high-frequency, driverless trains running between Sydney’s north-west and south-west via the city.  

The M1 North West & Bankstown Line Line operates turn up-and-go Metro services in both directions between Tallawong, Chatswood and Sydenham. 

Services start from early morning running until late at night with additional services on busy nights during Vivid Sydney.

Getting to Vivid Sydney light precincts:

• For access to Circular Quay and The Rocks alight at Martin Place, take the 'Hunter Street' exit for access to Circular Quay. Alternatively you can walk from Barangaroo Station via Argyle St to The Rocks.
• For access to Barangaroo, alight at Barangaroo and continue on-foot along the waterfront via Wulugul Walk.
• For access to Cockle Bay and King St Wharf alight at Gadigal and continue on foot via Druitt St or Bathurst St.
• For access to Darling Harbour south (Tumbalong Park), alight at Central and continue via the Devonshire St Tunnel exit.

For Metro service disruption information, check trackwork and travel alerts or plan your trip using the Trip Planner.

Sydney Trains services run regularly to the city on all lines from early morning until late, and additional services will run on weekends during Vivid Sydney to help you get there and home again. Late night NSW TrainLink intercity services will also have increased capacity to help you get you home.

Getting to the Vivid Sydney Light Walk

The Vivid Sydney light walk across the city is easily accessible by public transport with plenty of major city hubs within close walking distance.

• Circular Quay: trains run regularly to Circular Quay on weeknights. On Saturday nights and Sunday of the long weekend (7 June), trains will not drop off passengers at Circular Quay Station from 6pm to 11pm due to large crowds in the precinct – use Wynyard, Martin Place or St James stations instead on these nights and continue on foot to the harbour. Trains will continue to pick up only from Circular Quay during these times.
• Wynyard: from Wynyard station it’s an easy walk to Barangaroo and King St Wharf via the underground Wynyard Walk tunnel (Exit 4). For access to Circular Quay and The Rocks, take the George St exit and continue along George St towards Circular Quay.
• Central: from Central take the Grand Concourse exit (1) or exit (7) towards Railway Square through the Devonshire St Tunnel to reach Darling Harbour.
• Town Hall: From Town Hall take the George St Town Hall exit (4) or Cathedral exit (5) and continue down Druitt St or Bathurst St to reach Darling Harbour.

Additional trains during Vivid:

• Monday to Thursdays: trains to and from the city run frequently to a regular weekday timetable.
• Fridays: additional late-night trains will run from Circular Quay on the T2 Inner West & Leppington Line and T8 Airport & South Line. Additional late night trains will also run from Central to Newcastle Interchange on the Central Coast & Newcastle Line.
• Weekends: extra services will run in the afternoon and late evening on weekends to help you get to and from the city.

Trackwork

Planned trackwork will continue during Vivid Sydney between Friday 22 May and Saturday 13 June and may affect how you travel to and from the event. Plan your trip using the Trip Planner for the most up to date trackwork information on weeknights and weekends during Vivid.

Trackwork is carried out on an ongoing basis to maintain the safety, reliability, and efficiency of the Sydney Trains network. For the latest information, check trackwork and travel alerts or plan your trip using the Trip Planner.

Regular Route Buses

Plenty of buses run to and from the city each night, making stops within short walking distance of Vivid Sydney precincts. Plan your bus trip ahead of time using the Trip Planner.

On some weeknights and all weekends during Vivid Sydney, additional services will run on selected popular bus routes to the city from mid-afternoon with additional return services leaving the city from around 8pm, depending on the route. 

Southwest Link buses run regularly throughout Vivid. From Sydenham, on Monday - Thursday last service leaves at 1.02am, on Friday at 1.50am, on Saturday at 1.35am and on Sunday at 12.35am. Additional buses will be available to operate as required. Catch metro or trains to the city from Sydenham to reach Vivid light precincts.

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

Bus Diversions

Buses to and from the city will be diverting and using different stops while event road closures are in place on Fridays and weekends. On Mondays to Thursdays during Vivid Sydney, buses will run as normal. Check signs at bus stops for alternative stop locations and use the Trip Planner before you travel.

More details on bus stop changes and diversions during Vivid Sydney will be available closer to the event.

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

Harbour Ferries

If you're planning to catch a ferry, expect delays and long queues at wharves as services are very popular during Vivid and will start to reach capacity from the early afternoon, particularly on weekends.

Ferries to and from Circular Quay, Pyrmont and Barangaroo will be in high demand so make sure to plan ahead, have a few transport options in mind and look for signs directing you to your nearest alternative transport option. 

Due to the high demand, customers will be required to exit the ferry once they reach their destination. You will not be able to stay on the ferry and take the return trip. This is to make sure that everyone gets the chance to access ferry services. Please note, there are no free ferry services during Vivid Sydney.

Service changes

• An exclusion zone will be in effect from Barangaroo Ferry wharf to Pyrmont Bridge from Sunday to Wednesday Nights (excludes Sun 7 June) during Vivid from 22 May to 13 June from 7:15pm to 8pm and 9:15pm to 10pm.
• Ferries will not run to or from Pyrmont Bay during this time.
• See the exclusion zone and maritime map for Vivid 2026 here.

Ferry services during Vivid Sydney: 

• more details on additional ferries during Vivid will be available closer to the event.

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

On water changes and restrictions

Viewing Vivid Sydney from the water is popular for both commercial and recreational vessels. With increased vessel activity during the event, safe navigation practices are paramount.

Plan ahead with the NSW Maritime boating event map and look for the illuminated signs on the shoreline advising of restricted areas. See the NSW Maritime Vivid Sydney boating map.

Some areas of the harbour will be restricted and some private wharves will be closed during Vivid Sydney 2026. Visit NSW Maritime Vivid Sydney for details on private wharf closures, access restrictions and viewing areas.

For more information about charter ferries and recreational vessels visit, Vivid Sydney on the water.

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.

• The best stops for access to Darling Harbour are Exhibition Centre, Convention and Pyrmont Bay.
• On Drone Show nights alight at Paddy's Market or Central. Light rail services may not be able to stop at Exhibition Centre or Convention stops due to crowding. After the drones, board at Paddys Markets or walk back towards Central or Town Hall train stations.
• For access to Vivid Sydney around Circular Quay, change at Central for L2 and L3 light rail services leaving from Chalmers St. Note on Fridays from 6pm and weekends from 5pm, light rail services will start and end at Town Hall. Continue on foot to Circular Quay.

Keep in mind that services between Central and Pyrmont Bay will be very busy with large crowds expected on weekends so consider alternative transport options.

L2 Randwick and L3 Kingsford Lines

L2 Randwick light rail services run between Circular Quay and Randwick via Central Station (Chalmers Street) and L3 Kingsford light rail 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.

• On Monday to Thursdays catch light rail services to Circular Quay or alight at QVB for access to Darling Harbour on foot via Druitt or Bathurst Streets.
• On Fridays from 6pm and weekends from 5pm services will not run between Town Hall and Circular Quay, catch the light rail to Town Hall and continue on foot to Circular Quay, or to Darling Harbour via Druitt or Bathurst Streets.

Service changes:

• On Fridays from 6pm and on weekends from 5pm (Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holiday (Monday 8 Jun) services will not run between Town Hall and Circular Quay for pedestrian safety.

Light rail services run on a frequency basis, always check the information boards at stops to check the status of the last services on the day.

L4 Westmead and Carlingford Line

L4 Westmead and Carlingford Line light rail services run between Carlingford and Westmead via Parramatta CBD. Services run regularly from 5am to 1am daily. Plan your trip using the Trip Planner.

Connect with trains to the city from Parramatta or Westmead stations to get within walking distance of Vivid Sydney precincts. 

Passengers are reminded that trams can’t stop quickly or easily – so please stop, listen and look around for trams and use designated pedestrian crossings.

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.

Driving

Driving into the city for Vivid Sydney is not recommended due to heavy traffic and limited parking. Attendees are urged to leave the car at home and catch public transport with plenty of services running and all Vivid Sydney precincts are within short walking distance of major transport hubs. 

If you must drive plan ahead as many car parks will not be accessible when road closures are in place.

Traffic is expected it to be very heavy in the city over the June long weekend, so if you're planning your visit to Vivid Sydney please catch public transport and avoid the traffic delays. Alternatively arrive early ahead of lights on to avoid the congestion as car parks will reach capacity through the evenings.

Visit livetraffic.com for real-time updates on traffic conditions and road closures during Vivid Sydney. 

Road closures

Road closures and extensive parking restrictions will be in effect on key roads in The Rocks, Circular Quay and the Sydney CBD throughout the 23-day festival from Friday 22 May to Saturday 13 June.

See PDF road closure and clearway maps for each day during Vivid Sydney 2026 (coming soon) 

Managed access to some hotels and businesses around The Rocks and Circular Quay while roads are closed will be maintained by traffic controllers on-site throughout Vivid Sydney when safe to do so.

Detailed road closure information will be available closer to the event.

For detailed information on the road closures, clearways and real-time updates on traffic conditions visit Live Traffic NSW or download a real-time traffic app.

Taxis

Demand for taxis will be high and queues will be long so please be patient and considerate of others.

Some taxi ranks within the road closure footprint around Circular Quay and The Rocks will be inaccessible while closures are in place for the event. Keep this in mind as you may need to walk further than usual to reach available taxi ranks. See listing of available taxi ranks each night during Vivid Sydney here.

For details on secure taxi ranks and operating hours see Secure taxi ranks.

For details of taxi networks servicing the Sydney area, visit Transport Operators.

Rideshare

If you're organising a rideshare, choose a pick up and drop off location outside of the immediate vicinity of Circular Quay to avoid delays while roads are closed. Be prepared to walk further than usual.

Demand for rideshare will be high, particularly on weekends, and prices may be surging. Consider other travel options. 

Road closures

See below PDF road closure and clearway maps for each day during Vivid Sydney 2026 (coming soon)

Accessible Pick Up / Drop Off Locations

Open daily during Vivid Sydney with some exceptions.

• Hickson Road at Wharf 4/5, Walsh Bay
• Hickson Road at Pier 1 Hotel, Walsh Bay
• George Street at Lower Fort Street, The Rocks
• Pitt Street between Reiby Place and Bulletin Place, Circular Quay (road closed on Saturday nights and Sunday 8 Jun, no pick up/drop off space available)
• Circular Quay East, corner of Alfred St & Phillip St (available Monday – Thursdays only)
• Phillip Street south of Albert Street
• Sydney Opera House - Security gatehouse at the northern end of Macquarie Street
• Watermans Quay, Barangaroo
• Iron Wharf Place near Sofitel, Darling Harbour
• Zollner Circuit east of Darling Drive, Darling Harbour
• Railway Colonnade Drive, Central Station

Car parks

Parking in the city will be very limited during Vivid Sydney, with road closures in place each night, and more extensive closures on Saturday nights which will restrict access to some car parks around The Rocks and Circular Quay. If you have to drive plan ahead and familiarise yourself with the road closures before you travel. If you arrive early and roads close in the evening you will not be able to exit car parks until roads reopen at midnight (and 1am on Saturdays). 

Motorists are reminded that strict restrictions will be enforced by NSW Police on vehicles leaving or entering private or commercial driveways and car parks. Once a road is closed you will be unable to exit the carpark or driveway until the road has been reopened so familiarise yourself with the closure times and locations.

It is an offence to drive on or through a road closure point or exit a driveway onto a closed road unless directed otherwise by NSW Police or authorised personnel on-site.

Special event clearways

Street parking in the city will be very limited with special event clearway parking restrictions in effect each night during Vivid Sydney from 3pm to midnight. These clearways are strict no parking zones even for local residents and TfNSW Mobility Scheme Parking Permit holders.

Check signs carefully before parking on the day, and the night before if you're planning to leave your car for an extended period of time. Vehicles left in clearways will be towed and a fee applies.

If your vehicle is towed it will be moved to the nearest available parking space, you can search your vehicle registration at the Find My Car website to find its new location, or alternatively call 132 701 to speak to an operator.

Locations:

Special event clearways will be in effect on most major roads in The Rocks, Circular Quay and the Sydney CBD and some local roads around King St Wharf and Haymarket at Central Station - including but not limited to sections of Argyle Street, George Street, Hickson Road, Windmill Street, Essex Street, Wheat Road, Macquarie Street, Bent Street, Bridge Street, Grosvenor Street, College Street, Clarence Street, Hunter Street, Pitt Street, Loftus Street, York Street, Young Street, Phillip Street, Castlereagh Street, Sussex Street and Elizabeth Street. Clearways will be in effect earlier in the day on George Street, Goulburn Street and Harrington Street.

For real-time updates on traffic conditions visit Live Traffic NSW or download a real-time traffic app.

Volunteers working at Vivid Sydney 2026 are entitled to free travel on public transport for the duration of the event by showing their 'Volunteers Free Travel Pass' to transport staff when boarding services.

Travel is covered on the following transport services from Friday 22 May through until 4am on Sunday 14 June 2026:

• Sydney Trains and NSW TrainLink Intercity services (non-booked services bounded by Bomaderry, Goulburn, Bathurst, Scone and Dungog stations).
• Sydney Metro services
• Sydney metropolitan bus services and NightRide bus services
• Sydney Ferries
• Sydney, Parramatta and Parramatta Light Rail services

Note: an additional station access fee applies for travel to or from Domestic and International Airport stations. Your volunteer pass does not include the access fee, so if you're travelling from these stations you'll need to pay the train station access fee.

Event

There are a number of managed accessible viewing areas across the Vivid Sydney precincts. Visit the Vivid Sydney website for accessibility and inclusion information for the event.

Accessible Pick Up / Drop Off Locations

Open daily during Vivid Sydney with some exceptions.

• Hickson Road at Wharf 4/5, Walsh Bay
• Hickson Road at Pier 1 Hotel, Walsh Bay
• George Street at Lower Fort Street, The Rocks
• Pitt Street between Reiby Place and Bulletin Place, Circular Quay (road closed on Saturday nights and Sunday 8 Jun, no pick up/drop off space available)
• Circular Quay East, corner of Alfred St & Phillip St (available Monday – Thursdays only)
• Phillip Street south of Albert Street
• Sydney Opera House - Security gatehouse at the northern end of Macquarie Street
• Watermans Quay, Barangaroo
• Iron Wharf Place near Sofitel, Darling Harbour
• Zollner Circuit east of Darling Drive, Darling Harbour
• Railway Colonnade Drive, Central Station

Transport

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).