Road closures

There are a few things you should know if you plan on driving on New Year’s Eve.

Aerial view of New Year’s Eve spectators on the closed Cahill Expressway and spectators packed into the Circular Quay foreshore.

More information on road closures and maps will be available in November 2025.

With so many parking restrictions and most roads closing in the city and around the North Sydney harbour foreshore and approaches 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 with major closures from 12pm. 

In North Sydney, Milsons Point and Kirribilli major roads start closing from 5pm, with some early morning local road closures. Roads around vantage points at the waterfront close from 7pm on Tuesday 30 December. 

The Sydney Harbour Bridge will be completely closed in both directions, and the Anzac Bridge and Western Distributor citybound lanes will be closed from 11pm ahead of the midnight fireworks. 

Most 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 and Live Traffic NSW Facebook. 

City centre and Pyrmont  

  • 4am 31 December to 4am 1 January: roads in the Royal Botanic Garden including Art Gallery Road and Mrs Macquaries Road.

  • 4am 31 December to 6am 1 January:  the Cahill Expressway 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 Sydney Harbour tunnel instead. The Sydney Harbour Bridge will close from 11pm to 1:30am for the midnight fireworks.  Macquarie Street from Bridge Street to the Sydney Opera House, Albert Street, and Conservatorium Road..

  • 6am 31 December to 4am 1 January: roads in Millers Point and The Rocks including a section of Argyle Place and Kent Street High Street, High Lane,  Windmill Street, and Trinity Avenue, along with a section of George Street, and in the city centre including sections of Bridge Street, Macquarie Street, Phillip Lane and Circular Quay access east road. In Potts Point a section of Victoria Street and McDonald Lane.

  • 6am 31 December to 10am 1 January: Circular Quay west from George Street at the Overseas Passenger Terminal. 

  • 8am 31 December to 4am 1 January: roads in Millers Point at Observatory Hill including Watson Road and Upper Fort Street.

  • 12pm 31 December to 4am 1 January:  roads in Circular Quay and The Rocks north of Bridge Street will close, including Phillip, Young, Loftus, Pitt and George streets, along with other local roads. Harrington Street north of Essex Street will close along with sections of Essex Street, and Argyle Street and a section of Hickson Road. Access to Hickson Road north of Pottinger Street will be available for light vehicles only between 12pm and 2pm. Heavy vehicles will not have access to Hickson Road north of Pottinger Street from 12 midday.

  • 2pm 31 December to 4am 1 January: roads in Millers Point including Lower Fort, Pottinger, Cumberland, Gloucester and sections of Argyle Place, Harrington and Essex streets will close along with Hickson Road north of Pottinger Street. In the city centre, sections of Grosvenor, Lang, Bridge, Phillip, and Young streets will close along with other local roads.

  • 4pm 31 December to 1am 1 January: Iron Wharf Place from Darling Drive (Sofitel access) at Darling Harbour. 

  • 4pm 31 December to 4am 1 January: in Haymarket, Railway Colonnade at Central station will close.

  • 4pm 31 December to 4am 1 January: Railway Colonnade Drive between Hay Street and Pitt Street at Central Station including all car, bus, and coach parking on the Western Forecourt, and the ramp

  • 5pm 31 December to 4am 1 January: roads in the city centre including sections of Bridge, Pitt, Bent, Hunter, O’Connell, Bligh, Elizabeth, Phillip, Castlereagh, Jamison, Grosvenor, Lang, Prince Albert Road, and College streets, St Marys Road, Boomerang Place, and Yurong Parkway. Roads in the Millers Point area, including sections of Hickson Road, Kent Street, Dalgety Road, Towns Place and other local roads. In Barangaroo, Waterman’s Quay and Barton Street will close. In Pyrmont north, sections of Harris Street and Pirrama Road will close.  There will be no access to Sydney Harbour Bridge from Kent Street.

  • 6pm 31 December to 4am 1 January: Darling Island Road and surrounding local roads on the peninsula in Pyrmont will close. 

  • 7pm 31 December to 4am 1 January: more roads in the city centre including sections of Macquarie, Elizabeth, Castlereagh, Pitt, King, Market, Bathurst, and Park streets and Hospital, St Mary’s and Prince Albert roads. In Pyrmont, further sections of Pirrama Road will close. In Darling Harbour sections of Wheat Road and Harbour Street, including Cross City Tunnel Harbour Street and Bathurst Street off ramp westbound and Harbour Street on ramp eastbound will close.   Other Cross City Tunnel portals will remain open. From 7pm the only way to travel east or west through the city is via Goulburn Street. . From the Sydney Harbour Bridge there will be no access to Harbour Street at Darling Harbour. Use York Street or Glebe off ramps. In Potts Point sections of Victoria Street and Challis Avenue.

  • 8pm 31 December to 1am 1 January: Darling Drive between Murray and Pier streets. Vehicles from car parks permitted to exit southbound only onto Darling Drive. 

  • 10pm 31 December to 4am 1 January: roads from Wynyard to Town Hall including York Street and sections of Clarence, Margaret, Eskine, King and Market streets. Roads in Wynyard bus interchange will close including Carrington Street, Wynyard Street, and Wynyard Lane.

  • 11pm 31 December to 1:30am 1 January: Sydney Harbour Bridge closed in both directions and Western Distributor closed eastbound between Rozelle Interchange and Pyrmont. Access to the Western Distributor is available via Pyrmont Bridge Road with exit via Bathurst Street to Harbour Street southbound only, or the Cross City Tunnel. The Anzac Bridge will be closed citybound , westbound lanes remain open. The M4 and M8 citybound tunnels and Iron Cove Link tunnel  will also be closed. Roads in the area also closed include Sussex, Napoleon, and Kent streets, a section of Hay Street in Chinatown and all roads around King Street Wharf/Barangaroo.

  • 11pm 31 December to 4am 1 January: further closures in city centre  around Hyde Park include sections of Liverpool, Pitt, Castlereagh, Bathurst and Elizabeth streets. Near Central in the city south sections of Pitt, Elizabeth, Hay, Campbell, George, and Quay streets, and a section of Ultimo Road,  small sections of local roads will be closed.

North Sydney 

  • 7pm 30 December to 3am 1 January: roads around vantage points in Milsons Point, Kirribilli and McMahons Point will close including Blues Point Road, Lavender Crescent, Kirribilli Avenue, Olympic Drive, Broughton and Pitt streets, Railway and Henry Lawson avenues. 

  • 8am 31 December to 3am 1 January: sections of Blues Point Road, Alfred Street South and local roads surrounding vantage points will close. 

  • 12pm 31 December to 3am 1 January: Fitzroy Street between Alfred Street South and Broughton Street  and Balls Head Dr (loop Rd)

  • 3pm 31 December to 3am 1 January: Blue Street at North Sydney station and Ennis Road from Broughton Street at Milsons Point station will close. 

  • 5pm 31 December to 3am 1 January: more major roads in North Sydney, McMahons Point, Milsons Point and Waverton including sections of Miller Street, Blues Point Road, Lavender and Union streets, Balls Head Road, Pacific Highway southbound, Alfred Street south, Walker and Denison streets and surrounding local roads. 

  • From 5pm 31 December: access to Kirribilli and Milsons Point is via Military Road only due to the closure of Pacific Highway southbound. 

  • 8pm 31 December to 3am 1 January: Pacific Highway northbound off ramp to North Sydney from Sydney Harbour Bridge. Use the Miller Street or Military Road off ramps instead for access to North Sydney. 

  • 11pm 31 December to 1.30am 1 January: Sydney Harbour Bridge closed in both directions and Western Distributor fully closed between Pyrmont and the city. Roads in city centre west also closed including Sussex and Kent streets, and all roads around King Street Wharf/Barangaroo. 

For traffic on Arthur Street southbound between Berry and Mount streets, turn left on to Warringah Freeway northbound . 

Road closure maps 

Maps will be available soon

Car parks and street parking 

No vehicles will be able to enter or exit car parks in the city until the NSW Police Force reopens all roads. 

It is an offence to drive on closed roads and penalties apply. NSW Police will monitor roads and car parks to ensure public safety while closures are in place. 

Street parking restrictions 

Special event clearway parking restrictions will be in effect from 6am 31 December to 4am 1 January on most roads in the city and Pyrmont, and from 1pm to 3am in North Sydney.  

Clearways are strict no-parking zones for all vehicle and motorcycle types, and apply to local residents and businesses with parking permits or Transport for NSW mobility scheme parking permits. 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. 

Clearway locations and times from New Year’s Eve until New Year’s Day 

  • City centre and Pyrmont: special event clearways will be in effect on most major roads throughout the city centre and Pyrmont from 6am 31 December until 4am 1 January. 

  • North Sydney and surrounds: special event clearways will be in effect on roads in North Sydney, Milsons Point, Kirribilli, Lavender Bay, Neutral Bay, Cremorne and Mosman from 1pm 31 December to 3am 1 January. Some clearways will be in effect from 6pm 30 December, and also from 6am 31 December on roads along the waterfront. Clearways will be in effect along both sides of Falcon Street and Military Road between Crows Nest and Spit Junction from 3pm 31 December to 3am 1 January. 

  • Local council areas: clearways will also be in place on various roads in the eastern suburbs, Inner West, Northern Beaches, Balmain peninsula and Hunters Hill peninsula. 

  • Look for the bright yellow signs and check them carefully before parking your vehicle on New Year’s Eve. If your vehicle is towed, you can search your vehicle registration at the Find My Car website to find its new location, or alternatively 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 below. Follow the directions on signs. 

Sydney Harbour Bridge cycleway 

  • From 6pm 31 December to 2am 1 January: Sydney Harbour Bridge walkway and cycleway (both directions) between Milsons Point and Observatory Hill Park. 

  • From 8am cyclists traveling south on Sydney Harbour Bridge cycleway will be required to slow down on approach, dismount and walk their bicycles a short distance to safely connect to shared paths, cycleways and open roads. 

  • From 8am Watson Road and Upper Fort Street will be closed. Pedestrians will be walking on the road to Observatory Hill Park throughout the day. 

Western Distributor walkway 

  • The Western Distributor walkway above Darling Harbour will be closed twice during the fireworks shows, from 8:30pm to 9:15pm and from 11:30pm to 12:15am. 

Cahill Expressway 

From 4am to 6am

  • From 4am 31 December to 6am 1 January, Cahill Walk on the Cahill Expressway Circular Quay overpass will be closed. 

City centre 

From 5pm 31 December to 4am 1 January

  • College Street cycleway between Liverpool Street and Prince Albert Road 

  • King Street cycleway between Pitt and Phillip streets (Queens Square) 

  • King Street cycleway between Sussex and Clarence streets 

  • Pitt Street cycleway between Alfred and King streets 

  • Hickson Road cycleway between Munn St overpass and Barangaroo Central 

From 6pm 31 December to 2am 1 January 

  • Kent Street cycleway between Margaret St and Kent St on-ramp

From 7pm 31 December to 4am 1 January 

  • Castlereagh Street cycleway between Bathurst St and King St

From 11pm 31 December to 1:30am 1 January 

  • Kent Street cycleway between Liverpool and Margaret streets 

From 11pm 31 December to 4am 1 January 

  • Castlereagh Street cycleway between Liverpool St and Bathurst St

  • Liverpool Street cycleway between Castlereagh and Dixon streets 

Darling Harbour and Pyrmont 

  • From 8pm 31 December to 1:30am 1 January: Darling Drive cycleway between Ultimo Road and Murray Street. 

Cycling 

There will be changes on New Year’s Eve for people riding bikes and bike share operations. Roads will be monitored by NSW Police to ensure the safety of crowds. 

It is an offence to ride a bike on closed roads and penalties apply.   

Share bikes will be locked out of the road closure area from midnight on 30 December to 4am on 1 January.  This means you won’t be able to book, ride or park a share bike in the road closure area.  

You can still ride a share bike outside the road closure area and park it in their designated parking zones during this time. 

To help you get to and from the event, bike share companies will provide share hubs on New Year’s Eve. These are at: 

  • Cathedral Square 

  • Prince Alfred Park 

  • Fish Market light rail plaza

You can use these hubs as a convenient area to leave your share bike and continue on foot to viewing areas or connect to public transport. They’re also available to use after the fireworks. 

If you’re planning to travel on your own bike, you’ll be asked by NSW Police or event staff to walk your bike within the road closure area.  

Public transport is your best option to and from the celebrations.