The Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras is in full swing! The iconic festival is celebrating 47 years in 2025, and many interstate and international visitors are expected to travel to Sydney to enjoy the 16-day event, which commenced on 14 February 2025. The festival will wrap up with the world-famous Sydney Mardi Gras Parade on Saturday 1 March 2025. Increased public transport will be running across all events, however, with very large crowds expected, point to point transport services will also be in high demand.
Service providers should advise drivers of special event clearways, drop off and pick up zones and road closures so that they can familiarise themselves with the changes and allow extra travel time on the day of the parade.
Road closures and drop off/pick up zones
Several roads will be closed, and special event clearway parking restrictions will be in effect on Oxford Street and Anzac Parade in Moore Park as well as several locations across the Sydney CBD and Darlinghurst between 6am on Friday 28 February 2025 and 3am on Sunday 2 March 2025.
An interactive map of the different road closures and parking restrictions can be consulted here. A downloaded version of the map can be found here.
Further event and traffic information can be found here. Click here for live traffic information.
Important information for taxi and rideshare drivers
Taxi ranks within the road closure footprint and along Oxford and Flinders Streets will be inaccessible until roads reopen. There are no designated rideshare pick up and drop off locations. Drivers are encouraged to avoid pick up and drop off in the immediate vicinity of the road closures due to expected traffic delays on local roads.
Driver obligations
Safety is the priority every day of the year, and we want to make sure that every Mardi Gras ride is a safe ride, and all passengers are treated with respect - everyone should ride with pride while catching taxis and rideshare.
With large crowds out celebrating and several road changes, drivers must also be extra conscious around safe drop off and pick up of their passengers.
Major events, such as Mardi Gras, are another opportunity to remind drivers of their safety and other obligations when conducting passenger services.
To understand your safety obligations as a service provider as well as driver obligations, our website has a range of resources.
Compliance operations
The Point to Point Transport Commissioner's Authorised Officers are continuing to undertake compliance operations to make sure drivers are complying with the law.
As always, drivers should conduct pre-departure checks to ensure the vehicle is safe to be driven, rideshare drivers must have a retroreflective sticker on the rear window of the vehicle and taxi drivers must have their driver ID displayed.
Taxis providing rank and hail services must always use the meter, do not overcharge or refuse a passenger for a short fare. A fine of $1,000 applies for taxi drivers who are caught breaking the law.
Where do I go if I have questions or require further information?
If you have any questions or need further information, please call the Industry Contact Centre on 131 727.