The National Multicultural Festival takes place in Canberra’s city centre and Glebe Park from Friday 6 to Sunday 8 February 2026. Explore the festival map here.
Large crowds, roadworks and planned road closures will affect travel. Please plan ahead and use public transport where possible.
Quick summary
- Best option: bus & light rail (extra services running)
- Free travel after 6pm Fri & Sat: Tap on/off for a $0 fare
- Free shuttle: running all three event days
- Road impacts: Light Rail Stage 2A works on Commonwealth Ave
- Parking: limited near the festival — Park & Ride recommended
Public transport
Leaving the car at home or park nearby and complete your trip to the National Multicultural Festival with Transport Canberra.
Several regular bus and light rail services stop close to the event — plan your journey at Transport Canberra.
Fare‑free evenings
Enjoy free travel on all Transport Canberra buses and light rail:
- Fri 6 Feb: from 6:00pm
- Sat 7 Feb: from 6:00pm until last service
- MyWay+ offers a range of simple payment options for bus and light rail. Simply tap on and off as usual to register a $0 journey fee.
Additional bus services
Transport Canberra will be providing additional bus services running from Tuggeranong, Woden, Belconnen Interchanges to the City Interchange to support event attendees.
Additional services operate:
- Saturday 7 February: 12:00 pm – 12:00 am
- Sunday 8 February: 12:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Heads up: From Mon 2 Feb, an updated bus network is in place due to Commonwealth Avenue Bridge works.
Check timetables and regional guides before you travel.
Plan your trip
- Use Transport Canberra’s journey planner or the MyWay+ app.
- Allow extra time — some shuttle and additional services may not appear in the planner.
- Check live traffic conditions using
- Waze Navigation and Live Traffic, Google Maps or Apple Maps.
Shuttle bus
- Fri 6 Feb: 4:30pm – 11:30pm
- Sat 7 Feb: 9:30am – 11:30pm
- Sun 8 Feb: 9:30am – 5:30pm
- Shuttles run approximately every 20 minutes
- View shuttle routes, stops and maps on the Transport Canberra website.
Light rail
Park and ride
Skip the city parking hunt! Park at a Park & Ride and jump on bus or light rail for the last leg.
Active travel
Bike, walk, or scoot and breeze past traffic — and do the planet a solid.
Plan your route using Canberra’s cycling and walking maps.
Accessible travel
Accessible parking close to the festival
- Constitution Place (via Constitution Ave end of Theatre Lane)
- Canberra Centre: Cooyong St & Genge St outdoor carpark
Further information on accessible parking locations in the city can be found at Parking - City Services.
Rideshare & drop off zones
You can drop passengers off safely at:
- Rabaul Lane & Akuna Street (corner)
- Ainslie Place, Cooyong Street side of the Canberra Centre
Check City Services – Road closures for impacts to these locations during the festival.
Road closures
Roadworks and event-related road closures will be in place throughout the festival. For the most up‑to‑date information, visit City Services – Road closures.
Light rail stage 2A weekend closures
As part of ongoing Light rail stage 2A construction, road and lane closures will be in place on Commonwealth Avenue during the festival weekend. For the most up to date information visit Built for CBR - Travel Impacts.
Parking
Parking is limited near the festival.
If you need to drive, below is a handy guide to nearby parking options. For more information visit City Services – Parking and where to park in Canberra city centre.
- Canberra Centre
- Canberra Olympic Pool (Constitution Ave)
- City Hill Carpark
- City West Carpark (Allsop St)
- Constitution Place Carpark
- Nangari St (off Rabaul Ln)
- Narellan St (off Genge St)
- National Convention Centre