F3 Parramatta River Route

Transport for NSW and Sydney Ferries operator Transdev are committed to delivering the best possible ferry services for you.

Thank you to all members of the community who took the time since November 2019 to share their feedback about the proposed ferry service changes for the F3 Parramatta River services.

The consultation is now closed and our teams are going through all feedback and submissions.

Learn more about the proposed changes

• Read information on this page.
• Download the F3 service changes brochures via the document library links.

Watch the proposed route changes video below:

Simplification and improvement of the commuter peak service

We are proposing to simplify the current complex peak hour stopping patterns to make it easier for our commuters to use Parramatta River services. The proposed changes are as follows:

A shuttle service from Parramatta to Sydney Olympic Park
Parramatta to Sydney Olympic Park shuttle every 60 minutes during peak periods. Customers from Parramatta and Rydalmere travelling to the city can transfer at Sydney Olympic Park. There will also be one all stops service running from Rydalmere to Barangaroo.

A limited stop service express service from Sydney Olympic Park to Barangaroo
Sydney Olympic Park to Barangaroo, stopping at all stops to Abbotsford then only at Balmain East, running at least every 20 minutes during peak hours (every 10 minutes during the busiest period).

An all stops service from Abbotsford
Abbotsford to Barangaroo, all stops including Cockatoo Island, Balmain and Balmain East, running at least every 20 minutes during peak hours (every 10 minutes during the busiest period).

Increase frequency during weekday off-peak and weekends

We are proposing to improve weekday off-peak and weekend services frequency on the F3 route as follows:

Improved frequency between Sydney Olympic Park and Barangaroo
Sydney Olympic Park to Barangaroo, all stops including Cockatoo Island, Balmain and Balmain East, running every 20 minutes (30 minutes currently).

Improved service for Parramatta and Rydalmere wharves
- Weekday off-peak: Parramatta and Rydalmere served by every third trip, i.e. every 60 minutes, in recognition of the higher off-peak and leisure customers numbers during this period compared to existing very low patronage during the commuter peak.
- Weekends: additional Parramatta and Rydalmere services to boost capacity on this popular weekend corridor, departing every 30 minutes from Parramatta in the morning and departing every 30 minutes from Barangaroo in the afternoon.

Evening services improved

We are proposing that evening services will run from Sydney Olympic Park to Barangaroo via all stops, including Cockatoo Island, Balmain and Balmain East, as follows:

Weekday nights:
- Every 20 mins until 21:15
- Then 22:00
- Then every 60 mins from 22:00 until midnight

Weekend nights:
- From 17:30: every 30 mins
- From 20:00: every 60 mins

Change at Barangaroo for more connecting services

In addition to a simplified stopping pattern and increased service frequency, we are also proposing to terminate all F3 services at Barangaroo.
Barangaroo is a major transport interchange where you can connect right into the heart of the Sydney CBD, including with trains and buses, via Wynyard Walk.
You will be able to interchange at Barangaroo for other enhanced ferry services, including the F4 City Connector and the F8 Cockatoo Island services. With the overall proposed changes across the network, there will be more connecting services to bring you to your final destination.

Change at Balmain East for McMahons Point, Milsons Point or Circular Quay

If you currently travel to and from Circular Quay and the lower North Shore (e.g. McMahons Point and Milsons Point), you will be able to connect to regular F4 City Connector services at Balmain East operating at a 20 minute frequency all week.
Transfer time between F3 and F4 services at Balmain East will typically be four minutes.