Summer holiday transport 2020 - 2021
During summer holidays, especially over Christmas and New Year, metro, trains, buses, ferries and light rail may not run as usual. However, there will still be plenty of services to cater for everyone’s needs.
Travelling to the airport
If you’re heading interstate, it will be busy so allow more travel time to the airport. Please make sure to plan your trip before you travel.
If you do choose to drive, check the traffic at livetraffic.com before you leave.
Late night services
Don’t get caught out after a night out. There are late night public transport services from the Sydney CBD to get you home.
- Ferries run till various times between 6pm and 12.20am from Circular Quay.
- Sydney’s new light rail runs until 1am between Circular Quay and Randwick.
- Inner west light rail runs until 11pm everyday and until 12am on Fridays between Central and Dulwich Hill. Between Central and The Star the light rail runs till 6am.
- Buses will run from midnight to 4.30am out of the city to various locations such as Sutherland, Penrith and Liverpool.
Plan ahead for your late night travel.
Summer timetables summary
| Dates | Metro |
|---|---|
| Wednesday 23 December 2020 |
|
| Thursday 24 December 2020 |
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| Christmas Day Friday 25 December 2020 |
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| Boxing Day Saturday 26 December 2020 |
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| Sunday 27 December 2020 |
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| Boxing Day Holiday Monday 28 December 2020 |
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| Tuesday 29 December 2020 |
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| Wednesday 30 December 2020 |
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| New Years Eve Thursday 31 December 2020 |
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| New Years Day Friday 1 January 2021 |
|
| Saturday 2 January 2021 |
|
| Australia Day Tuesday 26 January 2021 |
|
- Sydney and Intercity trains will run a changed timetable over the summer holiday period. Plan your trip for the latest travel information.
- Trackwork may affect your travel over the holiday period. Please check travel alerts and trackwork before you travel.
- From 26 to 28 December, buses replace all trains between Hurstville and Central along the T4 Eastern Suburbs & Illawarra Line for track maintenance work.
- From 26 to 28 December, South Coast Line trains run between South Coast Line stations and Waterfall only. Limited stop bus services run between Waterfall and Central.
- From 6am, 1 to 2am, 11 January 2021, T1 North Shore & Western lines, T9 Northern line and Central Coast & Newcastle line train services will be replaced by buses between North Sydney and Wynyard while the Sydney Harbour Bridge’s railway tracks undergo major maintenance work.
| Dates | Train |
|---|---|
| Wednesday 23 December 2020 |
|
| Thursday 24 December 2020 |
|
| Christmas Day Friday 25 December 2020 |
|
| Boxing Day Saturday 26 December 2020 |
|
| Sunday 27 December 2020 |
|
| Boxing Day Holiday Monday 28 December 2020 |
|
| Tuesday 29 December 2020 |
|
| Wednesday 30 December 2020 |
|
| New Year's Eve Thursday 31 December 2020 |
Sydney and Intercity Trains:
|
| New Year's Day Friday 1 January 2021 |
|
| Saturday 2 January 2021 |
|
| Australia Day Tuesday 26 January 2021 |
|
- Between Christmas and New Year some bus timetables may change. Extra services will be provided for big events throughout December and January. Plan your trip for up-to-date travel information.
| Dates | Bus |
|---|---|
| Wednesday 23 December 2020 |
|
| Thursday 24 December 2020 |
|
| Christmas Day Friday 25 December 2020 |
|
| Boxing Day Saturday 26 December 2020 |
|
| Sunday 27 December 2020 |
|
| Boxing Day Holiday Monday 28 December 2020 |
|
| Tuesday 29 December 2020 |
|
| Wednesday 30 December 2020 |
|
| New Year's Eve Thursday 31 December 2020 |
|
| New Year's Day Friday 1 January 2021 |
|
| Australia Day Tuesday 26 January 2021 |
|
- Sydney Harbour is always busy over the summer, plan your trip in advance and allow extra travel time.
- From 12 December 2020 to 26 January 2021 there will be extra F1 Manly services.
- Garden Island Wharf is closed.
- For service changes outside of Sydney Harbour, check out details on operator websites.
| Dates | Ferry |
|---|---|
| Wednesday 23 December 2020 |
|
| Thursday 24 December 2020 |
|
| Christmas Day Friday 25 December 2020 |
|
| Boxing Day Saturday 26 December 2020 |
|
| Sunday 27 December 2020 |
|
| Monday 28 December 2020 |
|
| Tuesday 29 December 2020 |
|
| Wednesday 30 December 2020 |
|
| New Year's Eve Thursday 31 December 2020 |
Most ferry services will begin to end services from around 4pm as the harbour closes, with some services starting to resume from approximately midnight on New Years Day.
|
| New Year's Day Friday 1 January 2021 |
|
| Saturday 2 January 2021 |
|
|
Australia Day |
|
| Dates | Light rail |
|---|---|
| Thursday 24 December 2020 |
|
| Christmas Day Friday 25 December 2020 |
|
| Boxing Day Saturday 26 December 2020 |
|
| Sunday 27 December 2020 |
|
| Monday 28 December 2020 |
|
| Tuesday 29 December 2020 |
|
| Wednesday 30 December 2020 |
|
| New Year's Eve Thursday 31 December 2020 |
L1 Inner West
L2 Circular Quay to Randwick
|
| New Year's Day Friday 1 January 2021 |
|
| Saturday 2 January 2021 |
|
|
Australia Day |
|
Opal
You can use an Opal card for all modes of public transport in Sydney and surrounding regions, including trains, buses, ferries and light rail. You can enjoy a Travel Cap of $8.05 on Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays.
More ways to pay
If you don’t have an Opal card, you can tap on and tap off with your contactless enabled American Express, Mastercard or Visa credit/debit card, or a linked device (like a phone or smart watch) to pay your fare on public transport.**
If you use an overseas-issued card, your issuer may charge foreign transaction fees.
You will be charged an Adult Opal fare and receive all the same travel benefits and discounts of an Adult Opal card when you consistently tap on and tap off.
** Contactless cards and devices cannot be used in place of Opal cards to access Transport Park&Ride car parks, or to pay On Demand Public Transport fares.