Hunter Valley Steamfest 2025

Opal

You can use an Opal card for all modes of public transport in Sydney and surrounding regions, including metro, trains, buses, ferries and light rail.

Remember to top up your Opal card before you travel to avoid waiting in line at top-up machines. You can top up your card online or at an Opal retailer.

More ways to pay

If you have a contactless-enabled American Express, Mastercard or Visa debit or credit card, or a linked device, you can use it to pay for your travel by tapping on and tapping off at Opal card readers. Available on all public transport, contactless payments are another way to pay on the Opal network. Adult Opal fare pricing applies and you will receive Opal benefits, including daily and weekly fare caps.

Sydney Metro services are high-frequency, driverless trains running between Sydney’s north-west and south-west via the city. 

The M1 Line operates turn up-and-go Metro services in both directions between Tallawong, Chatswood and Sydenham. Metro services start running from early morning, every 5 to 10 minutes, until late at night. 

Change at Epping or Central to connect with a Central Coast & Newcastle Line trains and Hunter Line trains. 

For Metro service disruption information, check trackwork and travel alerts or plan your trip using the Trip Planner.

The closest station to the Steamfest is Maitland on the NSW TrainLink Hunter Line. Trains run regularly on weekends with additional services to help you get to and from the event.

Additional trains will run to help you get to and from the event:

• From Newcastle Interchange stopping all stations to Maitland: leaving at 8:31am, 9:36am, 10:29am, 11:27am, 12:29pm, 1:29pm, 2:34pm, 3:29pm and 4:29pm.
• From Telarah to Maitland: leaving at 9:29am,10:29am, 11:29am, 12:29pm, 1:29pm, 2:24pm, 3:29pm.
• From Maitland stopping all stations to Newcastle Interchange: leaving at 4:31pm and 5:36pm.

Trackwork

Planned weekend trackwork is taking place on Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 April on the following lines and may affect how you travel to and from the event. Plan ahead using the Trip Planner:  

Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 April (weekend)

• T3 Liverpool & Inner West Line: On Saturday from 5am to 9am, trains run between Liverpool and Lidcombe only. Inner West trains run between Homebush and the City. You may need to change trains to continue your journey. 
• T4 Eastern Suburbs & Illawarra Line: On Saturday from 5.40am to 8am, trains run between Cronulla, Waterfall and the City Circle, and between Central and Bondi Junction only. Change at Central or Town Hall for trains towards Bondi Junction. 
• T6 Lidcombe & Bankstown Line: On Saturday from 5am to 9am, trains run to a changed timetable, every 30 minutes. 
• Central Coast & Newcastle Line:  Saturday from 6am to 11am, at Cowan, all trains leave from platform 2. Sunday from 6am to 11am, at Cowan, all trains leave from platform 1. 
• South Coast Line: Buses replace trains between Bomaderry and Wollongong. Trains run between Port Kembla, Wollongong and Bondi Junction, some to a changed timetable.
• Southern Highlands Line: Saturday from 4.40am to 4.50pm, buses replace trains between Goulburn, Moss Vale and Campbelltown.

Trackwork is carried out on an ongoing basis to maintain the safety, reliability and efficiency of the Sydney Trains network. For the latest information, check travel alerts and trackwork or use the Trip Planner.

CDC Buses operate services in the Hunter Valley region. Visit Hunter Valley Buses for timetables, routes and network maps.

Newcastle Transport bus services will run to a regular weekend timetable.

For bus service disruption information, check travel alerts or plan your trip using the Trip Planner.

Ferries run between Stockton and Queens Wharf approximately every 20 minutes. At Queens Wharf change for a light rail service to Newcastle Interchange to connect with trains to Maitland.

For ferry service disruption information, check travel alerts or plan your trip using the Trip Planner.

Newcastle Light Rail services run from 5am to 1am daily between Newcastle Interchange in Wickham and Pacific Park in Newcastle East. With six convenient stops it’s easy to get around Newcastle’s city centre and connect with train, bus and ferry services.

Catch a light rail service to Newcastle Interchange and change for trains to Maitland.

For light rail service disruption information, check travel alerts or plan your trip using the Trip Planner.

Motorists should expect delays on the New England Hwy, Cessnock Rd and key local roads approaching Maitland CBD as large crowds are expected.

Local road closures will be in place to accommodate the event. 

From 12.01am Thursday 10 April to 9.00am Monday 14 April 2025

• Maitland Railway Station car park area’s adjacent Railway Street (section one & two).  

From 12.01am Friday 11 April to 9.00am Monday 14 April 2025: 

• Maitland Railway Station car park remaining area including access road to Elgin Street roundabout (section three), and  
•  Station Street between Elgin Street and cul-de-sac.  

From 6.00am Saturday 12 April until 8.00pm Sunday 13 April 2025:  

• Church Street between Railway Street roundabout and Les Darcy Drive (New England Highway), and  
• Railway Street between Church Street and Elgin Street. 

From 6.00am to 6.00pm Sunday 13 April 2025: Presentation of Hunter Valley Steamfest “Show & Shine”-  

• Internal road through Maitland Park between main entrance off Walker Street including the intersection of Blomfield Street and Devonshire Street. 
• Loftus Street 

For the latest traffic information visit Live Traffic NSW or download a real-time traffic app.

A drop off zone will be available for the event. For more information visit the Steamfest website.

For details of taxi networks servicing the area, visit Transport Operators.

There are a range of car parks available around Central Maitland if you choose to drive to Hunter Valley Steamfest. 

• Allan Walsh Drive (Street Parking)
• Sempil Street Car Park
• Elgin Street Car Park
• Riverside Plaza Car Park
• Maitland Park
• St Andrews Street
• The Grand Junction Hotel Parking (ACCESSIBLE PARKING ONLY)

There is also limited street parking available around the event site. 

Each of the car parks listed have accessible parking available.

For more information, including an event layout map with parking locations, visit the Hunter Valley Steamfest website. 

Accessible trips are shown in the Trip Planner with the wheelchair icon. You can select "accessible services only" in the Options to ensure you only see accessible services. Only trip plans with accessible train platforms, ferry wharves and buses will be presented. See accessible travel or download a transport app (select the "Accessibility" filter).