The short version. There is no official transport or crowd plan for eclipse day in Sydney yet. Neither Transport for NSW nor the City of Sydney has published one, and we'll update this page when they do. Until then, the best guide is how Sydney runs its biggest events: New Year's Eve and Vivid run on public transport, with road closures and limited parking. Expect the same on Saturday 22 July 2028. Totality in the CBD runs from 1:59:37pm to 2:03:26pm AEST.
Is there an official eclipse-day transport plan?
Not yet. As of 12 November 2026, Transport for NSW, the City of Sydney and the NSW Government have not published a transport, crowd or parking plan for 22 July 2028. Destination NSW has said Sydney is directly in the path of totality, and the Royal Botanic Garden says it will stay open, with public viewing possible in its unreserved areas.
We'll update this page when an official plan comes out. Everything below about transport and crowds is based on precedents, other big Sydney events and past eclipses, not on an eclipse plan.
What time is the eclipse in Sydney?
In the Sydney CBD the eclipse begins at 12:41pm AEST, totality runs from 1:59:37pm to 2:03:26pm (3 minutes 48 seconds), and the eclipse ends at 3:15pm. It's a Saturday, in the middle of the day. Times shift by a minute or so across the city; check your spot on the 2028 eclipse map.
Sydney eclipse 2028 times
How many people will be there?
No one has published an official estimate for Sydney. For scale, these are the precedents:
- New Year's Eve (precedent): More than a million people were expected on Sydney Harbour for New Year's Eve 2025, according to the ABC. On New Year's Eve 2023, Opal data recorded 416,049 public transport trips into the CBD and surrounds, which the Transport Minister called "by far the biggest day on the Transport calendar".
- Vivid Sydney (precedent): 2.54 million attendances over the 23 nights of Vivid 2025, according to Destination NSW. Transport for NSW added more than 2,700 extra services.
- Past eclipses (precedent): About 20,000 interstate and overseas visitors went to Exmouth, WA, for the 2023 eclipse, according to Destination NSW. In the US in 2024, hotel vacancies in cities in the path fell below one per cent.
The difference on eclipse day is timing. New Year's Eve crowds build over a whole day and leave in waves. Eclipse crowds will arrive in the late morning and want to leave at once, soon after 3:15pm.
How should you get there?
By public transport, and early. At New Year's Eve 2025, CBD roads closed progressively from midday, car park access was limited and there was no direct transport to Circular Quay from mid-afternoon. Nobody has announced closures for eclipse day, but the harbour headlands will fill in the same way. Our 10 best places in Sydney guide suggests arriving by 11am at the flagship sites, such as Barangaroo, Mrs Macquaries Point and Observatory Hill, and by midday elsewhere.
- Top up your Opal card or set up contactless before the day.
- Pick a spot near a station or wharf. Barangaroo Reserve is 300 metres from Barangaroo Metro.
- If you drive, park well outside the CBD and take a train in, or choose a spot with space, such as Western Sydney Parklands.
- Bring food, water and warm layers. July afternoons on the harbour are cold, and you may wait for hours.
Can you park at Barangaroo?
Don't count on it. The Barangaroo Reserve car park, run by Wilson Parking, has 300 spaces. You can prepay online, but Wilson says prepaying does not reserve or guarantee a space. On New Year's Eve the car park closes, and the reserve itself reached capacity at 3pm in 2025. The Stargazer Lawn holds around 3,500 people. For eclipse day, assume the car park will be full or closed and come by Metro, train or ferry.
What about Hanging Rock in the Blue Mountains?
Hanging Rock, near Blackheath, is one of the most photographed spots in the Blue Mountains, and it's a poor choice for a crowd. The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) lists the Burramoko Ridge trail as a 10 km return walk of 2 to 4 hours from a locked gate on Ridgewell Road. NPWS warns that parking near the gate "might be limited" on a normal weekend, and that the lookout is unfenced, with a sheer cliff edge. NPWS has made no statement about eclipse crowds. If you go, arrive early, carry a headtorch for the walk out, and keep well back from the edge.
How do you get home after the eclipse?
Expect delays. Past eclipses show that the worst traffic comes after the eclipse, when everyone leaves at once. In Wyoming in 2017, more than 536,000 vehicles were counted on the state's routes, with major backups (US Federal Highway Administration). In Vermont in 2024, about 60,000 vehicles came into the state, and on Interstate 89 average speeds stayed about 45 mph below normal from minutes after the eclipse until 2am (Vermont Agency of Transportation, preliminary figures).
Sydney has trains, ferries and the Metro, which the US towns did not. Still, expect a crush at stations after 3:15pm. Staying put for an hour after the eclipse ends, with a picnic or a drink nearby, is often faster than joining the queue.
Do you need eclipse glasses in Sydney?
Yes, everyone does, for the whole eclipse. The partial phases before and after totality last over an hour each, and certified glasses stay on from the start of the eclipse to the end, totality included. Bring them with you rather than planning to buy on the day: before the 2017 and 2024 eclipses in the US, glasses sold out in the final weeks. Our certified eclipse glasses are A$5.45 a pair, and the family eclipse kit has four pairs and a viewing guide for A$19.25. More on Sydney in our Sydney eclipse guide.
- Never use eclipse glasses with binoculars, a telescope, a camera or a phone. Optics need their own solar filter on the front.
- Check every pair before use, and throw out any that are scratched, torn or punctured.
- Supervise children closely in crowds, and fit their glasses before the eclipse starts.
FAQ
Is there a transport plan for the eclipse in Sydney?
Not yet. As of November 2026, Transport for NSW and the City of Sydney have not published one. We'll update this page when they do. Plan on public transport, as for New Year's Eve and Vivid.
Can I park at Barangaroo for the eclipse?
Don't rely on it. The Barangaroo Reserve car park has 300 spaces, and Wilson Parking says prepaying does not guarantee a space. It closes on New Year's Eve. Take the Metro to Barangaroo instead.
How many people will watch the eclipse in Sydney?
There is no official estimate. For scale, more than a million people were expected on the harbour for New Year's Eve 2025, and the eclipse falls on a Saturday afternoon.
Is Hanging Rock a good spot for the eclipse?
Only for experienced walkers who arrive early. It's a 10 km return walk from a gate on Ridgewell Road, parking is limited even on normal weekends, and the lookout is unfenced.
When should I leave after the eclipse?
The eclipse ends at 3:15pm AEST in the CBD. Expect crowded stations straight after. Waiting an hour often gets you home sooner.
Sources
All checked 12.11.2026. Precedents are other events, not eclipse-day plans.
- Destination NSW, Total eclipse to bring solar tourism boom to NSW (Exmouth visitors, US hotel vacancies).
- Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, Total solar eclipse 2028.
- ABC News, Where to watch the New Year's Eve fireworks in Sydney, 27 December 2025.
- NSW Government, Public transport numbers for New Year's Eve, 3 January 2024.
- Destination NSW, Annual Report 2024-25: events (Vivid Sydney 2025 attendance); Transport for NSW, Vivid Sydney 2025.
- Barangaroo, Parking and New Year's Eve; Wilson Parking, Barangaroo Reserve car park.
- NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, Burramoko Ridge (Hanging Rock) trail and visitor info.
- US Federal Highway Administration, Planned special event case study: 2017 total solar eclipse in Wyoming (FHWA-HOP-18-033).
- Valley News, Vermont officials estimate 160K people drove to the state for the eclipse, 11 April 2024 (VTrans preliminary figures).
- Sydney CBD times calculated from NASA's Besselian elements for the 22 July 2028 eclipse (Fred Espenak, NASA GSFC).
- ARPANSA, Solar eclipse; American Astronomical Society, Solar eclipse eye safety; NASA, Eclipse safety.
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