Sydney New Year's Eve 2026

Travel on public transport is not free on New Year's Eve. You’ll need to use an Opal card or contactless debit/credit card or mobile device to tap on and off transport services wherever Opal is accepted. If you’re using your Opal card remember to top it up in advance either online via the Opal Travel app or at one of the many Opal retailers as queues at top up machines will be long on the night. Plan ahead and ensure everyone has enough balance on their Opal card to cover their fare before boarding services.

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

 Travel on Sydney’s public transport network is easy with contactless payments available on all transport modes. If your bank card shows the contactless symbol  you can use it to pay for your travel by tapping on and tapping off at Opal card readers. We accept American Express (AMEX), Mastercard and Visa credit or debit cards. You can also use a linked device such as a mobile phone. Adult Opal fare pricing applies and you will receive Opal benefits, including daily and weekly fare caps.

Travelling in a group?

If you’re travelling in a group, each person travelling in your group will need their own Opal card, Opal single ticket or contactless credit or debit card or mobile device. Contactless payments can only be used to pay an Adult Opal fare. Plan ahead and ensure everyone has enough balance on their Opal card to cover their fare before boarding the metro, train, bus, ferry or light rail service.

Sydney New Year's Eve Volunteers

Travel on public transport is covered for 2026 Sydney New Year's Eve City of Sydney volunteers from Thursday 31 December 2026 to Friday 1 January 2027 on the following transport services, simply show your Volunteer Travel Pass to transport staff before boarding services:

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

Remember to keep your Volunteer Travel Pass safe for your return journey or you'll need to use your Opal card as you must have a valid ticket when travelling on public transport.

Note: an additional train station access fee applies for travel to or from Domestic and International Airport stations. The access fee is not covered by your volunteer pass travel entitlements.

Getting there

How you walk from transport hubs to vantage points will vary depending on what time you arrive and whether you have a ticket to an event or venue.

To Circular Quay and surrounding foreshore areas

• Access Circular Quay west and The Rocks via George St, access Circular Quay east, Royal Botanic Gardens and the Opera House via Macquarie St
• Access Barangaroo via the Metro and the foreshore Wulugul walk or Hickson Rd.

Darling Harbour

• Access via Town Hall, Central or Gadigal stations and continue on foot via Bathurst, Druitt Street or via Harbour St.

North Sydney area (Milsons Point, Kirribilli, Blues Point)

• From the Denison St exit turn right towards Pacific Hwy and Walker St to continue to either Milsons Point or McMahons Point (Blues Point) vantage point areas.
• Exit from North Sydney train station is as normal via Blue St.
• From 8pm you'll only be able to exit Victoria Cross Metro Station via Denison St. Miller St will be entry only to safely manage crowd flow in and out of the station.
• Buses will use different stops in North Sydney along Miller St, due to road closures on Blue St at the train station.

Getting home

After the 9pm and midnight fireworks, getting back to transport hubs to continue your trip home will be different to the way you arrived. Additional roads will have closed throughout the night and pedestrian fencing will be in place to manage crowds entering train & metro stations, bus interchanges, ferry wharves and light rail stops. Prepare to be detoured a longer way than usual to access transport services.

• After the 9pm fireworks, from harbour foreshore vantage points access to Circular Quay station will be limited as the station will fill quickly with crowds. The next major transport hubs are at Wynyard and Martin Place. There may not be direct access to Wynyard trains and buses via George St, with pedestrian detours in place via Bridge St, Phillip St and King St - if you're travelling home to the north walk to Metro Martin Place station via Bridge St and Phillip St and catch metro services to head north faster - you can connect with buses from Victoria Cross at North Sydney instead.
• After the midnight fireworks, from the harbour continue down George St to reach Wynyard and Town Hall stations. Use Phillip St and Elizabeth St or Macquarie St to access Metro and Trains from Martin Place.
• Access to buses at Wynyard is via King St only - no access from Grosvenor St.
• Access to ferries: patrons exiting from Circular Quay West and Campbells Cove area will walk south towards Bridge St via Pitt St. For access to ferries at Circular Quay turn left on Bridge St then left into Loftus St to head up towards the wharves. Patrons from Eastern side of Circular Quay can access the ferry wharves directly before reaching Alfred St.

From North Sydney harbour foreshore vantage points

• North Sydney Train Station will be very busy as crowds leave after the midnight fireworks. For a faster trip catch Metro services from Victoria Cross to the north or towards the city then connect with Sydney Trains services to continue your trip home.
• If you’re travelling to stations in the north catch Metro services from Victoria Cross via Pacific Hwy and the Miller St entry.  
• If you’re travelling south back across the Harbour Bridge, catch trains from North Sydney Station via Blue St instead.

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

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

On New Year’s Eve, metro will operate a 24-hour timetable with services running every 4-5 minutes through until 5am on New Year’s Day. From 5am on New Year’s Day, metro services will run to a public holiday timetable every 10 minutes until 12.30am.

Sydney CBD area vantage points:

Metro stations in the city are located within walking distance of vantage points at Barangaroo, Martin Place, Gadigal (near Town Hall) and Central.

• For Circular Quay vantage points, alight at Martin Place and continue on foot towards the harbour and Circular Quay.
• For Barangaroo and Walsh Bay/The Rocks vantage points, alight at Barangaroo and continue on foot.
• For Darling Harbour, alight at Gadigal or Central stations.

CBD Station changes:

• Gadigal: From 11pm entry and exit will be via Park St only. Bathurst St access will be closed.
• Martin Place: From 11pm entry and exit to Martin Place will be via the northern-western access at Hunter St and Castlereagh St only.
• Barangaroo: Barangaroo Metro station may close at short notice at the direction of NSW Police if crowds exceed capacity. You may need to use Wynyard Station instead.

North Sydney area vantage points

• For access to North Sydney vantage points, the closest Metro station is Victoria Cross. Alight at Victoria Cross to get within walking distance of Blues Point, Lavender Bay, Milsons Point and Kirribilli vantage points. You can also consider changing to trains from North Sydney to Milsons Point to get within closer walking distance of surrounding vantage points.

North Sydney Station changes

• Victoria Cross station access changes: from 11pm Victoria Cross station will operate as one-way only with all passengers to enter the station via Miller St and exit via Denison St. No entry via Denison St will be permitted.
• After the midnight fireworks, North Sydney Train Station will be very busy as crowds leave. For a faster trip catch Metro services from Victoria Cross to the north or towards the city to then connect with Sydney Trains services and continue your trip home.

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

Thousands of extra trains will run from mid-afternoon on New Year’s Eve to help you get to and from the celebrations.

Trains will operate close to a 24-hour timetable with the gap between the last train and first New Year’s Day service being less than 30 minutes on most lines. 

Timetables will be available 2 weeks out from NYE, plan your trip by train using the Trip Planner or the Opal Travel App.

Station changes

For crowd safety around popular vantage points, there will be changes to train station access in the city and lower north shore. Plan ahead as you may need to walk further than usual to access vantage points in the evening.

Key stations in the Sydney CBD and Lower North Shore will have changed arrangements during New Year’s Eve. Please note the following information carefully when planning your movements on the night:

• Circular Quay: from 3pm until midnight trains will not stop at Circular Quay Station as surrounding vantage points are expected to be near capacity.
  • Use Wynyard, St James or Martin Place stations instead and continue on foot to the harbour.
• Milsons Point: from 6pm until midnight, trains from the city to the north shore will not stop at Milsons Point. This is to safely manage crowds at surrounding vantage points. Trains from Hornsby towards the city will pick-up only at Milsons Point. 
  • Use North Sydney Station and continue on foot to vantage points or properties around McMahons Point, Milsons Point and Kirribilli.
  • Note: trains to and from the city will skip Milsons Point Station during the 9pm and midnight fireworks.
• Domestic Airport and International Airport: from 12:30am until 4:15am, trains will not stop at Domestic Airport and International Airport stations as Sydney Airport will be closed during this time.
• Wynyard Station: From around 8pm all CBD vantage points around Circular Quay are expected to be full. The York St entry to Wynyard Station will be closed and George St exit will be managed. Patrons will be directed to exit via Wynyard Walk for best fireworks viewing areas.
• Central Station: from 10pm access to the station will be managed. Some entries will be closed, follows signs and the directions of staff on the ground.

Trackwork

Planned trackwork is not taking place on Thursday 31 December. For train service disruption information, check trackwork and travel alerts or plan your trip using the Trip Planner.

Thousands of extra bus services will run on all major routes from the Northern Beaches, the Hills, North Western Suburbs, Victoria Rd, Eastern Suburbs and Inner West to the city and to the north shore from around 3pm on New Year’s Eve. Additional services will also run from around 8pm and after the midnight fireworks to help you get home. Most services will continue to run until as late as 3am.

Remember, buses will be affected by road closures in the Sydney CBD and local council foreshore areas as vantage points reach capacity so you will need to walk further than normal to reach your chosen vantage point. Plan your bus trip using the Trip Planner or the Opal Travel App for service times, alternative routes and stops.

Key bus changes

• In the city: 
  • From 12pm buses that usually run to Circular Quay will relocate to Martin Place and Millers Point/Walsh Bay buses will relocate to Town Hall - catch metro to Barangaroo after this time.
  • From 5pm buses that run to Martin Place including buses from the eastern suburbs will relocate to Hyde Park and buses from the west and inner west will start and end trips at Town Hall QVB. Buses from the hills will start and end trips at Wynyard
  • From 7pm buses from the north will start and end trips at Wynyard. 
• In North Sydney: from 3pm buses will be diverting and using different stops around North Sydney and Victoria Cross stations. Buses will not run to Milsons Point or McMahons Point due to road closures.
• From 11pm to 1.30am: while the Sydney Harbour Bridge is closed for the midnight fireworks buses start and end trips in North Sydney or the city. Catch trains or metro to travel across the bridge during this time and connect with buses either side of the bridge to continue your trip.
• From 11pm to 4am: Central Station buses that usually use stops on Eddy Ave will use stops on Pitt Street instead.

Buses in other local council areas including Inner West, Hunters Hill, Lane Cove, Mosman, Northern Beaches, Randwick, Waverley, and Woollahra will also be affected by road closures so plan ahead.

Bus diversions

Details on affected routes will be available closer to the event date.

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

If you’re planning on catching a ferry to the city or lower north shore keep in mind that ferries are extremely popular on New Year's Eve and will start reaching capacity from the early afternoon.

Visitors are strongly encouraged to have an alternative transport option in mind as long queues are expected. As well, some ferries stop operating from the early evening due to events taking place in Sydney Harbour and limited services will run after the midnight fireworks.

NYE Ferry service changes:

• McMahons Point wharf will be closed at 10am.
• Milsons Point wharf will be closed at 2pm.
• All ferries will stop running on the harbour from around 5.30pm. Some ferries stop operating earlier in the afternoon.
• After the midnight fireworks limited ferries will operate to Manly and Lower North Shore wharves only. No late night ferries on other lines, use trains or buses instead.
• A Harbour exclusion zone will be in effect from 8pm until 12:45am. See Harbour Exclusion Zone map here.
• Check last service details for the Sydney Fast Ferry services.

Last ferry services before and after harbour fireworks.

F1 Manly

• Before fireworks
  • From Manly: 17:00
  • From Circular Quay: 16:45
  • 170x route buses will run between Manly Wharf and Wynyard from 4pm until 11pm. 
• After fireworks
  • From Manly: 00:30, 01:10, 01:50, 02:30, 03:10, 03:50, 04:30, 05:10 and 05,50
  • From Circular Quay: 00:30, 01:10, 01:50, 02:30, 03:10, 03:50, 04:30 and 05:10

F2 Taronga Zoo

• Before fireworks:
  • From Circular Quay: 16:52
  • From Taronga Zoo 17:14
• After fireworks:
  • From Taronga Zoo: 00:54 and 01:54, stopping at Cremorne Point and Circular Quay

F3 Parramatta River

• Before fireworks:
  • From Parramatta to Circular Quay: 15:38
  • From Olympic Park to Circular Quay: 15:48
  • From Parramatta to Barangaroo: 16:38
  • From Olympic Park to Barangaroo: 16:48
  • From Circular Quay to Parramatta: 17:07
  • From Barangaroo to Olympic Park: 18:03
  • Note: McMahons Point will close from 10am and Milsons Point will close from 2pm as surrounding vantage points will be at capacity.
• After fireworks:
  • No services after fireworks down the river.
  • Limited shuttle ferries will run from Balmain East to Barangaroo only, a 12.20am, 12.40am, 1am, 1.20am, 1.40am and final service at 2am.

F4 Pyrmont Bay

• Before fireworks:
  • Pyrmont Bay to Circular Quay: 17:16, stopping at Barangaroo, Balmain East and Circular Quay
  • From Circular Quay to Pyrmont Bay: 17:12, stopping at Balmain East, Barangaroo and Pyrmont
  • Note: ferries will not stop at McMahons Point from 10am and Milsons Point from 2pm due to wharf closures.
• After fireworks:
  • Limited shuttle ferries will run from Balmain East to Barangaroo only, a 12.20am, 12.40am, 1am, 1.20am, 1.40am and final service at 2am.

F5 Neutral Bay

• Before fireworks:
  • From Kirribilli to Circular Quay: 17:02 and 17:14
  • From Circular Quay to Kirribilli: 16:55
• After fireworks:
  • From Circular Quay 00:55, 01:35, 02:15, stopping at Kirribilli, North Sydney, Neutral Bay and Kurraba Point.
  • From Kirribilli: 1:02, 1:42 and 2:22

F6 Mosman Bay

• Before fireworks:
  • From Mosman Bay: 17:22, stopping at South Mosman, Cremorne Point and Circular Quay.
  • From Circular Quay: 17:00, stopping at Cremorne Point, South Mosman, Old Cremorne and Mosman Bay.
• After fireworks:
  • From Circular Quay: 01:00 and 02:00, stopping at Old Cremorne and Mosman Bay.
  • From Cremorne Point to Circular Quay: 00:40, 01:30 and 02:30
  • From Mosman Bay: 01:22 and 02:22, stopping at Cremorne Point and Circular Quay

F7 Double Bay

• Before fireworks:
  • From Double Bay direct to Circular Quay: 17:12
  • From Circular Quay to Double Bay: 16:57, stopping at Darling Point.
  • Note: Access to Garden Island wharf will be restricted.
• No services after fireworks.

F8 Cockatoo Island

• Before fireworks:
  • From Cockatoo Island to Circular Quay 17:19, stopping at Greenwich, Birchgrove and Balmain.
  • From Circular Quay to Cockatoo Island 16:45, stopping at Balmain, Birchgrove, Greenwich and Cockatoo Island.
  • Note: Cockatoo Island Campers advised to be on the island by 3pm
  • Note: ferries will not run to Woolwich Wharf from 11.30am due large crowds at vantage points surrounding the wharf. Last ferry from Woolwich to the city leaves at 11:24am.
• After fireworks
  • From Circular Quay: 01:05 and 02:05, stopping at Milsons Point, McMahons Point, Birchgrove, Greenwich and Woolwich.
  • From Woolwich to Circular Quay: 01:35 and 02:35, stopping at Balmain East, McMahons Point and Milsons Point

F9 Watsons Bay

• Before fireworks
  • From Circular Quay to Watsons Bay: 16:45, stopping at Rose Bay
  • From Watsons Bay to Circular Quay: 17:15, stopping at Rose Bay
• No services after fireworks

F10 Glebe

• Before fireworks
  • Ferries run every 40 minutes from 6:40am between Blackwattle Bay, Pirrama Park and Barangaroo.
  • Last ferry from Blackwattle Bay (Glebe) to Barangaroo via Pirrama Park: 17:20
  • Last ferry from Barangaroo to Blackwattle Bay Glebe via Pirrama Park: 17:00
• No services after fireworks

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

Exclusion zones

With congestion around boat ramps and a 6-knot speed restriction in place from 3pm and exclusion active from 8pm to 12.45am, allow extra time to get to your desired viewing area. See Harbour Exclusion Zone map and detailed advice here.

Popular spots such as Farm Cove and Athol Bay fill up quickly, so it’s best to get in position early. Vessels over 15 metres are not permitted in Farm Cove.

Safety messages will be broadcast on marine VHF channels 16 and 88. In an emergency, call 000 (triple zero). 

See the NSW Government - Waterways website for more information on exclusion zones and safe boating during New Year’s Eve. 

Recommended vantage points

• North-west of the Sydney Harbour Bridge - Clarkes Point, Balls Head, Berrys Bay, Lavender Bay.
• South-west of the Sydney Harbour Bridge - Mort Bay, Ballast Point, Snails Bay.
• North-east of the Sydney Harbour Bridge - Kurraba Point, Cremorne Point, Neutral Bay,Mosman Bay, Athol Bay.
• South-east of the Sydney Harbour Bridge -Farm Cove, Woolloomooloo Bay, Rushcutters Bay, Double Bay, Rose Bay. 

Spit Bridge opening times

The Spit Bridge will operate to a changed timetable for New Year’s Eve with additional openings on Thursday 31 December 2026 and Friday 1 January 2027.

• Thursday NYE timetable: 10.15am, 11:15am, 1:15pm, 2:15pm, 3:30pm*, 7:30pm*, 8:15pm, 9:15pm and 10:45pm*
• Friday NYD timetable: 2:15am*, 3:15am*, 10:15am, 11:15am, 2:15pm, 8:15pm and 9:15pm

*additional opening times marked by asterisk.

Safety on the water

With extra maritime traffic expected on the state’s waterways during New Year's Eve celebrations, NSW Police and maritime authorities will be out in force to ensure operators of recreational and commercial vessels are compliant with maritime laws.

Before heading out, check the vessel is in good working order, and ensure all the required safety equipment – including lifejackets – is on board.

Skippers are reminded of their responsibility to ensure there is safety equipment on board their vessels and are responsible for the manner in which their vessel is driven. 

Download the MarineRescue app from the App Store or Google Play and stay safe on the water.

Inner West - L1 Dulwich Hill Line

L1 Dulwich Hill line light rail services run between Central Station (Grand Concourse) and Dulwich Hill stopping at key destinations near vantage points including Glebe, The Star and Darling Harbour. Plan your trip using the Trip Planner.

Service changes on NYE:

• L1 services run regularly from 5am and will be extended until 4am on New Year's Day.
• From 8pm to 2.30am services will not run between Convention and Central Grand Concourse due to expected large crowds and road closures. Continue on foot to Central for train and bus connections.
• From 2.30am to 4am services will resume running as normal along the entire line.

From Central change for trains or Metro services to Wynyard or Martin Place to get within closer walking distance of Circular Quay. Note, from 3pm trains will not stop at Circular Quay. If you're travelling to Darling Harbour, walk from Central.

Sydney CBD and South East - 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 line services run between Circular Quay and Kingsford via Central Station (Chalmers Street).

L2 and L3 services stop at key destinations near vantage points including Sydney Harbour and Darling Harbour. Plan your trip using the Trip Planner.

Service changes on NYE:

• L2 and L3 services run regularly from 5am and will be extended until 4am on New Year's Day. 
• From 2pm to 7pm services will not run between Town Hall and Circular Quay due to event road closures.
• From 7pm to 4am services will not run between Central Chalmer Street and Circular Quay due to event road closures. 

Change at Central to connect with trains to Wynyard or Metro services to Martin Place to get within closer walking distance of Circular Quay. Note, from 3pm trains will not stop at Circular Quay. If you're travelling to Darling Harbour, walk from Central, or Town Hall (before 7pm).

Services will resume running as normal along the entire line from 5am Friday 1 January. 

Parramatta - L4 Westmead and Carlingford Line

L4 Westmead and Carlingford Line light rail services run between Carlingford and Westmead via Parramatta CBD. Plan your trip using the Trip Planner.

Additional L4 light rail services will run, more details will be available closer to the date.

Alight at Parramatta or Westmead to connect with trains to the city or north to get to your vantage point. 

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

Driving

The city is no place for cars this New Year’s Eve with significant road closures and parking restrictions in effect across the city, as well as in North Sydney, Milsons Point and Pyrmont. Roads will also close across various local council vantage points.

Access to and from car parks will be difficult. If you are catching taxis or rideshare, be aware of road closures and prepare to walk further than usual or to connect with transport to get within closer walking distance of your vantage point. As roads close transport services will also be affected so be prepared to walk further than usual between transport hubs and vantage points, and the way you arrived will be different to the way you leave after the midnight fireworks. 

Road closures

In the Sydney CBD, some roads start closing from as early as 4am with roads in Circular Quay and The Rocks closed by 12pm, followed by major closures in the city centre and Pyrmont by 7pm. In North Sydney, Milsons Point and Kirribilli roads start closing from 5pm, with some early morning local road closures around vantage points. Majority of roads in North Sydney and Milsons Point will reopen by 3am, in the Sydney CBD most roads will reopen by 4am.

The Cahill Expressway southbound lanes 7 and 8 on the Harbour Bridge and Circular Quay Overpass will close from 4am on NYE. The Sydney Harbour Bridge will be completely closed in both directions from 11pm ahead of the midnight fireworks. The citybound lanes of the Anzac Bridge, Western Distributor, M4 and M8 citybound tunnels and Iron Cove Link will be closed from 11pm to 1:30am.

For real-time updates on traffic conditions and road closures during New Year’s Eve visit Live Traffic NSW website or app, or follow @LiveTrafficNSW on Twitter and Live Traffic NSW on Facebook.

Maps:

• Coming soon  

Key road closures

Details coming soon  

Sydney CBD Walkway and Cycleway closures

As roads close through the day and night, closures will also be in place on shared pathways, walkways and cycleways below. Follow directions of signage.

Details coming soon  

Roads will be closed in various local council area vantage points with restricted access to peninsulas including Balmain, Birchgrove, Hunters Hill/Woolwich, Darling Point, Point Piper, Vaucluse, Watsons Bay, Coogee, Greenwich, Kurraba Point, Cremorne Point, Bradleys Head Mosman, Dee Why and Manly. 

For all the details on local area road closures and changed access arrangements, visit the respective council website or livetraffic.com.

For information on events in Parramatta council areas visit the website.

For real-time updates on traffic conditions and road closures during New Year’s Eve visit Live Traffic NSW website or app, or follow @LiveTrafficNSW on Twitter and Live Traffic NSW on Facebook.

City of Sydney Council

• Potts Point: Road closures will be in place from 6am to 4am on sections of McDonald Lane and Victoria Street, and from 7pm to 4am on sections of Challis Avenue and Victoria Street. Special event clearways will be in effect on sections of McDonald Lane, Challis Avenue and Victoria Street from 6am NYE to 4am NYD. For maps of the road closures and clearways, and real-time updates see the livetraffic.com entry.

North Sydney Council

• Cremorne Point and Kurraba Point: local roads off Lower Wycombe Road, Bannerman Street, Murdoch Street and Iredale Avenue into Cremorne and Kurraba Points will close from 5pm NYE until 3am 1 Jan. Clearways will be in effect on parts of Bannerman Street, Murdoch Street from 3pm NYE to 3am NYD and Milsons Road from 6am NYE until 3am NYD. 
• For maps of the road closures and clearways, and real-time updates see the Cremorne livetraffic.com entry and the Kurraba livetraffic.com entry.
• Neutral Bay to Mosman: Clearways will be in effect along both sides of Falcon St and Military Rd between the Pacific Hwy, Crows Nest and Spit Rd, Mosman from 3pm NYE until 3am NYD.

Mosman Council

• Mosman - Taronga Zoo: sections of Athol Wharf Road and Bradleys Head Road will close from 3pm NYE until 2am 1 Jan, and from 11:30pm sections of Bradleys Head Rd, Prince Albert St, Thompson St, Whiting Beach Rd will close until 2am. Clearways will be in effect on sections of Athol Wharf Road, Whiting Beach Road, Spit Road and Bradleys Head Road from 1pm NYE until 3am 1 Jan and on sections of Military Road from 6pm NYE to 3am 1 Jan NYD. For maps of the road closures and clearways, and real-time updates see the livetraffic.com entry.
• Neutral Bay to Mosman: Clearways will be in effect along both sides of Falcon St and Military Rd between the Pacific Hwy, Crows Nest and Spit Rd, Mosman from 3pm NYE until 3am NYD.

Northern Beaches Council

• Dee Why: Road closures will be in place from 4pm to 10.30pm 31 Dec on sections of Howard Ave and The Strand. Special event clearways will be in effect on The Strand and Howard Ave from 12pm midday to 10.30pm. For maps of the road closures and clearways, and real-time updates see the livetraffic.com entry.
• Manly: Road closures will be in place from 5pm to 10:30pm on sections of Belgrave St, Eustace St, Gilbert St, Wentworth St, West Promenade, East and West Esplanade and Victoria Pde. Special event clearways will be in effect on sections of East and West Esplanade, Belgrave St, Pittwater Rd and West Promenade between 1pm and 10pm on NYE. For maps of the road closures and clearways, and real-time updates see the livetraffic.com entry.

Inner West Council

• Inner West Council – Balmain: Roads into Balmain East and Birchgrove peninsula from Victoria Rd will close from 3pm to 1am including sections of Darling St, Evans St, MacKenzie St, Hartley St, Joseph St, McKell St, Wharf Rd and other local roads. Access will be maintained for residents and authorised passholders only. Special event clearways will be in effect on Victoria Road (western side) from The Crescent to Westbourne Street from 3pm New Year’s Eve to 2am New Year’s Day. No-stopping and extended bus zones will also be in effect on sections of Darling St, Eaton St, Grove St and Montague St. For maps of the road closures and clearways, and real-time updates see the livetraffic.com entry.

Hunters Hill Council

• Hunters Hill: From 1pm NYE the Hunters Hill Peninsula will be closed from Church Street at Reiby Rd until 1:30am on NYD. Access will be maintained for residents and authorised passholders only. From 11:30pm NYE until 1:30am NYD the Burns Bay Rd on and off-ramps to Church St will be closed – detour via Victoria Road. Lane closures will also be in place on sections of Burns Bay Road and Victoria Road between 8pm NYE and 2am NYD. For maps of the road closures and clearways, and real-time updates see the livetraffic.com entry.
• Woolwich: From 8am Mon 30 Dec to 1:30am NYD Clarke Rd from Franki Ave and Merrington Place in Woolwich will be closed. For maps of the road closures and real-time updates see the livetraffic.com entry.
• Huntleys Point: From 1pm NYE to 1:30am NYD Huntleys Point Rd from the roundabout south of Victoria Rd (northbound) will be closed. Access maintained for local residents. For maps of the road closures and clearways, and real-time updates see the livetraffic.com entry.
• Special event clearways will be in effect from 11am NYE to 2am NYD on sections of Alexandra St, Burns Bay Rd off-ramp, Church St, Clarke Rd, Elgin St, Ferry St, Franki Ave, Gale St, Gladesville Rd, Park Rd, Reiby Rd, Ryde Rd, The Avenue, The Point Rd, Valentia St, Victoria Rd and Woolwich Rd. No-stopping zones will also be in effect from 11am NYE to 2am NYD on sections of Huntleys Point Rd, Margaret St, Alfred St and Edgecliff St.

Randwick Council

• Coogee: Road closures will be in place from 5.30pm to 10.30pm on NYE on sections of Alfreda Street, Arden Street, Baden Street, Brook Street, Beach St, Coogee Bay Road, Dolphin Street, Hill Street, Ormond Gardens and Vicar St. Special event clearways will be in effect from 4pm until 10.30pm on sections of Alfreda Street, Arden Street, Baden St, Beach Street, Bream Street, Brook Street, Carr Street, Dolphin Street and Coogee Bay Rd. Special event clearways will be in effect on a section of Brook St from 12pm midday to 10.30pm NYE. For maps of the road closures and clearways, and real-time updates see the livetraffic.com entry.
• Maroubra: Road closures will be in place from 7pm to 10pm on Marine Parade between Torrington St and Wilson St, and on Wilson St between Banks St and Marine Pde. For maps of the road closures, and real-time updates see the livetraffic.com entry.

Woollahra Council

• Darling Point: Roads into Darling Point peninsula from New South Head Road will close from 3pm NYE until 2am NYD including New Beach Road and Loftus Road. From 6pm NYE until 2am NYD sections of Annandale Street, Darling Point Road, Hampden Road, Mona Road, Greenoaks Avenue, Yarranabbe Road and other local roads will close. Special event clearways will be in effect from 8am NYE to 2am NYD on sections of New Beach Road and Thornton Street. For maps of the road closures and clearways, and real-time updates see the livetraffic.com entry.
• Point Piper: From 3pm NYE until 2am NYD sections of St Mervyns Avenue, Wolseley Road and Wunulla Road will close. For maps of the road closures and clearways, and real-time updates see the livetraffic.com entry.
• Rose Bay: Road closures will be in place from 3pm NYE until 2am NYE with access maintained until 6pm for residents only on sections of Bayview Hill Road, Caledonian Road, Collins Avenue, Dumaresq Road and Tivoli Ave. For maps of the road closures and clearways, and real-time updates see the livetraffic.com entry.
• Vaucluse: Road closures will be in place from 3pm NYE until 2am NYE with access maintained until 6pm for residents only. Sections of Carrara Road, Hopetoun Avenue, Old South Head Road, Petrarch Avenue, Queens Avenue, Serpentine Parade and Vaucluse Road will close. For maps of the road closures and real-time updates see the livetraffic.com entry.
• Watsons Bay: Road closures will be in place from 3pm NYE until 2am NYE with access maintained until 6pm for residents only. Sections of Marine Parade and Robertson Place will close. For maps of the road closures and real-time updates see the livetraffic.com entry.

Waverley Council

• Dover Heights: Roads around Dudley Page Reserve will close from 6pm NYE until 2am New Year’s Day (NYD) including sections of Gilbert Street, Blake Street and Victory Street. Special event clearways will be in effect from 4pm NYE to 2am NYD on sections of Blake Street, Lancaster Road and Military Road. For maps of the road closures and clearways, and real-time updates see the livetraffic.com entry.

Lane Cove Council

• Greenwich: road closures will be in place from 6pm NYE until 1am NYD on sections of Albert Street, East Street, George Street, Gother Avenue, Greenwich Road, Manns Avenue, O’Connell Street, Prospect Street, St Lawrence Street and Victoria Street. For maps of the road closures and clearways, and real-time updates see the livetraffic.com entry.

Parramatta City Council

• Parramatta Park will be closed to all vehicles from 6am on 31 December 2026. There will be no parking inside the Park and a number external parking spaces around the Park will not be available due to event operations. 
• Roads will start closing from 4pm in Westmead and 8.30pm in Parramatta. Traffic will be heavier than usual approaching the area while roads are closed and local detours are in place.
• Motorists should expect some delays throughout Parramatta CBD and surrounding Parramatta Park, motorists should also exercise caution and be aware of increased pedestrian activity on roads in the area.
• See the NYE - Parramatta event page for more information on transport and traffic.
• For maps of the road closures and clearways, and real-time updates see the livetraffic.com entry.

Taxis

Demand for taxis will high be on New Year's Eve, so please be patient while in queues at taxi ranks.

Taxi ranks within the road closure footprint across the CBD, North Sydney and Pyrmont will not be accessible. See the list of taxi ranks available outside of the road closure areas. 

Temporary ranks

Eight secure taxi ranks will operate for NYE from 9pm until 4am on New Year's Day (except Lime St and Sussex St which will not operate between 11pm and 1:30am due to road closures).

Six ranks are located within walking distance outside of the Sydney CBD, Darling Harbour, and Pyrmont NYE road closures.

Two ranks are located in Kings Cross and Surry Hills away from the NYE road closures.

Security guards will be present at all eight taxi ranks to help you get home safely. 

• Sydney CBD
  • Goulburn St southern side between George St and Pitt St outside Scruffy Murphys (secure rank)
  • Liverpool St southern side between Elizabeth St and Wentworth Ave opposite Hyde Park South (secure rank)
  • Sussex St western side between King St and Market St from 9pm to 11pm then from 1.30am until 4am only (secure rank)
• Darling Harbour
  • King St Wharf, Lime St at Erskine St from 9pm to 11pm then from 1.30am until 4am only
  • Zollner Circuit from Darling Dr near ICC Sydney
• Pyrmont:
  • Murray St western side between Union Ln and Bunn St (secure rank)
• Kings Cross: 9pm to 4am - 33 Bayswater Rd southern side
• Surry Hills: 9pm to 4am - Oxford St at Pelican St southern side

Accessible Taxi Drop-Off and Pick-Up Zones

Designated wheelchair accessible taxi pick-up & drop-off zones will be located at:

• Sydney CBD East: From 4pm to 7pm on Macquarie St north of Bent St
• Sydney CBD East: From 7pm on Shakespeare Place, northern side
• Pyrmont: From 5pm Bowman St northern side between Mount St Walk and Harris St

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

Rideshare

There are no designated rideshare pick up or drop off points in the city on New Year's Eve. There will be restrictions enforced in apps to restrict pick ups or drop offs within the road closure footprint.

We strongly encourage all rideshare users to coordinate a pick up location well outside of the city road closures and continue by foot or by trains to avoid delays and access restrictions as many roads will be closed.

Visit livetraffic.com for road closure and clearway listings in the Sydney CBD, North Sydney and various council areas.

Parking

The city is no place for cars on New Year's Eve with car parks expected to fill early and extensive restrictions on street parking, its best to leave the car at home and take advantage of the additional public transport services running through the night.

Many car parks will become inaccessible as roads progressively close in the city throughout the night. Remember if you have arrived early, roads around you may have closed. It is a fineable offence to drive along or exit a driveway onto a closed road.

Special event clearways

Widespread special event clearways will be in effect along nearly every road in the Sydney CBD. There will be no on-street parking available. Special event clearway parking restrictions are strict no parking zones for all vehicle types, and apply even to local residents and businesses with parking permits or TfNSW Mobility Scheme permit holders.

Look for the bright yellow signs and check them carefully before leaving your vehicle to avoid being towed. Vehicles left in a marked special event clearway zone will be towed and a towing fee of $251 will be sent to the registered vehicle owner.

If your vehicle is towed, 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.

Maps:

• Coming soon

Clearway locations and times from New Year’s Eve (NYE) until New Year’s Day (NYD):

• Sydney CBD and Pyrmont: special event clearways will be in effect on most major roads throughout the Sydney CBD and Pyrmont from 6am on NYE until 4am on NYD. Some clearways will be in effect on Macquarie St from 2am NYE to 6am NYD and around Central Station from 4pm NYE to 4am NYD. 
• North Sydney and surrounds: special event clearways will be in effect on roads in North Sydney, Milsons Point, Kirribilli, Lavender Bay Neutral Bay, Cremorne and Mosman between 1pm on New Year's Eve and 3am on New Year's Day. Some clearways will be in effect the night before on 30 Dec from 6pm, and early on NYE from 6am on roads along the waterfront. Clearways will be in effect along both sides of Falcon St and Military Rd between Crows Nest and Spit Junction from 3pm NYE to 3am NYD.
• Local council areas: clearways will also be in place on various roads in the Eastern Suburbs, Inner West, Northern Beaches, Balmain Peninsula and Hunters Hill Peninsula.

Visit livetraffic.com for full clearway listings in the Sydney CBD, North Sydney and various council areas.

Vantage points

There are a number of areas within vantage points that are reserved for people with disabilities or have accessibility needs to enjoy the night with their family and friends. For more information for each location including accessible features, site entry and public transport advice visit the Sydney New Year's Eve Accessibility Page.

Pick up & Drop off zones

Patrons with accessibility needs are encouraged to arrive early and leave after 1am to avoid the peak crowd arrival and departures.

Designated wheelchair accessible taxi pick-up & drop-off zones will be located at:

• Sydney CBD East: From 4pm to 7pm on Macquarie St north of Bent St
• Sydney CBD East: From 7pm on Shakespeare Place, northern side
• Pyrmont: From 5pm Bowman St northern side between Mount St Walk and Harris St

A valid Australian Disability Parking Permit or TfNSW Mobility Parking Scheme Permit must be displayed in the windscreen to gain access to accessible parking and accessible set-down and pick-up points.

Transport services

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).

Public transport will run close to a 24-hour timetable to help you get to and from the celebrations.

Below is a summary of transport changes that will take place throughout the day and night.

• Trains, metro, buses and light rail will operate close to a 24-hour timetable.
• Trains will run additional services across most lines from 2pm, with frequent services after the midnight fireworks through until New Year’s Day. Trains will not drop off passengers at Circular Quay from 3pm. Trains from the city to the north will not stop at Milsons Point after 6pm. 
• Metro services will run every 4 to 5 minutes from through until New Year’s Day. 
• Buses will be affected by road closures in the Sydney CBD from 12pm and in North Sydney from 3pm, as well as various local council areas. Some local bus routes in the city and North Sydney will be affected earlier in the day. Additional services will run to and from the city and North Sydney on key routes.
  • F​​​​rom 12pm buses that usually run to Circular Quay will relocate to Martin Place
  • From 3pm buses that usually run to North Sydney station will relocate to stops on Miller St and Berry St due to the closure of Blue St. 
  • From 5pm Martin Place buses will relocate to Hyde Park.
  • From 7pm all buses will use stops at Wynyard, Town Hall QVB, or Hyde Park only. 
  • From 11pm to 1.30am buses will not travel across the Harbour Bridge while its closed for the midnight fireworks. Change for trains or metro to travel across the harbour during this time.
• Ferries will not run on the harbour from around 5.30pm. Some wharves will close earlier in the day. Limited ferries will run after the midnight fireworks only.
• Light rail services will run from 5am and be extended until 4am on all L1, L2 and L3 lines. From 2pm services will run to and from Town Hall only, from 7pm services will start and end at Central, change for trains or metro to continue your trip to the northern end of the city. From 8pm to 2.30am L1 services won't run between Central and Convention.

Timeline of changes

• From 10am, McMahons Point wharf will close.
• From 12pm, buses that usually run to and from Walsh Bay and Millers Point will start and end trips at Town Hall, Park St. Buses that usually run to and from Circular Quay will relocate to Martin Place.
• From 2pm, light rail L2 and L3 light rail will start and end trips at Town Hall. Milsons Point Wharf will close
• From 3pm, trains will not stop at Circular Quay. Buses in North Sydney will relocate to stops on Berry St and Miller St due to the closure of Blue St.
• From 5.30pm approx, Ferries will stop running to Circular Quay, some ferries continue running to other wharves.
• From 5pm: Buses from the inner west, north and southern will operate to and from Wynyard and Town Hall only, buses from the east will use stops at Hyde Park interchange while major road closures are in place. 
• From 6pm, Trains from the city to the north shore will not stop at Milsons Point, use North Sydney station or Victoria Cross metro and walk instead.
• From 7pm, L2 and L3 light rail services will start and end at Central, change for trains or metro to continue your trip to the northern end of the city.
• From 8pm to 2.30am, L1 light rail services will not run between Convention and Central.
• From 8pm and 10pm, access to Wynyard and Central stations will be different. From 8pm access Wynyard via George St, Wynyard Walk or Clarence St entries, the York St entry will be closed. From 10pm Central station access will be managed via Eddy Avenue, follow directions of staff and NSW Police on site.
• From 11pm to 1.30am, while the Sydney Harbour Bridge is closed for the midnight fireworks, buses start and end trips in North Sydney or the city. Catch trains or metro to travel across the harbour during this time and connect with buses either side of the bridge to continue your trip.
• After midnight: limited ferries operate to Manly and lower north shore wharves only, no services on Parramatta River or to eastern suburbs wharves. Trains, buses, metro, and light rail services continue to operate through the early hours of New Year’s Day.