NightRide is a network of bus routes in operation between midnight and 4.30am in Sydney, Australia. The sixteen routes allow for a nightly shutdown of the Sydney Trains suburban rail network and Sydney Metro. The NightRide network was established in mid-1989 as low-patronage late-night train services were progressively withdrawn.[1][2]
| NightRide | |
|---|---|
| Overview | |
| Owner | Transport for NSW |
| Locale | Sydney, Australia |
| Transit type | Bus |
| Number of lines | 16 |
| Number of stations | 120 |
| Operation | |
| Began operation | 18 June 1989 |
| Operator(s) | Busways CDC NSW Transit Systems NSW U-Go Mobility |
Services follow major roads, and some stops are some distance from the railway stations they replace.[3] In addition, some routes serve stations on multiple railway lines. In the city, most services depart from George Street, above Town Hall station. Normal bus fares apply to NightRide journeys.[4]
History
The first NightRide routes, to Riverwood, Campbelltown and Sutherland, commenced in June 1989. Services to Penrith, Hornsby and Cronulla began two months later.[5] New services were introduced to Bondi Junction in 2009; and Carlingford and Richmond in 2011.
A city loop route, called N1, was established in 2000 and cancelled two years later.[6]
The suspension of train services overnight allows for maintenance to occur on tracks. Passengers reportedly feel safer on buses than mostly-empty trains late at night. However, in 2014, it was reported that patronage on most NightRide routes was falling. At the same time, the Tourism and Transport Forum called for 24-hour train operations to resume.[2]
New contracts for all routes commenced 1 March 2018 with a number of routes going to different operators. The routes then became normal commuter routes under the administration of Transport for NSW instead of Sydney Trains. Changes included N100 Railway Square to Bondi Junction which commenced in 2009 ceasing, replaced by route N91 in conjunction with frequency changes to some routes.[7]
From 23 August 2020, two additional routes, N31 and N92 were introduced, and all N71 services standardised to operate to Richmond.[8]
Network
Sydney's light rail system is not served by NightRide, with the exception of the Carlingford line section of the Parramatta Light Rail, served by the old NightRide route.[3] As of 2023, the NightRide network operations are as listed below:[9][10][11]
| Route | Origin/destination | Replaces | Operator | First Introduced |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| N10 | Town Hall to Sutherland | U-Go Mobility | 1989 | |
| N11 | Town Hall to Cronulla | U-Go Mobility | 1989 | |
| N20 | Town Hall to Riverwood via Sydney Airport | U-Go Mobility | 1989 | |
| N30 | Town Hall to Macarthur | Transit Systems NSW | 1989 | |
| N31 | Liverpool to Leppington | CDC NSW | 2020 | |
| N40 | Town Hall to East Hills | Transit Systems NSW | 1989 | |
| N50 | Town Hall to Liverpool | CDC NSW | 1989 | |
| N60 | Town Hall to Fairfield | CDC NSW | 1989 | |
| N61 | Town Hall to Carlingford | (Former T6 Carlingford Line) | CDC NSW | 2011 |
| N70 | Town Hall to Penrith | CDC NSW | 1989 | |
| N71 | Town Hall to Richmond | CDC NSW | 2011 | |
| N80 | Town Hall to Hornsby via Strathfield | Busways | 1989 | |
| N81 | Town Hall to Parramatta via Olympic Park | Busways | 2018 | |
| N90 | Town Hall to Hornsby via Chatswood | Busways | 1989 | |
| N91 | Town Hall to Macquarie Park | Busways | 2018 | |
| N92 | Town Hall to Tallawong | CDC NSW | 2020 | |
Note: Routes N61 and N81 operate early morning on Friday, Saturday and Sunday only.
References
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