Vivid Sydney

Start date

Vivid Sydney returns for its 12th year to light up the city for 23 consecutive nights from Friday 27 May to Saturday 18 June. Lights switch on from 6pm until 11pm each night. 

Roads will close from 5pm each night in Circular Quay and The Rocks with additional closures in the Sydney CBD, Walsh Bay and around Darling Harbour on Friday nights and the weekends. All drivers should be advised to drive to the conditions, allow extra travel time, and follow the directions of signs, NSW Police and traffic control. Service providers should share the following information with their drivers so they can plan their journey.

Special event clearways 

Special event clearways parking restrictions will be in effect from 3pm until midnight daily on most major roads in The Rocks, Circular Quay and the Sydney CBD. Clearways will also be in effect on some local roads around King St Wharf and Haymarket at Central Station. Drivers should be reminded to check parking signs carefully.

Information for Taxi drivers

Taxi ranks within the road closure footprint around Circular Quay and The Rocks will not be accessible on Fridays after 6pm and weekends after 5pm until roads reopen by midnight each night, and 1am on Saturday nights. 

Please advise drivers they are required to use pick up and drop off points outside of the road closure footprint. 

The taxi rank on Macquarie St at the Sydney Opera House remains open throughout Vivid Sydney for nearby access to Circular Quay, however traffic is expected to be heavy on weekends.

Taxi ranks at Darling Harbour, including on Harbour St at Darling Square and Iron Place Wharf at ICC Sydney also remain open throughout Vivid Sydney. Zollner Circuit taxi rank will have managed access on Friday nights and weekends while sections of Darling Drive are closed south of Pier St from 5.30pm to midnight, traffic will be heavy, so drivers are encouraged to use alternative nearby ranks.

Key road closures between 27 May and 18 June:

Monday to Thursdays

  • 5pm – midnight: closures in The Rocks including George St north of Alfred St, Hickson Rd to Pottinger St and Railway Colonnade at Central Station.
  • 7pm – midnight: northbound lanes of George St closed from Grosvenor St to Essex St.  

Fridays

  • 5pm – midnight: closures in The Rocks and Walsh Bay including George St north of Alfred St, Hickson Rd to Pottinger St, Hickson Rd eastbound from Towns Place to Pottinger St and Railway Colonnade at Central Station.
  • 5.30pm – midnight: Wheat Rd from Harbour St at Darling Harbour and Darling Dr between Ultimo Rd and Pier St roundabout.
  • 6pm – midnight: roads north of Bridge St at Circular Quay including sections of Pitt, Young, Phillip and Loftus Streets.
  • 7pm – midnight: northbound lanes of George St from Grosvenor St to Essex St.  

Saturdays and Sunday (12 June) of the long weekend 

  • 5pm – 1am: closures in the Sydney CBD, Circular Quay, The Rocks and Walsh Bay including sections of Grosvenor St, Bridge St, Jamison St, Margaret St, Hunter St, George St north of King St, Hickson Rd to Pottinger St, Hickson Rd eastbound from Towns Place to Pottinger St, sections of Pitt, Young, Phillip and Loftus Streets at Circular Quay, and Railway Colonnade at Central Station. No access east/west across the city via Grosvenor/Bridge Streets on Saturday nights.
  • 5.30pm – midnight: Wheat Rd from Harbour St at Darling Harbour and Darling Dr between Ultimo Rd and Pier St roundabout.  

Sundays and Monday 13 June (public holiday)       

  • 5pm – midnight: closures in Circular Quay, The Rocks and Walsh Bay including George St north of Grosvenor St, Hickson Rd to Pottinger St, Hickson Rd eastbound from Towns Place to Pottinger St, sections of Pitt, Young, Phillip and Loftus Streets at Circular Quay, and Railway Colonnade at Central Station.
  • 5.30pm – midnight: Wheat Rd from Harbour St at Darling Harbour and Darling Dr between Ultimo Rd and Pier St roundabout.

Circular Quay West at the Overseas Passenger Terminal will be closed each day during Vivid Sydney from 3pm until midnight (until 1am on Saturday nights).

Managed access to some hotels and businesses around The Rocks and Circular Quay will be maintained by traffic controllers on-site when safe to do so.

For detailed information on the road closures, clearways and real-time updates on traffic conditions visit Live Traffic NSW

Parking restrictions

Special event clearways parking restrictions will be in effect from 3pm until midnight daily on most major roads in The Rocks, Circular Quay and the Sydney CBD. Clearways will also be in effect on some local roads around King St Wharf and Haymarket at Central Station.

Clearways are strict no parking zones for all vehicle types, and apply even to local residents or Mobility Scheme Parking Permit holders. Drivers should be told to check signs carefully as vehicles left in clearways will be towed and a fee applies. If a vehicle is towed call 132 701 to find its new location.


For the latest traffic updates and maps visit livetraffic.com or download Live Traffic NSW App.

For public transport information visit www.transportnsw.info/vivid-sydney 

For event information visit www.vividsydney.com