Road closures
Leave the car at home
There are a few things you should know if you plan on driving on New Year’s Eve.
With so many parking restrictions and major roads closed, you can’t drive to vantage points or see the fireworks from your car. Leave your car at home and catch public transport instead with thousands of extra services running throughout the night.
Major roads closed
In the city centre, some roads start closing from as early as 4am. Roads in Circular Quay and The Rocks close by 2pm, and the city centre, Millers Point, Walsh Bay and Pyrmont from 5pm.
In North Sydney, Milsons Point and Kirribilli, major roads start closing from the early morning. Roads around vantage points along the harbour close from 7pm, Monday 30 December.
The Sydney Harbour Bridge will be completely closed in both directions from 11pm ahead of the midnight fireworks.
Majority of roads in North Sydney and Milsons Point will reopen by 3am and in the city centre by 4am.
For real-time updates on traffic conditions and road closures during New Year’s Eve visit Live Traffic NSW website or app, or follow @LiveTrafficSyd on X (formerly Twitter) and Live Traffic NSW Facebook.
Closed roads
City centre and Pyrmont
From 10pm, Thursday 26 December to 6am, Monday 6 January : the Cahill Expressway southbound lanes on the Sydney Harbour Bridge and overpass at Circular Quay, including the High Street and Mount Street on-ramps.
For travel to and from the east use the Sydney Harbour Bridge deck lanes or the tunnel instead. The Sydney Harbour Bridge will close from 11pm to 1.30am for the midnight fireworks.
31 December to 1 January
4am - 6am: Macquarie Street north of Bridge Street to the Sydney Opera House, east Circular Quay access road and roads in the Royal Botanic Garden and the Domain including Art Gallery Road and Mrs Macquaries Road.
6am – 4am: Roads in Millers Point including Argyle Place, High Street, Kent Street and Windmill Street, and in the city centre including sections of Bridge Street, Macquarie Street north of Bent Street and Phillip Lane.
Managed access until 8am for Upper Fort Street between Watson Road and end of road (Observatory Hill) and Watson Road between Argyle St and Upper Fort Street
6am – 10am: Circular Quay west from George Street at the Overseas Passenger Terminal
6am – 2pm: George Street between Hickson Road and Lower Fort Street in The Rocks.
12pm – 4am: Barangaroo, Barton Street, Hickson Road between Watermans Quay and Towns Place, Hickson Road northbound from Napoleon Street to Watermans Quay.
2pm – 4am: roads in Circular Quay and The Rocks north of Bridge Street including sections of George Street/Hickson Road to Pottinger Street, Grosvenor Street including Sydney Harbour Bridge off-ramp, Bridge Street, Phillip Street, Young Street, Pitt Street, Loftus Street, Lower Fort Street, Cumberland Street, Harrington Street, Argyle Street and other local roads.
4pm – 1am: Iron Wharf Place from Darling Drive (Sofitel access) at Darling Harbour
5pm – 4am: roads in the city centre including sections of Bridge Street, Pitt Street, Bent Street, Hunter Street, O’Connell Street, Elizabeth Street, Phillip Street, Castlereagh Street, College Street, St Marys Road, Yurong Parkway.
In Millers Point Hickson Road, Kent Street, Dalgety Road, Towns Place and local roads.
In Pyrmont north, sections of Harris Street and Pirrama Road. \
In Haymarket, Railway Colonnade at Central station.
6pm – 4am: Darling Island Road and surrounding local roads in Pyrmont .
7pm – 4am: more roads in the city centre including Macquarie Street, Elizabeth Street, Castlereagh Street, Pitt Street, King Street, Market Street, Bathurst Street, Park Street and Hospital Road.
In Pyrmont, additional sections of Pirrama Road.
In Darling Harbour sections of Wheat Road and Harbour Street including Harbour Street/Bathurst Street off-ramp from Cross City Tunnel westbound.
From 7pm the only way to travel east/west across the city centre is through Goulburn Street or the Cross City Tunnel.
From the Harbour Bridge there will also be no access to Harbour St at Darling Harbour. Use York St or Glebe Off-ramps.
8pm – 1am: In Darling Harbour, Darling Drive between Murray St and Pier St. Vehicles from car parks to exit southbound only onto Darling Drive.
10pm – 4am: roads from Wynyard to Town Hall including York Street, Clarence Street, Margaret Street.
11pm – 1.30am: Sydney Harbour Bridge closed in both directions and Western Distributor fully closed between Pyrmont and the city centre. In city centre Sussex Street, Kent Street and all roads in King Street Wharf/Barangaroo.
11pm – 4am: more closes in the city centre around Hyde Park including sections of Liverpool, Pitt, Castlereagh, Bathurst and Elizabeth streets. At Central, Eddy Avenue and local roads. In Barangaroo, sections of Watermans Quay, Barangaroo Avenue and Sussex Street.
North Sydney
7pm 30 December – 3am 1 January: around vantage points in Milsons Point, Kirribilli and McMahons Point including Blues Point Road, Lavender Crescent, Kirribilli Avenue, Olympic Drive, Broughton Street, Pitt Street, Railway Avenue and Henry Lawson Avenue.
31 December to 1 January
6am - 3am : Fitzroy Street between Alfred Street south and Broughton Street
8am – 3am : sections of Blues Point Road, Alfred Street south and local roads around vantage points .
3pm 3am : Blue Street at North Sydney station and Ennis Road from Broughton Street at Milsons Point station
5pm – 3am : more major roads in North Sydney, McMahons Point, Milsons Point and Waverton including sections of Miller Street, Blues Point Road, Lavender Street, Union Street, Balls Head Road, Pacific Highway southbound, Alfred St south, Walker Street, Denison Street and surrounding local roads.
From 5pm access to Kirribilli and Milsons Point is at Military Rd only
8pm 31 Dec – 3am 1 Jan: the Pacific Hwy northbound off ramp to North Sydney from Sydney Harbour Bridge. Use the Miller St or Military Rd off-ramps instead for access to North Sydney.
11pm – 1.30am: Sydney Harbour Bridge closed in both directions and Western Distributor fully closed between Pyrmont and the city. Roads in CBD West also closed including Sussex St and Kent St, and all roads in King St Wharf/Barangaroo.
Arthur St southbound between Berry St and Mount St, all traffic to turn left on to Warringah Fwy northbound
Road closure maps
View the Transport for NSW Sydney New Year’s Eve interactive map .
Car parks and street parking
No vehicles will be able to exit car parks in the city centre until the NSW Police Force reopens all roads. The road you drove on may be closed after you’ve left your vehicle.
It’s an offence to drive on closed roads and penalties apply. NSW Police Force will monitor roads and car parks to ensure public safety while closures are in place.
Clearways
Special event clearways are in place from 6am New Year’s Eve to 4am New Year’s Day on most roads in the city centre, Pyrmont and from 1pm to 3am in North Sydney.
Clearways are strict no-parking zones for all vehicle types, and apply to residents and businesses with parking permits or mobility scheme permit holders. Vehicles left in clearways will be towed and a fee applies.
Some clearways are apply on Macquarie Street from 2am New Year’s Eve to 6am New Year’s Day and around Central station from 4pm to 4am.
North Sydney and surrounds: North Sydney, Milsons Point, Kirribilli, Lavender Bay Neutral Bay, Cremorne and Mosman from 1pm on New Year's Eve to 3am on New Year's Day. Some clearways apply from 6pm, 30 December and 6am on New year’s Eve along the harbour. Clearways apply both sides of Falcon Street and Military Road between Crows Nest and Spit Junction from 3pm New Year’s Eve to 3am New Year’s Day.
Clearways will also be in place on various roads in the eastern suburbs, inner west, northern beaches, Balmain and Hunters Hill.
Look for the bright yellow signs and check them carefully before parking your vehicle on New Year’s Eve. If your vehicle is towed, visit the Find My Car website or call 132 701.
Cycleways and walkways
As roads close through the day and night, closures will also be in place on shared pathways, walkways and cycleways. Follow directions on signs.
City centre
From 8am south on Sydney Harbour Bridge cycleway walk your bicycle a short distance to safely connect to shared paths, cycleways, and open roads.
Watson Road and Upper Fort Street will close from 8am. You can walk on the road to the Observatory Hill vantage point throughout the day.
From 6pm 31 December to 2am 1 January Sydney Harbour Bridge walkway and cycleway in both directions between Milsons Point and Observatory Hill will close.
Western Distributor walkway
Closed during the fireworks from 8:30pm to 9:15pm and 11:30pm to 12:30am.
31 December to 1 January
Cahill Expressway
From 6am to 5.30am: Cahill Walk on the Cahill Expressway Circular Quay overpass.
From 7pm to 4am
College Street cycleway between Liverpool Street and Prince Albert Road
King Street cycleway between Pitt Street and Phillip Street (Queens Square)
King Street cycleway between Sussex Street and Clarence Street
Pitt Street cycleway between Alfred Street and King Street
From 11pm to 1:30am
Kent St cycleway between Liverpool Street and Margaret Street
From 11pm to 4am
Liverpool Street cycleway between Castlereagh Street and Harbour Street
Hickson Road cycleway between Napoleon Street and Erskine Street
Darling Harbour and Pyrmont
From 6pm to 2am: Kent Street cycleway between Margaret Street and Sydney Harbour Bridge on ramp.
From 8pm to 1.30am: Darling Drive cycleway between Ultimo Road and Murray Street
From 8.30pm to 9.30pm and 11.30pm to 1.30am: Western Distributor walkway from Murray Street and Pyrmont Street to Wheat Road, Cockle Bay Wharf
Public transport is your best option to and from the celebrations.