Motorists and public transport users are being advised to plan ahead, with a range of road closures and service changes in place across Canberra during Summernats.

The Summernats car festival will be held from Thursday 8 January 2026 until Sunday 11 January 2026 at Exhibition Park in Canberra (EPIC).

A number of road closures and changed traffic arrangements will be in place for the event, including a City Cruise along Northbourne Avenue on the afternoon of Thursday 8 January.

City Cruise impacts

• The Summernats City Cruise will be held on Thursday 8 January 2026 from 12 to 1pm.
• At times between 11am and 1.30pm, temporary rolling closures will be in place at:
• Watson – Federal Highway southbound: from Antill Street to the Barton Highway.
• Downer, Dickson, Braddon and City – Northbourne Avenue (both directions): from Flemington Road to Bunda Street / Rudd Street.
• Rolling closures will temporarily close intersections as the cruise passes and will apply to all traffic, including motorists, pedestrians and cyclists.
• Traffic management measures, including signage and detours, will be in place.
• Delays are expected and road users are encouraged to seek alternate routes where possible.
• Light rail services will not operate between Alinga Street and Sandford Street stops from 12 to 1pm on Thursday 8 January.
• Light rail services will continue to operate between Gungahlin Place and Sandford Street only during this time:
• The last direct northbound service from Alinga Street to Gungahlin Place will depart at 11.40am, with services resuming at 1pm.
• The last direct southbound service from Gungahlin Place to Alinga Street will depart at 11.40am, with services resuming at 12.50pm.

Summernats Fringe Festival impacts

• The Summernats Fringe Festival will be held on the evenings of Thursday 8, Friday 9 and Saturday 10 January from 5 to 11pm on Lonsdale Street, Braddon.
• Lonsdale Street, along with sections of Mort Street, Elouera Street, Girrahween Street and Torrens Street, will be closed from 3pm to midnight on all three nights to support the festival.

Other closures

• The EPIC Park and Ride will be closed from 7am on Tuesday 6 January until 7pm on Monday 12 January.
• Users of the EPIC Park and Ride are asked to use nearby facilities at Well Station Drive and Swinden Street.
• Flemington Road will be closed between the Federal Highway and Randwick Road during the following times:
• 7am to 11.59pm on Thursday 8 January
• 7am on Friday 9 January to 1am on Saturday 10 January
• 7am on Saturday 10 January to 1am on Sunday 11 January
• 7am to 7pm on Sunday 11 January
• Watson – Stirling Avenue will be closed daily from the Federal Highway to Aspinall Street between 7pm on Thursday 8 January and 7pm on Sunday 11 January (local traffic excepted).
• More information on road closures can be found on the City Services website.

Changes to bus services

• Due to road closures, bus route 18 will be diverted from the first service on Thursday 8 January 2026 until the last service on Sunday 11 January 2026.
• Bus stops on Sandford Street, Philip Avenue on the Federal Highway and at Bimberi Youth Justice Centre will not be serviced during the event.
• Temporary bus stops will be installed at the end of Hoskins Street, before Sandford Street.
• Significant changes are already in place at the City bus interchange from Monday 5 January until Sunday 1 February 2026 due to construction associated with Light Rail Stage 2A. Platforms 1, 2, 3 and 4 will be closed, with alternative arrangements in place.

Changes to light rail services

• Light rail services will operate at increased frequency during peak event hours on:
• Friday 9 January from 6.30pm to 11.30pm
• Saturday 10 January from 8.30am to 11.30pm

Journey planning

• Major construction on the Commonwealth Avenue Bridge Renewal project, being delivered by the National Capital Authority on behalf of the Australian Government, is now underway.
• The works will significantly impact traffic across the bridge in both directions. Attendees are encouraged to plan ahead.
• Where possible, road users should travel outside peak times, allow extra travel time, or consider alternative transport options, including public transport to EPIC and the Summernats Fringe Festival on Lonsdale Street.
• Passengers can plan ahead using traffic and navigation platforms such as Waze, Live Traffic, Google Maps and Apple Maps.
• Regular fares apply for all bus and light rail services. MyWay+ offers a range of payment options, with passengers able to tap or scan their preferred method on services.
• Fare-free evenings will apply on all Transport Canberra bus and light rail services on Friday 9 and Saturday 10 January from 6pm onwards. Passengers should tap on and off as normal to register a $0 fare during the free travel period.

For information on road closures, visit cityservices.act.gov.au
For transport options, visit transport.act.gov.au
For information on the Commonwealth Avenue Bridge Renewal project, visit nca.gov.au

For information about Summernats, visit summernats.com.au