Taylor Swift Eras Tour: set times, road closures and public transport
Taylor Swift will kick off her Aussie tour at the MCG tonight. Here’s all your questions answered and a key warning.
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Fans heading to Taylor Swift’s sold out Melbourne Eras Tour have been warned to plan ahead and catch public transport to avoid traffic jams along roads leading to the MCG precinct.
The 34-year-old pop star kicks off the Australian leg of The Eras Tour at the MCG tonight and the city will be Swift central all weekend.
Crowds of more than 100,000 are expected at the shows this weekend, with more than 30,000 diehard fans who missed out on Eras Tour tickets tipped to flock to the MCG to hear the concert from outside the stadium.
As a result, ‘Swifties’ heading to her sold out Melbourne concerts have been warned about travel disruptions with buses to replace trains on certain sections of the rail line.
Metro Trains has put on additional services and encouraged fans to use train, bus and free shuttles to get to the concerts, rather than driving.
Concert organisers have worked with the Department of Transport and Planning to arrange for extra capacity in many of the services, including regional lines.
Melbourne’s Free Tram Zone will be extended while Swift is in town, with routes 48, 70 and 75 allowing fans to travel to the MCG free of charge.
To help you prepare, here’s everything you need to know about getting to The Eras Tour in Melbourne, from dates, times, parking and what public transport to get to the venue.
What do I need to know before going to the concert?
Swift is set to perform in two Aussie cities, Melbourne and Sydney. The tour is open to all age groups but attendees below the age of 14 must be accompanied by an adult.
Dates and timings
Melbourne Eras Tour dates
Friday, February 16
Saturday, February 17 and
Sunday, February 18, at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Melbourne Eras Tour times
Doors open: 4:30pm
Support act: 6:30pm
Taylor Swift: 7:30pm-8:00pm
Show ends: 11:00pm
The Eras Tour is over three hours and 15 minutes long. However, Swift often has surprises at her shows and in some cases the concerts have lasted as long as 3 hours and 45 minutes.
How early should you arrive for the eras tour?
If you don’t want to miss a second of Tay Tay, tour providers advise getting to the venue an hour before Swift is due to take the stage. Doing so means you’ll have enough time to get through security, find your seat and exchange friendship bracelets with your fellow Swifties.
Sabrina Carpenter will be the opening act for the Eras Tour and will likely kick things off at 6:30pm.
If you’re driving into the concert, give yourself plenty of time to get through peak hour traffic and make sure you have pre-book parking.
What to bring
Concert goers can bring a small bag with them inside the venue, however large signs are not allowed. The popular trend of trading friendship bracelets will be allowed at both venues, however, fans will only be able to bring in bracelets they can fit on their wrists.
The MCG has provided a full list of what you cannot bring into the venue. Also important to remember that the MCG is a cashless venue, so all transactions will need to be made on your debit or credit card.
Be sure to bring your phone fully charged because you might need to produce your email booking confirmation and ID to get in.
Taylor Swift Merchandise
Official Taylor Swift merchandise will be available to purchase at the MCG at various stands inside and outside the stadium. Merchandise presale is also available on Wednesday, February 14 and Thursday, February 15 in two locations in Yarra Park externally to the MCG.
Getting to the Eras Tour
Fans heading to the MCG have been warned about travel disruptions with buses to replace trains on the following lines:
- Belgrave Line: Buses replace trains between Ringwood and Bayswater all day from February 16 to 18.
- Frankston/Stony Point lines: Buses replace trains between Cheltenham and Mordialloc from 11.45pm February 16 to last service on February 18.
- Croydon, Parkdale, Narre Warren, and Keon Park stations will be closed and serviced by shuttle buses to stations located on either side all day from Friday 16 February 16-18.
Metro Trains have said extra train services would be added to ensure all Swifties can get to and from the shows quickly and easily.
Public transport and walking options to the MCG
The MCG is easily accessible via public transport, including major train and tram lines. Plan your journey using Public Transport Victoria’s journey planner and allow extra travel time as the network is likely to be busy.
Via tram
Tram routes 48a and 75/75a connect with the Eastern suburbs and stop just outside the MCG.
Tram routes 70/70a travel along Flinders Street and detours via Melbourne Park. You can then walk from the tram stop across the footbridge to the MCG.
Tram disruptions:
Swanston Street tram routes 1, 3, 5, 6, 16, 64, 67 and 72 will be disrupted from 9pm Friday 2 February to 5am Friday 23 February 2024.
Via train
Jolimont Station is the closest train station and is a 5 min walk to the venue.
Richmond Station is a 9 min walk to the venue.
Flinders Street Station is a 20 minute walk to the venue.
Train disruptions and bus replacements:
Belgrave Line: Buses replace trains between Ringwood and Bayswater all day from Friday 16 February to Sunday 18 February.
Frankston/Stony Point lines: Buses replace trains between Cheltenham and Mordialloc from 11.45pm Friday 16 February to last service on Sunday 18 February.
Croydon, Parkdale, Narre Warren, and Keon Park stations will be closed and serviced by shuttle buses to stations located on either side all day from Friday 16 February to Sunday 18 February.
Between 11.45pm on the Friday and the last service on the Sunday, no trains will be running between Cheltenham and Mordialloc.
Via bus
The bus route 246 stops on Punt Road, which is the closest stop to the MCG. Please note, services may terminate prior to the end of the event.
If you’re planning on riding a bike to the concert there are bike racks available throughout Yarra Park.
Getting home from the concert
Normal services will operate until approximately 1 am Friday and Saturday. After 1am, Night Trains run direct to/from Flinders Street Station every 60 minutes on all lines, except Stony Point and Flemington. Normal services will operate until approximately 12am on Sunday.
Between 11.45pm on the Friday and the last service on the Sunday, no trains will be running between Cheltenham and Mordialloc.
Regional trains:
Normal services will operate along with Night Coaches from the city to Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong, Seymour and Traralgon.
Additional services will also operate from Jolimont, Richmond and Flinders Street Station after the show. For more info visit ptv.
Car parking
A limited amount of parking will be available for those with an accessibility parking permit in Yarra Park. However, there is no general public parking available.
Metered parking is available around Fitzroy Gardens, the Botanical Gardens and along the Yarra River. Alternative parking options are available in the city, with the cost ranging from a starting rate of $10-$18.
Drop off and pick up zone
The designated pick up and drop off location for taxis, rideshares and private vehicles is on Clarendon Street (between Wellington Parade and Gipps Street).
Road closures
Roads subject to road closures include Brunton Avenue, Vale Street, Jolimont Street, Jolimont Terrace and Wellington Parade.
Information for interstate visitors
If you’re travelling from interstate the best way to get to the CBD is via the Skybus, which leaves every 15 minutes from Melbourne Airport to Southern Cross Station. If you’re staying in the city you can walk to the MCG via the William Barak Bridge, which you can access from Federation Square.
For people needing mobility assistance
A mobility shuttle service will be on offer for those needing mobility assistance. The G-train mobility shuttle is a free service offered by the MCG and features wheelchair-friendly access.
Pre booking is not required, simply meet at the designated pick up points at Richmond or Jolimont train station.
When will Taylor be in Australia
Swift is expected to make a massive transcontinental detour ahead of her Australian shows due to her boyfriend Travis Kelce competing in the Super Bowl.
After wrapping up her Tokyo tour on February 10, Swift will fly 13 hours to Las Vegas where the Chiefs will take on the Baltimore Ravens on February 11. Swift will then travel from the United States to Melbourne for her first show on February 16 in Melbourne.
Following the Melbourne leg, Swift will perform four shows at Sydney’s Accor Stadium from February 23 to 26, before heading to Singapore.
Keep an eye on this page for all the latest Taylor Swift Eras Tour updates.
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Originally published as Taylor Swift Eras Tour: set times, road closures and public transport
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