Sydney’s bus network covers the city’s coastline, suburbs, and inner-city streets where trains don’t reach. With around 8,000 stops and hundreds of routes, buses are the backbone of daily life for millions of people, and a genuinely practical option for visitors who know which routes to use. This guide covers everything you need: how to pay, what it costs, the routes worth knowing, and what’s changed in 2026.
Sydney CBD Bus Route Maps
Greater Sydney, CBD & Night Buses (Nightride) – click to download PDF (opens in new tab)
Outer Suburb Bus Routes – click to download PDF (opens in new tab)
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North Shore & West
How to Pay on Sydney Buses
Cash is not accepted on any metropolitan Sydney bus. Before you board, you need an Opal card, a contactless credit or debit card (Visa, Mastercard, or Amex), or a mobile wallet like Apple Pay or Google Pay.
When you board, tap your card or device on the reader near the driver. When you reach your stop, tap off on the reader near the exit doors before you step off. This is not optional as Sydney bus fares are calculated by distance, so the system needs both your tap-on and tap-off points to charge the right amount. Forget to tap off, and you are automatically charged the maximum fare for that route, which can be significantly more than your actual trip cost.
We have all been caught out once. Make it a habit: tap on when you sit down, tap off before you stand up.
Visitors don’t need to buy an Opal card if they have a contactless bank card or compatible phone. Your card earns the same fare caps and discounts as an Opal card automatically. If you do want an Opal card, they are available at more than 2,800 retail outlets including 7-Eleven, Woolworths, and most newsagencies, with no registration fee and a minimum $10 top-up.
For a full breakdown of transport apps, see our Transport Apps Guide.
Sydney Bus Fares and Caps in 2026
Bus fares are divided into three distance bands. These figures are effective from 14 July 2025 and remain current in 2026:
| Distance | Adult Peak | Adult Off-Peak |
|---|---|---|
| 0 to 3 km | $3.30 | $2.31 |
| 3 to 8 km | $4.49 | $3.14 |
| Over 8 km | $5.77 | $4.03 |
Off-peak is a 30% discount that applies at more times than most people realise. Peak hours are Monday to Thursday, 7:00am to 9:00am and 4:00pm to 6:30pm only. Everything else is off-peak: before 7am and after 6:30pm on weekdays, between 9am and 4pm Monday to Thursday, and all day on Fridays, weekends, and public holidays.
We didn’t realise all-day Friday counts as off-peak until we checked our Opal history and saw the lower fare. If you are travelling mid-morning on a Friday, you are getting the 30% discount, no matter when you board. It is worth planning around.
Daily and weekly caps reward regular travel:
- Adult daily cap: $19.30 Monday to Thursday / $9.65 Friday, weekends, public holidays
- Adult weekly cap: $50.00 (Monday to Sunday), and once you hit it, all further travel that week is free
- Senior/pensioner Opal: capped at $2.50 per day
- Concession/child: approximately half the adult fare, with matching caps
A $2.00 transfer discount applies when you switch between transport modes within 60 minutes of your last tap-off, making multi-leg journeys noticeably cheaper.
Finding Bus Routes and Timetables
The Transport NSW Trip Planner is the most reliable starting point. Enter your origin and destination and it returns step-by-step directions, departure times, fare estimates, and alerts about Opal-only stops. Google Maps also works well in Sydney and shows real-time departures.
The Transport NSW app (free, iOS and Android) provides live bus tracking, departure countdowns, service disruption alerts, and crowding information. A 2026 update added a Lock Screen widget showing real-time countdowns for saved stops.
For a full comparison of transport apps, see our Transport Apps Guide.
Key Routes Visitors Should Know
Route 333: Circular Quay to North Bondi
Sydney’s busiest bus route runs from Circular Quay via Elizabeth Street, Town Hall, and Hyde Park to Bondi Beach and North Bondi. During peaks it runs every 4 to 6 minutes. The trip from Circular Quay to Bondi Beach takes around 30 minutes.
Route 380: Bondi Junction to Watsons Bay
If you are arriving by train at Bondi Junction, the 380 connects directly to Bondi Beach and continues to Watsons Bay. It runs every 15 minutes at peak and every 30 minutes off-peak.
Bus 420: The airport insider tip
Most visitors arriving at Sydney Airport board the Airport Link train without realising there is a much cheaper option. The 420 bus stops at both terminals, then connects to Mascot Station on the regular train network. From Mascot, a standard Opal fare takes you into the CBD. The total bus fare is around $3.30 to $4.49, compared to $12 to $18 or more for the Airport Link with its surcharge. Savings of close to $18 per person add up quickly across a family or group.
The 420 runs daily from roughly 5am to midnight, with departures every 15 minutes at peak and every 30 minutes off-peak.
For more on reaching and leaving the airport by train, see our T8 Airport and South Line guide.
The B-Line: Sydney’s Northern Beaches Bus Rapid Transit
The B-Line (Route B1) connects Mona Vale on the Northern Beaches to Wynyard Station in the CBD, covering 10 purpose-built stops: Mona Vale, Warriewood, Narrabeen, Collaroy, Dee Why, Brookvale, Manly Vale, Spit Junction, Neutral Bay Junction, and Wynyard.
It operates like a metro: turn up and a bus comes. Services run from 4:30am to 12:30am, seven days a week, with high frequency during peaks and consistent service throughout the day. The B-Line feels like a metro bus as you can just turn up and one comes every few minutes. No need to check a timetable.
The B-Line is an Opal-only route, so contactless bank cards and mobile wallets are accepted, but there are no paper tickets. In mid-2026, NSW Government is delivering 10 new double-decker Volvo articulated buses to boost capacity on the corridor.
NightRide: Getting Home After Midnight
Sydney’s trains and most regular bus routes shut down around midnight. NightRide fills the gap with 16 bus routes operating from midnight to 4:30am daily, following the major rail corridors and stopping at or near railway stations.
Services depart primarily from bus stops near Town Hall Station in the CBD. On Friday and Saturday nights (into Saturday and Sunday mornings), buses run every 30 minutes. On other nights, frequency drops to hourly. Normal Opal and contactless fares apply.
After midnight we got home from the city just fine on a Saturday night. Buses run every 30 minutes and follow the same general corridors as the trains, so the routes are familiar if you know the rail network. NightBus N20 also connects the International Airport Terminal to Town Hall and Central at standard bus fares for late arrivals.
What’s New in 2026: Electric Buses and Western Sydney
NSW is rolling out 1,200 new electric buses for Greater Sydney by 2028. Six new electric bus routes launch in Western Sydney on 5 July 2026, with 43 electric buses operating on the initial services. The routes connect Penrith (Route 790), Campbelltown (Route 845), Liverpool (Routes 825 and 860), Mount Druitt (Route 772), and Oran Park/Leppington to the Western Sydney International Airport and Bradfield City Centre. Services run every 30 minutes from 5am to 10pm daily.
For passengers, electric buses offer a quieter, smoother ride. For visitors heading to or from the new Western Sydney Airport, these routes will be the primary bus connection into the corridor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need to tap off on Sydney buses?
Yes. Sydney bus fares are calculated by the distance between your tap-on and tap-off points, so you must tap off when you leave the bus. If you forget, you are charged the maximum fare for that route. Tap off on the reader near the exit doors before you step off.
Can I pay cash on a Sydney bus?
No. Cash is not accepted on metropolitan Sydney buses. You need an Opal card, a contactless credit or debit card (Visa, Mastercard, or Amex), or a mobile wallet such as Apple Pay or Google Pay.
How much does a Sydney bus cost in 2026?
Adult peak fares range from $3.30 for trips under 3 km to $5.77 for trips over 8 km. Off-peak travel is 30% cheaper: $2.31 to $4.03 depending on distance. The adult daily cap is $19.30 Monday to Thursday and $9.65 on Fridays, weekends, and public holidays.
What are peak hours on Sydney buses?
Peak is Monday to Thursday, 7:00am to 9:00am and 4:00pm to 6:30pm. All other times are off-peak, including all day Friday, all weekend, and public holidays.
What is the cheapest way from Sydney Airport to the CBD by bus?
Bus 420 connects both airport terminals to Mascot Station at standard bus fares (around $3.30 to $4.49). From Mascot you catch a regular train to the CBD without paying the Airport Link surcharge, saving up to $18 per person. The 420 runs daily from around 5am to midnight.
What bus goes to Bondi Beach?
Route 333 is the main Bondi Beach service, running from Circular Quay through the CBD to Bondi Beach and North Bondi every 4 to 10 minutes. Route 380 runs from Bondi Junction train station to Bondi Beach and Watsons Bay every 15 to 30 minutes.
What is the B-Line bus in Sydney?
The B-Line (Route B1) is a rapid bus corridor connecting Sydney’s Northern Beaches to the CBD. It runs from Mona Vale through Dee Why, Brookvale, Manly Vale, and Neutral Bay to Wynyard — 10 stops with turn-up-and-go service from 4:30am to 12:30am, seven days a week.
How do I get around Sydney after midnight?
Sydney’s NightRide network of 16 bus routes runs from midnight to 4:30am, replacing trains during the overnight maintenance window. Buses depart from near Town Hall Station and follow the major train corridors. Services run every 30 minutes on Friday and Saturday nights, and hourly on other nights.
Are Sydney buses accessible for wheelchair users?
Yes. Most Sydney buses are low-floor accessible vehicles with retractable ramps, wide doors, and designated wheelchair spaces. Alert the driver at the stop that you need the ramp. The Trip Planner at transportnsw.info has an accessible travel filter to find services that meet your needs.
Are there electric buses in Sydney in 2026?
Yes. Six new electric bus routes launch in Western Sydney on 5 July 2026 as part of NSW’s rollout of 1,200 electric buses by 2028. The new routes connect Penrith, Campbelltown, Liverpool, Mount Druitt, and Oran Park/Leppington to Western Sydney Airport and Bradfield City Centre.
For more on getting around Sydney by other modes, see our guides to Sydney Trains and Sydney Ferries. For a full picture of getting around the city, see our Sydney Public Transport Guide.