Vivid Sydney 2025 is all about dreams – as Light, Music, Ideas and Food converge to transform our city this winter and ignite bigger, bolder and broader thinking.  

With driverless trains running every four minutes at peak times and fully accessible stations designed for prams, wheelchairs and festivalgoers of all walks of life, the Metro is the best way to glide through the glow of Vivid Sydney. 

Whether you’re chasing the best projections, dashing between activations, or making a late-night stop for a final margarita post Lights Out at 11pm, Sydney Metro has you covered.  

Not just for transit, it’s also a stage  

If you're heading to the Martin Place Metro station, you’ll want to check out the Muru Giligu tunnel – a “path of light” connecting the new Metro to the historic station. A fitting location for Nigella Lawson’s Vivid Sydney Dinners, where culinary magic meets Sydney’s newly opened underground tunnel. Here, three very special dinners will be hosted by the beloved British food writer and broadcaster, with a menu she’s curated using NSW produce just for the occasion. All around the diners, the tunnel will be splashed with a bespoke light show adding to the surreal and magical atmosphere.  

A game-changer for connecting wider Sydney to the festival  

The long-awaited Sydenham to Chatswood Metro line was unveiled last August, tunnelling under the harbour and linking Sydney’s north-west, lower north shore, CBD, North Sydney, and parts of South Sydney and the Inner West like never before. This means it’s easier than ever for festivalgoers to get to and from Vivid Sydney. A dream come true!  

Plus, with new stations scattered around the city centre, it also means you can now zip between zones without the bottlenecks, detours and busy roads.  

Navigating to the Vivid Sydney Zones  

Circular Quay and The Rocks  

Closest Metro station: Martin Place  

While Circular Quay doesn’t have a Metro stop yet, Martin Place Station is just a 10-minute walk away, offering a seamless way to access this iconic festival zone. Avoid the busy train interchange at Circular Quay or Wynyard and enjoy an easy stroll down Macquarie Street, stopping in at the State Library of NSW for State Library Unplugged before reaching the harbour’s glowing Vivid Light displays. 

Darling Harbour  

Closest Metro station: Gadigal  

The brand-new Gadigal Station is a game-changer for getting to Darling Harbour, dropping you a 12-minute stroll from Tumbalong Park, its buzzing Tumbalong Nights music program and the rest of the zone’s brilliant action. The station was named in honour of the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, the Traditional Custodians of the land on which the station was built. While there, you’ll pass through The Underneath, a permanent mural by artist Callum Morton. The work is 12.5-metres high and was inspired by early railway tunnels, Sydney’s Tank Stream and Wile E. Coyote’s infamous fake tunnels. 

The Goods Line and Inner City  

Closest Metro station: Central  

When exiting the new Central Metro station, you’ll find yourself at the base of the longest escalator in the Southern Hemisphere – a true pilgrimage of patience, but one that delivers you straight to the doorstep of Vivid Fire Kitchen, Hollywood Dreaming and all the other luminous action at The Goods Line and Inner City zone. In fact, the Metro’s Central station is under a 10-minute walk to The Goods Line and beyond.  

Martin Place and CBD  

Closest Metro Station: Martin Place and Gadigal  

Martin Place Station is a direct gateway to some of Vivid Sydney’s most exciting experiences, from The Lucid Dream Collective to world-class performances at the iconic City Recital Hall. While there, you can use the aforementioned Muru Giligu tunnel to connect seamlessly between Metro services and existing train lines. 

Meanwhile, Gadigal Station has delivered sweet relief to anyone who has ever fought their way through the maze-like corridors of Town Hall. This sleek new stop makes reaching the wider CBD easier than ever. It’s also a 20-minute walk from The Goods Line and a 10-minute walk to Darling Harbour. 

Barangaroo  

Closest Metro Station: Barangaroo 

Getting to the Vivid Sydney action in this zone couldn’t be any easier. Barangaroo’s Metro Station delivers you right into the heart of this waterfront precinct, with the Lumina Dream installation greeting you as soon as you step out of the station. Skip the walk from Wynyard and take the Metro instead, which brings you directly to the action within minutes. 

Stay up late, get home safe  

The Metro is also all about late-night ease. Services generally run until midnight or 1am, depending on the day. This means you can enjoy more late-night Vivid Sydney revelry at places like Studio Party for Vivid LIVE or Vivid Sydney Supper Club. Or maybe you just fancy grabbing a late snack and drink post Lights Out at 11pm. How ever your night pans out, you can stay out a little later thanks to the Metro.  

Other hot tips for navigating Vivid Sydney on the Metro 

• No more toilet terror: Metro station bathrooms remain impressively clean and will be a boon when you’ve spent a night out and about.
• Go contactless: Tap on and off with your phone or bank card – no need for an Opal.
• Fully accessible: Sydney Metro is fully accessible, with all stations and services built with accessibility in mind. This includes level access between platforms and trains, lifts and dedicated wheelchair spaces. Make sure you opt for the Metro if you require accessibility.  

Vivid Sydney is best explored by foot if possible, but Sydney Metro is the shortcut that ensures you can see, taste and hear more of the festival without the hassle. So leave the car at home, hop on a train and let the city light up around you.