Sydney Light Rail - what you need to know
For the first time since the 1960s, Sydneysiders and visitors can travel through the streets of the CBD and beyond via a tram service. Here's everything you need to know about Sydney Light Rail.
How often will they run?
Sydney Light Rail offers frequent ‘turn up and go’ services seven days a week, starting at 5am and finishing at 1am the following morning.
From 7am to 7pm weekdays, services will run every four to eight minutes between Circular Quay and Central, and every eight to twelve minutes between Central and Randwick.
What are the fares?
A holder of an adult Opal card will pay $3.73 for a one-way journey from Circular Quay to Randwick. A shorter trip from Circular Quay to stops along George Street such as Town Hall will cost $2.24.
Adult Opal card holders and users of contactless cards will get a $2 transfer discount when they switch from trains, buses or ferries to the light rail within 60 minutes of their last tap off. Child/Youth, Gold Senior/Pensioner and Concession Opal card holders will get a $1 transfer discount.
Please keep in mind that concession fares are not available using the contactless payment method (credit or debit card). If you are entitled to concession fares, you should travel with a Child/Youth, Concession or Gold Senior/Pensioner Opal card to avoid paying a higher fare.
How do I pay?
Like the rest of Sydney's public transport network, the light rail will accept Opal, as well as contactless payments and devices, as long as they’re linked to a credit or debit card (American Express, Mastercard or Visa). You'll find Opal readers on every platform, to tap on before boarding, and to tap off when you disembark.
Where will it stop?
In total, there are 19 stops on the 13km light rail route. Once the trams hit Moore Park heading south, they branch off to Kingsford or Randwick.
The stops on the CBD line include:
- Circular Quay (on Alfred Street near Pitt Street)
- Bridge Street (George Street south of Bridge Street)
- Wynyard (George Street between Hunter Street and Angel Place)
- QVB (George Street south of Market Street)
- Town Hall (George Street between Park Street and Bathurst Street)
- Chinatown (George Street near Campbell Street)
- Haymarket (Rawson Place west of Pitt Street)
- Central Chalmers Street (Chalmers Street between Eddy Avenue and Devonshire Street)
- Surry Hills (Devonshire Street at Ward Park, near Riley Street)
- Moore Park (opposite Sydney High north of Cleveland Street/Lang Road)
For a complete list of stops which includes the Randwick and the Kingsford branches of the light rail, click here.
Staying safe around the light rail
Whether you're walking, riding, driving or catching public transport, it's important that we all know the rules and play our part to stay safe around light rail.
Please remember that:
- Trams cannot stop easily or quickly
- Trams are quiet, pedestrians should look out (both directions) before they step out
- Bicycle riders are not permitted to ride in the tram lanes, and when travelling through an intersection, cross the tracks on an angle
For drivers:
- New signals are now in place for trams, always stop on the red
- Never turn in front of trams
For more safety tips and to learn about light rail penalties, click here.
