It’s lights on for Australia’s biggest cultural event and the city is gearing up for huge crowds in and around the CBD. In 2023, about 3.48 million people made their way to Vivid Sydney with a whopping 459,000 people recorded to have visited in the opening weekend alone. Needless to say, you can expect to battle massive crowds throughout the 23 sparkling nights. To prepare for the onslaught of festivalgoers you’ll want to plan ahead, especially concerning transport. We’ve got all the practical info you need about public transport if you’re planning to visit Vivid Sydney 2024 in this guide.
When is Vivid Sydney?
Vivid Sydney will run from May 24 to June 15. The 2024 theme is Humanity and it aims to investigate the core values that make us human — love, kindness, compassion and creativity. The festival will take place every evening across 23 nights and will feature installations, foodie events, music and dance shows, immersive events and dazzling projections illuminating some of Sydney’s most iconic landmarks. Suss out the entire program here.
Is Vivid Sydney free to attend?
Most of Vivid Sydney is free to attend (barring transport costs, of course) but there are a few ticketed events at the festival including the hypnotic Dark Spectrum experience that will take place in the abandoned tunnels under Wynyard Station, the dreamy Lightscape event at the Royal Botanic Gardens and the fabulous Grand Silky Ball at the Machine Hall.
Luckily, some of the best events at the festival are completely free including the festival’s dazzling drone shows, Tumbalong Nights which will bring 12 nights of free music to Darling Harbour and new installations like Portal and Neolithic.
How to get to and from Vivid Sydney?
For starters, Vivid Sydney and Transport for NSW recommend leaving your cars at home and taking public transport for ease of travel. There are a number of transport options available and the busiest days of the festival are Friday, Saturday and Sunday so plan accordingly. Here’s how to get there.
Trains
Visitors can expect regular train services to the city throughout the festival from early morning to late at night. Extra services also run on the weekends so everyone can enjoy the lights. The closest stations to the light walk are Central, Town Hall, Wynyard and Circular Quay but expect some changes to the Circular Quay transport as there will be road closures around the harbour.
- Circular Quay
Trains will run regularly to Circular Quay on all 23 nights with the exception of the June 9 long weekend. Huge crowds are anticipated on these days (June 8-10) so to mitigate any risks, passengers will need to use nearby stations like Wynyard, Martin Place and St James Stations and continue to Circular Quay on foot. Luckily, all stations are a quick 10 – 15 minute walk to Circular Quay.
- Wynyard
Wynyard is the closest station to Circular Quay and can be reached within 10-15 minutes on foot. Trains are scheduled to run regularly throughout the week. To reach The Rocks or Circular Quay, take the George St station exit and to get to Barangaroo and Darling Harbour, exit via Wynyard Walk Station.
- Central or Town Hall
Central or Town Hall stations are good options if you’re looking to head to Darling Harbour or the Goods Line. Use the Grand Concourse or Railway Square exits from Central for the quickest route to these locations and exit via George Street or Cathedral from Town Hall to continue to Darling Harbour.
Bus
Additional bus services are planned for busier nights during Vivid and services will operate regularly throughout the festival. Do note that on Friday nights from 6pm and weekends from 5pm, buses to Circular Quay will divert to Martin Place due to road closures. Find your best bus route and timetable here.
Ferry
Planning to travel via ferry? It’s one of the most exciting ways to experience the harbour and Vivid lights but you can expect crowds in droves at the wharves so give yourself enough time and plan alternative transport options as backup. During the three nights of the drone shows in June, ferries will not run to Circular Quay from 9pm to 9.30pm. Find more info about the spectacular drone shows here.
Sydney Metro and light rail
Sydney Metro services run from Tallawong Station and Chatswood Station with services running every 10 minutes making it an excellent way to travel between Sydney’s Hills District and North Shore whereas light rail services run throughout the week through the Sydney CBD, South East and Inner West within a short walk from prime Vivid Sydney destinations.
Find the best route from your suburb on Transport for NSW.
Can I drive to Vivid Sydney?
To avoid navigating heavy traffic, road closures and parking restrictions, it’s best to take public transport. If driving is absolutely necessary, be mindful of the restrictions in place and plan accordingly. Find parking options in the CBD here but bear in mind that there will be parking restrictions in place throughout Vivid Sydney locations.
Will there be any road closures during the festival?
Yes, you can expect road closures from 3pm every evening throughout the festival up until 1am. Find the road closures map during Vivid here.
Vivid Sydney is designed to be an accessible event for all, There will be designated accessible viewing areas for people with disability including Hickson Road Reserve, Tumbalong Park and the MCA. Read more about accessible options for public transport, wheelchair hire and viewing spots here.
For more information on parking, clearways, rideshares and road closures, head to the Vivid Sydney website.