NightRide
Encyclopedia
NightRide is a network of bus routes in operation between midnight and 5.00 am in Sydney
, Australia
. The eleven routes are run by private bus operators and allow for a nightly shutdown of the CityRail
commuter rail network. Established by the New South Wales Ministry of Transport and monitored by Transport for NSW, NightRide has been in operation since 1989. It is designed to provide for track maintenance, lower running costs and improved customer safety.
Most services run from George Street outside Town Hall railway station. The NightRide network closely mirrors the CityRail
network, with allowances made for the fact that major roads and railway lines often follow quite different alignments.
CityRail tickets
are valid on NightRide services, provided they are a Return ticket or higher (Single journey tickets are not valid). Single (one-way) tickets may also be purchased from the driver. Bus drivers may set-down passengers at local bus stops on route between designated NightRide stops.
Nightride buses operate between midnight and 4.30am on a 30-minute basis on Saturday and Sunday mornings, and hourly on other nights. CityRail trains operate all other times.
NightRide services N61 and N71 began on the 23rd October 2011.
Wolli Creek and St Peters were also previously serviced by NightRide services N10 and N11.
Despite the State Government's assertion in the late 1980s, when NightRide was introduced, that the move was to improve passenger safety when travelling at night, NightRide often proves a more dangerous prospect than the train. With only one bus per route per hour, a train's worth of people are funnelled through a single door onto a single bus. This is especially prevalent at the City's two major pick-up spots at Town Hall and Railway Square. Buses are always crowded with passengers forced to stand, shoulder to shoulder, for up to 2 hours. Fights frequently break out.
Due to the un-integrated timetables, it can take someone up to 3 hours to get from one part of Sydney to another. Although most NightRide stops are train stations, the routes do not cover the entire CityRail network, nor do they serve suburbs that are not on the City Rail Network. This can leave people stranded.
The difficulty of movement that occurs after midnight, when the trains stop and NightRide starts, sometimes means that people will simply stay in the City, until train services resume 5 hours later. This can lead to a higher rate of alcohol fuelled crime and injury occurring in the City, if those people continue drinking instead of attempting to return home.
Despite calls over the last 20 years to re-introduce 24 hour train services, with improved security now available, the State government has shown no interest in revisiting Sydney's night transport issues.
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. The eleven routes are run by private bus operators and allow for a nightly shutdown of the CityRail
CityRail
CityRail is an operating brand of RailCorp, a corporation owned by the state government of New South Wales, Australia. It is responsible for providing commuter rail services, and some coach services, in and around Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong, the three largest cities of New South Wales. It is...
commuter rail network. Established by the New South Wales Ministry of Transport and monitored by Transport for NSW, NightRide has been in operation since 1989. It is designed to provide for track maintenance, lower running costs and improved customer safety.
Most services run from George Street outside Town Hall railway station. The NightRide network closely mirrors the CityRail
CityRail
CityRail is an operating brand of RailCorp, a corporation owned by the state government of New South Wales, Australia. It is responsible for providing commuter rail services, and some coach services, in and around Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong, the three largest cities of New South Wales. It is...
network, with allowances made for the fact that major roads and railway lines often follow quite different alignments.
CityRail tickets
Automated Fare Collection System
The Sydney automated fare collection system is the name given to three interoperable automated ticketing systems for buses, trains and government-run ferries in and around Sydney, Australia.The system was introduced between 1988 and 1993...
are valid on NightRide services, provided they are a Return ticket or higher (Single journey tickets are not valid). Single (one-way) tickets may also be purchased from the driver. Bus drivers may set-down passengers at local bus stops on route between designated NightRide stops.
Nightride buses operate between midnight and 4.30am on a 30-minute basis on Saturday and Sunday mornings, and hourly on other nights. CityRail trains operate all other times.
NightRide network
The following routes that run on the Nightride network include:- N10: Town Hall to Sutherland, via Rockdale and Hurstville
- N11: Town Hall to Cronulla, via Rockdale and Hurstville
- N20: Rockdale to Riverwood
- N30: Town Hall to Macarthur, via CanterburyCanterbury railway station, Sydney-Accessibility:The station has street access to both platforms via stairs. This does not allow for Easy Access for wheelchairs.-Transport links:Sydney Buses runs six routes via Canterbury station:...
and Liverpool - N40: Town Hall to East Hills, via Bankstown and PadstowPadstow railway station, Sydney-Transport links:Veolia Transport runs four routes via Padstow railway station:*metrobus M91 - Parramatta and Hurstville*metrobus M92 - Parramatta and Sutherland*Route 927 - between Bankstown and One Tree Point*Route 962 - between Bankstown and Miranda...
- N50: Town Hall to Liverpool, via Regents Park and FairfieldFairfield railway station, Sydney-Bus services:Fairfield Bus InterchangeWestbus:*824 - to Wakeley.*825 - weekdays and Saturday services - to Greenfield Park*826 - weekdays and Saturday services - to Cabramatta...
- N60: Town Hall to Fairfield, via Granville and Parramatta
- N61: Town Hall to Carlingford, via Clyde (Friday, Saturday and Sunday Night Service)
- N70: Town Hall to PenrithPenrith railway station, SydneyPenrith railway station is a railway station on the CityRail network in New South Wales, Australia. Located in the Sydney suburb of Penrith, the station serves as a major interchange between Western line, Blue Mountains line trains. Western-bound CountryLink XPT and Xplorer services also stop here...
, via Parramatta and Blacktown - N71: Town Hall to Richmond, via Parramatta and Blacktown (Friday, Saturday and Sunday Night Service). This service was first trialled in the early 2000 but was discontinued in 2002
- N80: Town Hall to Hornsby, via EppingEpping railway station, SydneyEpping railway station is on the Northern Line of the CityRail network in Sydney, Australia. It serves the suburb of Epping, a significant commercial and residential area. Epping is a significant interchange station and is the western terminus of the Epping to Chatswood Line...
- N90: Town Hall to Hornsby, via North Sydney and Chatswood
- N100: Railway SquareCentral railway station, SydneyCentral Railway Station, the largest railway station in Australia, is at the southern end of the Sydney CBD. It services almost all the lines on the CityRail network, and is the major terminus for interurban and interstate rail services...
to Bondi Junction, via Martin Place (Friday, Saturday and Sunday Night Service)
NightRide services N61 and N71 began on the 23rd October 2011.
Discontinued routes
- N1 City CircleCity CircleThe City Circle is a system of largely underground passenger railway lines located in the central business district of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, that make up the heart of the Sydney passenger railway network. The lines are owned by RailCorp, a New South Wales government agency, and...
Loop Service that ran between 2000 until it was discontinued on 1st November 2002..
Wolli Creek and St Peters were also previously serviced by NightRide services N10 and N11.
Criticism
Despite the State Government's assertion in the late 1980s, when NightRide was introduced, that the move was to improve passenger safety when travelling at night, NightRide often proves a more dangerous prospect than the train. With only one bus per route per hour, a train's worth of people are funnelled through a single door onto a single bus. This is especially prevalent at the City's two major pick-up spots at Town Hall and Railway Square. Buses are always crowded with passengers forced to stand, shoulder to shoulder, for up to 2 hours. Fights frequently break out.
Due to the un-integrated timetables, it can take someone up to 3 hours to get from one part of Sydney to another. Although most NightRide stops are train stations, the routes do not cover the entire CityRail network, nor do they serve suburbs that are not on the City Rail Network. This can leave people stranded.
The difficulty of movement that occurs after midnight, when the trains stop and NightRide starts, sometimes means that people will simply stay in the City, until train services resume 5 hours later. This can lead to a higher rate of alcohol fuelled crime and injury occurring in the City, if those people continue drinking instead of attempting to return home.
Despite calls over the last 20 years to re-introduce 24 hour train services, with improved security now available, the State government has shown no interest in revisiting Sydney's night transport issues.
External links
- http://www.cityrail.info/timetables/nightride/ - NightRide Routes
- http://www.131500.com.au/service-changes/upload/docs/NightRide%20bus%20networkOct11.pdf - NightRide Network Map (October 2011)
- Transport Infoline - Timetable and fare information