Sydney Ferries passengers face cancellations, delays and timetable changes during protected industrial action that may affect all 10 routes through 6 October 2026. The F3 Parramatta River service did not operate on 12 or 13 September, leaving passengers between Parramatta, Sydney Olympic Park and Circular Quay to find alternatives.
The industrial action began at 12.01am on 4 September and is scheduled to continue until 11.59pm on 6 October. Overtime and selected work-arrangement bans run until 30 September, while a separate ban on MUA members selling, collecting or validating fares runs from 11 September to 6 October.
Ferry services are expected to continue on parts of the network, but available crews are limited and route cancellations can be made to keep other services operating. Passengers should check Transport for NSW travel alerts and Trip Planner immediately before leaving, allow extra time and prepare a train, bus, metro or light rail alternative.
The F3 suspension is especially significant for western Sydney passengers. The route links Parramatta, Rydalmere, Meadowbank and Sydney Olympic Park with Barangaroo and Circular Quay, and its replacement journeys may require a connection at Parramatta, Lidcombe, Strathfield or Rhodes.
Transdev Sydney Ferries managing director Jarrod Graham said the operator suspended the F3 to concentrate its available crews elsewhere on the network.
“This is a difficult decision made necessary by ongoing Protected Industrial Action,” Mr Graham said. He said Transdev had taken the decision early so it could keep the remainder of the network operating as close to normal as possible.
The dispute centres on negotiations for a new enterprise agreement between Transdev and ferry workers represented by the Maritime Union of Australia. The MUA says workers are seeking a 5 per cent wage increase and annual increases that protect pay against inflation and rising living costs.
Maritime Union of Australia Sydney Branch deputy secretary Paul Garrett said workers had held about 13 meetings and did not intend to stop ferry services through strike action.
“Our intention is not to stop the services. We’re not taking strike action,” Mr Garrett told 702 ABC Sydney. He said the union’s position was that workers had reached the limit of their patience after repeated meetings.
Passengers face a separate dispute over fares. Transport for NSW says Opal readers remain active and passengers must tap on and tap off with a valid Opal card or contactless payment method, while the MUA says readers will be switched off and passengers can travel free during the action.
Open gates do not automatically mean a fare waiver. The safest approach is to carry a valid Opal card or contactless payment method, tap on and tap off whenever readers are operating, and follow the latest Transport for NSW instruction rather than treating the union’s fare position as settled policy.
The potentially affected routes are F1 Manly, F2 Taronga Zoo, F3 Parramatta River, F4 Pyrmont Bay, F5 Neutral Bay, F6 Mosman Bay, F7 Double Bay, F8 Cockatoo Island, F9 Watsons Bay and F10 Blackwattle Bay. The action can produce delays without a complete network shutdown, because overtime bans reduce the number of crews available for scheduled services.
For Parramatta River trips, Sydney Trains services to Parramatta, Lidcombe or Strathfield may provide alternatives, while routes 525, 526 and 533 connect Parramatta, Lidcombe, Sydney Olympic Park, Strathfield, Rhodes and Chatswood. These options can be more reliable during ferry industrial action, although they may require an interchange and take longer than a direct river journey.
The F3 corridor has another possible disruption risk: low tides can trigger replacement buses between Parramatta and Rydalmere independently of the industrial action. Passengers using prams or mobility aids should check accessibility in Trip Planner because an alternative journey may involve a different station, stop or interchange.
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Transport for NSW
Transport for NSW coordinates NSW transport services and publishes Sydney Ferries alerts, route information, Trip Planner updates and Opal guidance. Its disruption notices are the primary official source for passengers during the industrial action.
Transdev Sydney Ferries
Transdev Sydney Ferries operates the network under contract for the NSW Government. It has confirmed the F3 Parramatta River suspension on 12 and 13 September 2026 and is negotiating an enterprise agreement with ferry workers.
Maritime Union of Australia
The Maritime Union of Australia represents maritime workers involved in Sydney Ferries operations. Its members are taking protected industrial action during enterprise-agreement negotiations with Transdev, with the union seeking a 5 per cent wage increase and ongoing increases linked to inflation and living costs.
Passengers who depend on a ferry should check the live alert before each journey and leave enough time for a transfer. The protected industrial action is scheduled to remain in place until 6 October 2026, with service and fare information subject to change during that period.