When the latest extension of Sydney Metro opened in August 2024, the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) sparked up a campaign to have the network run 24-hours a day. Although that campaign wasn’t quite successful, the NTIA isn’t giving up, calling on the NSW Government to launch a summer trial of 24-hour public transport every Thursday, Friday and Saturday, arguing that the move could be the “big unlock” Sydney needs to bring its after-dark culture back to life.
The call for through-the-night transport follows the release of the NTIA’s ‘Night Pulse: Nightlife in the City of Sydney 2025’ report, which paints a pretty clear picture of what’s keeping Sydneysiders from heading out (and staying out) after dark. According to the findings, 69 per cent of Sydneysiders would go out more often if public transport ran 24 hours a day, while more than half (56 per cent) said they’ve recently skipped a night out because of transport costs or access. In other words: the willingness is there, but the last train home is killing the vibe.
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According to the NTIA, it’s not just train timetables holding us back. The research found that affordability remains a major barrier, with three in four respondents (74 per cent) saying drinks are overpriced and seven in 10 (69 per cent) saying live performance tickets cost more than they can comfortably pay. Venue operators point to rising insurance premiums and Australia’s notoriously high spirits excise as major culprits.
Then there’s the question of safety. Two-thirds of Sydneysiders (67 per cent) said they’ve felt unsafe in the city at night in the past six months – often due to antisocial behaviour, poor lighting and limited late-night transport options. Interestingly, while some said they wanted more visible police or security, others said too much visibility made them uneasy. The NTIA says the solution isn’t more confrontation, but more collaboration – calling for a modernised approach that brings venues, police and government to the same table.
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NTIA CEO Mick Gibb says late-night transport could be the key to unlocking a more confident, connected nightlife, explaining that “When the last train home leaves around midnight, people end their night early or don’t come out at all.”
The NTIA is proposing a ‘hub and spoke’ model linking key nightlife precincts – including the CBD, Inner East, Inner West and Inner South – to get Sydneysiders most of the way home before taxis and rideshares take over.
You can learn more about the NTIA’s proposed solutions for Sydney’s after dark experience in their recent report.
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