Newcastle Light Rail 2026: Six Stops From Newcastle Interchange to Newcastle Beach, 5am to 1am, Every 15 Minutes and Every 7.5 Minutes on Weekdays (Newcastle, NSW)

Newcastle’s light rail runs from Newcastle Interchange in Wickham to Newcastle Beach in the east end of the city, stops six times, and runs from 5am to 1am seven days a week. The end-to-end trip takes 12 minutes in the timetable that has been valid since 11 October 2026.

This guide uses the Newcastle Transport light rail page, its PDF timetable (valid from 11 October 2026) and its simple route map. For fares, see the separate guide on how to pay on Newcastle’s trams, buses and ferry; this one covers the stops, the times and the rules on the street.

Which stops does Newcastle light rail serve?

The timetable lists six stops in order from west to east:

Stop	Order	Minutes from Newcastle Interchange (05:05 weekday trip)
A. Newcastle Interchange, Wickham	First (west end)	0 (05:05)
B. Honeysuckle	Second	3 (05:08)
C. Civic	Third	5 (05:10)
D. Crown Street	Fourth	7 (05:12)
E. Queens Wharf	Fifth	9 (05:14)
F. Newcastle Beach	Last (east end)	12 (05:17)

Newcastle Transport describes it as a way to explore the city centre. Queens Wharf is also where the Stockton ferry leaves, about a 200 metre walk from the stop according to Newcastle Transport.

How often do trams run?

The timetable says Newcastle light rail operates “as per frequency”, so the times are approximate and the customer information display shows the time until the next service. In the Monday to Friday timetable from Newcastle Interchange, the first service is at 05:05, and trams run every 15 minutes in the early morning. From about 06:50 to about 19:00 the printed pattern shows a tram every 7.5 minutes, and from about 19:15 it returns to every 15 minutes. The last service leaves Newcastle Interchange at 00:30 and reaches Newcastle Beach at 00:42.

Day	First from Newcastle Interchange	First from Newcastle Beach	Pattern in the timetable	Last from Newcastle Interchange
Monday to Friday	05:05	05:20	Every 15 minutes early and in the evening; every 7.5 minutes in the middle of the day	00:30
Saturday	05:15	05:30	Every 15 minutes	00:30
Sunday and public holidays	05:15	05:30	Every 15 minutes	00:30

In the other direction, the last tram from Newcastle Beach to Newcastle Interchange leaves at 00:45 on every day of the week and arrives at 00:57 on a weekday timetable. Times are in 24-hour time, so 17:00 means 5pm. The timetable does not include extra trips for special events, short-term changes or holiday timetable changes, so check the trip planner on transportnsw.info before you travel.

How do I pay and board?

Newcastle Transport says to tap on with your Opal card at the platform, or with a contactless Amex, Mastercard or Visa card or a linked device, and to tap off at the platform when you leave. Single trip tickets can be bought from ticket machines on the platform, but they cost more than an Opal fare and give no Opal benefits. Children aged three and under travel free. Transferring to light rail within 60 minutes of tapping off a train, bus or ferry makes you eligible for the Opal Transfer Discount, and you can make multiple light rail trips under the same fare if you tap on within 60 minutes of tapping off your last trip.

Wait on the platform behind the safety line until the vehicle stops, let other passengers off first, and press the door open button when it turns green. All light rail vehicles and stops on the network are wheelchair accessible, according to the timetable.

What is it like on board?

Each vehicle has 60 seats, including 16 priority seats that Newcastle Transport asks passengers to make available to people with less mobility, and standing room for 216 people with hand straps and handrails. There are luggage racks for larger items and surfboard racks so you can secure a board on the way to the beach. The vehicles have a 40 km/h speed limit and can brake suddenly, so hold on or store belongings safely. The services in the timetable are run by Keolis.

What are the road rules around the tramway?

For most of Hunter and Scott streets the light rail runs in its own dedicated lane, called a tramway. Newcastle Transport says drivers, apart from light rail vehicles, recovery vehicles and public buses, are not allowed to drive on the tramway unless avoiding an obstruction such as a broken-down vehicle. Using it to pass slow vehicles or cyclists is not permitted.

Who	What Newcastle Transport asks
Drivers	Keep to the 40 km/h limit on Hunter and Scott streets between Worth Place and Telford Street; never park or stop on the tracks; do not queue across intersections; give cyclists a metre when passing
Pedestrians	Cross only at pedestrian crossings, look both ways, enter stops by the designated entry, and avoid mobile devices and earphones near the tracks
Cyclists	Ride in the centre of the lane so drivers can see you, keep a safe distance from vehicles, dismount at crossings, and consider the off-road foreshore cycleway

On Scott Street, between Newcomen and Pacific streets, there is a mixed running section where trams and cars share a lane. Cyclists riding in both directions are not permitted to ride along the road between Newcomen Street and Telford Street and must use the off-road shared path or another route. The page also tells people never to run for a tram, because another one will be along shortly, and to take extra care in wet weather when tracks and road markings may be slippery.

Can I connect to the ferry, buses and trains?

Three official pages point to connections. The Newcastle Transport Stockton page says the Stockton ferry is about a 200 metre walk from the Queens Wharf light rail stop, and that buses arriving at King Street at Perkins Street are about a 350 metre walk from the ferry wharf. The Newcastle Transport Tickets and Opal page says Adult and Child/Youth Opal cards are sold at the Newcastle Transport Hub at Newcastle Interchange, the western end of the line. The notice at the top of the Newcastle Transport site says bus and light rail timetables changed on 11 October, which is why the timetable used here is the October 2026 version.

Where do I get the timetable and map?

The light rail page offers the weekly timetable as a PDF and a simple route map. The timetable in this guide is the version valid from 11 October 2026; Newcastle Transport says information is correct as of that date and recommends the Trip Planner on transportnsw.info for the latest times.

Sources

• Newcastle Transport — Light rail (hours, stops, travel tips, safety rules; read 8 November 2026)
• Newcastle Transport — Light rail timetable (PDF) (valid from 11 October 2026)
• Newcastle Transport — Light rail map (PDF)

OZ Local Updates is an independent local guide and is not affiliated with Newcastle Transport, Keolis or Transport for NSW. Times and rules can change; check the trip planner before you go.

Featured image: a Newcastle light rail vehicle at Newcastle Beach (photo: Gorden 2211 / CC BY-SA 4.0, taken January 2021) (text added)