Timetable and frequencies
Operating hours by day, how often trains run in peak and off-peak, and the all-night NightRide on Friday and Saturday.
Operating hours
How often trains run
Timetable by line
NightRide and special services
Overnight, every night
Trains and the Metro stop running roughly midnight to 4:30 am. The NightRide bus network then replaces them, with routes mirroring each train line about once an hour. Town Hall is the main NightRide hub.
Sport & concerts
Extra services run for big events at Accor Stadium and Sydney Olympic Park, the SCG and Allianz Stadium. Trains and the Metro can get very busy around Central, Olympic Park and Sydenham before and after events.
Free & extended late services
Metro runs extended or free late-night services for New Year’s Eve and some public holidays, and a Sunday-style timetable on most public holidays.
Buses replace trains
On some weekends, sections of a line close for maintenance or level-crossing removals and buses replace trains. These are announced in advance on the Opal Travel app and at stations.
Got the times — now get the route
Timetables tell you how often trains run; our route planner tells you exactly which trains to catch, where to change and how long the whole trip takes between your two stations.
Plan your tripPractical tips
Practical tips
- Check before you travel: use the Opal Travel app for live departures, platforms and disruptions, and add this site to your favourites.
- City Circle vs Metro: the T2, T3 and T8 loop the underground City Circle (Town Hall, Wynyard, Circular Quay, St James, Museum); the driverless M1 Metro runs its own tunnel through Martin Place and Barangaroo.
- Avoid the crush: the busiest times are 7:30–9:00 am and 4:30–6:00 pm on weekdays into and out of the city.
- To the airport: the T8 Airport Line runs straight to the Domestic and International terminals from the City — note the extra Station Access Fee ($17.92) at the two airport stations.
- Touch on & off: always touch your Opal on at the start and off at the end so you are charged the correct (capped) fare.
Frequently asked questions
No. Trains and the Metro generally run from about 4:30–5:00 am to around midnight. Overnight — roughly midnight to 4:30 am — the NightRide bus network replaces them, running about once an hour along each line.
Weekday mornings around 7–9 am and afternoons around 4–6 pm. Outside these times the network is much quieter and frequencies stretch out to every 10–20 minutes.
Take the T8 Airport Line directly to the Domestic and International airport stations from the City Circle. A Station Access Fee applies on top of the normal Opal fare at the two airport stations.
Most public holidays run a Sunday timetable, and some (like New Year’s Eve) have free or extended late-night services. Always check the Opal Travel app for the exact times.
On weeknights the last trains leave the city around midnight. On Friday and Saturday nights you can travel any time thanks to the NightRide. Check the Opal Travel app for your specific line.