Vivid Sydney - Details and Transport Information

Friday 23 May to Monday 09 June 2014

• Sydney CBD
• North Sydney
• Circular Quay & The Rocks
• Darling Harbour
• Carriageworks, Redfern

Installations open (times may vary): 18:00
Installations close (times may vary): 24:00

Transport details

Event Website: Vivid Sydney

Use the Trip planner to plan your trip with up-to-date train, bus, ferry and light rail information. You can also use one of the many real-time apps to track your service.

Special information

• Vivid Sydney is a free, unticketed 18-day festival of light, music and ideas.
• Large crowds are expected in the city throughout the event, especially on Friday and Saturday nights and over the June long weekend.
• Significant road closures and clearways will be in place every weeknight from 19:00 and on weekends (including the Monday 9 June public holiday) from 17:00 to manage congestion and keep pedestrians safe.
• Traffic will be heavy, parking will be limited and you won’t be able to see most Vivid Sydney events from a vehicle.
• There are many events and installations across the city, so you don’t need to see it all in one go. Plan your Vivid Sydney experience over a couple of nights, leave the car at home and take advantage of extra public transport services.

Train

• All Vivid Sydney precincts are within walking distance of train stations.
• The best stations for accessing Vivid Sydney events are Central, Town Hall, Wynyard, Martin Place, Circular Quay, St James, Museum, North Sydney, Milsons Point and Redfern.
• Extra trains are running into the city and around the City Circle on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights to help get you around the Vivid Sydney precincts.
• Circular Quay will be extremely popular during the event so on Saturday nights and the long weekend Sunday, trains will not pick up passengers at Circular Quay Station between 18:00 and 22:00.
  • If you are travelling to Circular Quay on these days, please alight at Wynyard or St James.
• For train information, visit Sydney Trains timetables.

Trackwork

• Trackwork is taking place during Vivid Sydney and may affect how you travel. For the latest information, check trackwork service updates or use the Trip planner.

Bus

• Plenty of extra buses are running in and out of the city during Vivid Sydney.
• Some buses will be diverted and have changed stops due to road closures. Check signage on the bus route and use the Trip planner before you travel.
• Daily changes: Bus services to the Rocks and Millers Point will be diverted when road closures are in place.
• Fridays:
  • From 19:00, buses that normally start at Circular Quay will begin from temporary terminals on George Street at Wynyard Station or Martin Place near Elizabeth Street and Castlereagh Street.
• Saturdays, Sundays and long weekend Monday:
  • From 17:00, buses to and from the CBD will be moved from Circular Quay to temporary terminals at:
    • Elizabeth Street near Martin Place
    • Castlereagh Street near Martin Place
    • Castlereagh Street near Market Street
    • Clarence Street near Margaret Street
    • York Street, Queen Victoria Building

Sydney Ferries

• Ferries will be in high demand during Vivid Sydney, especially on the weekends and public holiday.
• Services will reach capacity and there will be long queues, so consider taking one of the frequent trains or buses instead.
• 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.
• There are no free ferry services during Vivid Sydney.

Road

• There will be significant road closures and special event clearways in place in the Sydney CBD, The Rocks and Walsh Bay throughout the 18 days of the event.
• Roads will be closed from 19:00 on weekdays and 17:00 on weekends and the June public holiday.
  • On Saturdays and Sundays, George Street will be fully closed from the Rocks to Hunter Street, and closed to northbound traffic from Hunter Street to Market Street.
• Special event clearways will also be in place across the Sydney CBD between 15:00 and midnight depending on the day, so check signage carefully before parking.
  • Special event clearways are no parking zones, even for residents and businesses with parking permits and Mobility Scheme permits.
  • Vehicles left in special event clearways will be towed and a fee applies.
• For an interactive map showing road closure dates, times and locations, visit Vivid Sydney.
• For a list of all road closures and clearways as well as information on general traffic conditions visit Live Traffic NSW.
• You can also download the free iPhone, iPad or Android app or call the Traffic Information Line on 132 701.

Taxi

• Demand for taxis will be high and queue times may be lengthy, so please be patient and considerate of others.
• Due to road closures, there will be some changes to taxi rank locations:
  • The taxi rank at the Four Season Hotel on George Street will be moved to Bridge Street (southern side) between Pitt Street and George Street on Fridays, Sundays and the long weekend Monday.
    • On Saturdays and the long weekend Sunday it will move to Harrington Street (eastern side) between Essex Street and Grosvenor Street.
  • The taxi rank on Alfred Street (northern side) at Circular Quay will move to Pitt Street (western side) between Reiby Place and Dalley Street on Fridays, Sundays and the long weekend Monday.
    • On Saturdays and the long weekend Sunday it will move to Pitt Street (western side) between Bridge Street and Curtin Place.
  • The Darling Harbour taxi rank on Darling Drive behind Harbourside Shopping Centre will operate as normal.
• There will be managed taxi access to Sydney Opera House and Walsh Bay for show ticket-holders.
• For details of taxi networks servicing the Sydney area, visit NSW Taxi Council.

Accessibility

Parking

• Patrons with accessibility needs are encouraged to visit Vivid Sydney on weeknights, when crowds are expected to be smaller.
• Limited accessible parking will be available in Walsh Bay, on Hickson Road north of Pottinger Street on a first-come, first-served basis.
• Accessible set-down and pick-up points will be available at:
  • Walsh Bay on Hickson Road north of Towns Place
  • Circular Quay on Macquarie Street north of Albert Street.
• Vehicles will not be permitted to park in these locations and wait for patrons to return.
• A valid Australian Disability Parking Permit must be displayed in the windscreen to gain access to accessible parking and accessible set-down and pick-up points.

Public transport

• Accessible transport options can be found on the Trip planner by checking 'Mobility options'. Only trip plans with accessible train platforms, ferry wharves and buses will be presented. Seeaccessible travel in NSW.

Trains

• Central, Town Hall, Wynyard, Martin Place, Circular Quay, St James, Museum, North Sydney and Milsons Point stations are all wheelchair accessible.
• Redfern Station is not wheelchair accessible.
• See accessible trains and stations.

Buses

• Nearly all of Sydney Buses’ services are wheelchair accessible. Features of wheelchair accessible buses include wider doors and aisles, and space for two mobility aids such as wheelchairs, some ride-on scooters and prams or strollers. See travel on accessible buses.

Sydney Ferries

• The entire Sydney Ferries fleet is wheelchair accessible via wheelchair accessible ferry wharves (pending tidal and safety conditions). See accessible ferries and wharves.

View Transport NSW official site