Sydneysiders are being told to brace themselves for traffic and public transport chaos this weekend, with the city overrun with massive events.
UK singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran will play back-to-back sold-out shows at Accor Stadium in Homebush tonight and tomorrow, with more than 85,000 people scheduled to attend each show.
With venue parking already sold out, authorities are urging punters to plan ahead with public transport.
“Significant delays are expected on roads approaching the precinct, particularly during the already busy Friday evening peak. Fans are strongly urged to catch public transport to avoid the traffic delays,” NSW Transport said in a statement.
“Express and limited-stop trains to Olympic Park will run regularly from Central and Western Line stations to get you to the concert, with frequent return services running to get you home each night. From Olympic Park station, the stadium is a short 10-minute walk away.”
Punters heading to Sydney WorldPride event Live and Proud at The Domain this evening are also being encouraged to utilise public transport.
Kylie Minogue is headlining the event – which also features performances by Charli XCX, Electric Fields and Jessica Mauboy – at 7pm.
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Almost 50,000 people are expected to be heading to Moore Park this evening as well, for the Waratahs Vs. Brumbies Super Rugby game which kicks off at 7.35pm.
It’s just the beginning of transport headaches for Sydneysiders, with Harry Styles, the Backstreet Boys and Jay Chou all performing at various venues around Sydney Olympic Park on March 4th.
In total, Sydney Olympic Park is expected to see an influx of almost 200,000 people for events being held next weekend, with around 120,000 expected on Saturday alone.
More than 70,000 fans are expected to attend each of the Styles concerts on March 3rd and 4th.
Boy band Backstreet Boys will hit the stage at 21,000-capacity Qudos Bank Arena on the same night as Styles’ second show, while Chou will perform to around 24,000 fans at Giants Stadium on Saturday as well.
“We urge ticket holders to please consider all travel options and use public transport where possible, because heavy traffic is expected and parking is limited – so, leave the car at home,” Howard Collins – chief operations officer at Transport NSW – said in a statement published by 9 News.
“Public transport is the best way to get to Sydney Olympic Park and is made even easier for ticket holders for [Styles’ gig] because the cost of travel on public transport is included in your ticket – just show your event ticket to transport staff when boarding services. We’ll have plenty of frequent trains and major event buses running to and from Sydney Olympic Park.
“Fans should plan to arrive early to avoid the increased demand on public transport and heavy traffic. Queuing should also be expected for services as customers head home.”
