World Youth Day 2008 celebrations in July will take in many locations across the city, including Hyde Park, The Domain, Sydney Opera House, Darling Harbour and Barangaroo (East Darling Harbour).

On Monday 14 July, the final leg of the Journey of the Cross and Icon will take place in the Sydney CBD along Pitt Street. This will result in the temporary closure of Pitt Street from Alfred Street (Circular Quay) to Rawson Place (Central Railway Station) from 11am until 2pm.

On Tuesday 15 July, large crowds are expected in the CBD for the Opening Mass at Barangaroo, and for the Arrival of the Pope (on Sydney Harbour) and the Papal Motorcade on the afternoon of Thursday 17 July and the Stations of the Cross on the afternoon of Friday 18 July.

On Saturday 19 July, about 225,000 people are expected to walk from either North Sydney or Central Station to Randwick Racecourse for an evening vigil with the Pope. Pilgrims will start from 5.30am at North Sydney walking across the Harbour Bridge with the last walkers crossing about 2pm. The pilgrimage route runs through Darling Harbour, Haymarket, Central and Surry Hills.

On Sunday 20 July, a further 275,000 people are expected at Randwick Racecourse and Centennial Park for the Final Mass which starts at 10am. The combined crowd is expected to walk back to Central Station in the afternoon. The crowds will start leaving the racecourse and Centennial Park from 12 noon onwards.

To facilitate the movement of people for World Youth Day events, there will be a number of road closures and special event clearways installed throughout the Sydney CBD at various times. For full details on all road closures and special event clearways, visit the RTA website.

Some of these road closures will include George Street, College Street, St Marys Road and Macquarie Street in the Sydney CBD, Hickson Road in Millers Point and Argyle Street in The Rocks.  On Saturday 19 July, there will be closures of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and local streets in Haymarket from 2am until 5pm for the Pilgrimage Walk.

Extra train and bus services have been scheduled to move additional crowds during the week. No changes are expected to commuter public transport timetables. Pilgrims attending World Youth Day events are being encouraged to travel on public transport outside of the regular peak commuter times.

With the closure of George Street north of Druitt Street from Tuesday 15 to Friday 18 July between 10am and midnight, bus routes will divert to parallel roads. From 12 noon on Thursday 17 July for the afternoon peak period, buses terminating at Circular Quay will instead terminate at and depart from Martin Place.

On Saturday 19 July there will be changes to bus routes into the CBD. Buses originating south or east of Randwick will be diverted around the racecourse and Centennial Park, buses from the North Shore will terminate at North Sydney where people will need to transfer to trains to get to the city, and buses that normally travel into the city along Broadway will be diverted along Wattle Street.

On Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 July, most services that usually depart from Eddy Avenue will depart from Railway Square in Lee Street. Route 311 and 378 services will depart from Hyde Park in Liverpool Street.

For further information on public transport services during World Youth Day events, visit the Transport InfoLine website, or read the Public Transport Guides for event participants and for non-participants. Information on Eastern Suburbs bus services is provided here.

Light rail services on Sunday 20 July will terminate at Haymarket between 12 noon and 8pm, due to the large crowds expected at Central Station following the Final Mass.

Related items:

World Youth Day - What's It All About?

Pilgrimage walking routes - Tuesday 15 to Friday 18 July

Pilgrimage Walking Route - Saturday 19 July

Pilgrimage Walking Route - Sunday 20 July

Information on Chinatown and Haymarket

Information on Millers Point and The Rocks

Information on Surry Hills

Information on bus services, Tuesday 15 July to Friday 18 July