Sydney's 24/7 Public Transport Trial: A Success

0:00The New South Wales government wants to expand 24-hour public transport in Sydney after a strong trial during Mardi Gras weekend. For the first time, Metro Services ran non-stop from 5 p.m. on February 28th until 5 a.m., with trains every 5 minutes until midnight. Then every 10 until 2 a.m. and every 20 after that. Light rail and regular trains also operated around the clock at reduced frequencies. Metro ridership jumped 41 percent compared to last year, hitting 158,654 boardings. Buses saw 2 percent rise. Light rail, 8 percent, while trains and ferries dropped 2 and 8 percent respectively. Transport Minister John Graham called it a win, noting fewer crowds rushing for last trains boosted safety and nightlife. Officials say it paired well with extended event hours, and they're now planning more runs without committing to full details yet. Pass reports have pushed for this since 2019, citing late night transport as a top barrier to nightlife, even as overall evening trips rose.

1:0324 percent since last year. Challenges include track maintenance, staffing and costs, so it's not feasible every night. Industry leaders and the nighttime economy commissioner urged making it routine for events like vivid Sydney or sports finals to spur spending and easy-get home options with studies showing millions and potential gains. The government is weighing these steps to keep Sydney's evenings buzzing. From your city, powered by AI, this is Sydney News Today.