Sydney Orbital Network

Sydney Orbital Network

New South Wales
Map of the Sydney Orbital Network
General information
TypeMotorway
LocationSydney
Length110 km (68 mi)
OpenedCompleted 2007
Route number(s)
Major junctions
Highway system

The Sydney Orbital Network is a 110 kilometre motorway standard ring road around and through Sydney, the capital of New South Wales in Australia. It runs north from Sydney Airport, underneath the CBD to the North Shore, west to the Hills District, south to Prestons and then east to connect with the airport. Much of the road is privately owned and financed by tolls.

General Holmes Drive, looking south-west from the Sydney Airport overpass. It is part of the M1 and Orbital Road.

History

Planning for this beltway, orbital or ring road began as early as 1962 under the "County of Cumberland scheme" (CCS) and was talked about as far back as 1944. Then, from 1973 to 1989, things started to take shape with new sections opening-up and then further advancing by 1999. In 2007, the Lane Cove Tunnel opened, completing the orbital network.

Motorways that make up the orbital road

The 110 km Sydney orbital consists of several motorways and freeways:

The major sunken/underground sections of the orbital are:

The major elevated sections are:

Tolling

The Sydney Orbital Road Network consists of a number of roads built by private companies: tolling is mostly unavoidable when using the road network. A $6.95 toll was added to the M5 East motorway from King Georges Road to Marsh Street on the 5 July 2020, to coincide with the opening of the M8 tunnel.

Toll prices as of 1 July 2025
Toll roadClass A toll pricesClass B toll pricesToll increaseToll concessionaireExpiry of toll concession
Eastern Distributor (northbound only) $10.06 $20.11 Quarterly on 1 January, 1 April, 1 July, and 1 October, by the greater of the weighted sum of quarterly AWE and quarterly CPI or 1% Airport Motorway Limited
(75.1% Transurban)		 July 2048
M5 South-West Motorway $5.83 $17.48 Quarterly on 1 January, 1 April, 1 July, and 1 October by positive quarterly CPI Interlink Roads
(100% Transurban)		 10 December 2026
M2 Hills Motorway $3.00 (min.)
$10.15 (max.)		 $9.01 (min.)
$30.45 (max.)		 Quarterly on 1 January, 1 April, 1 July, and 1 October, by the greater of quarterly CPI or 1% Transurban June 2048
Lane Cove Tunnel $4.13 $14.26 Quarterly on 1 January, 1 April, 1 July, and 1 October, by the greater of quarterly CPI or 1% Transurban June 2048
Sydney Harbour Tunnel (southbound only) $4.41 (max., varies by time of day) Same as Class A prices No regular toll increase NSW Motorways –
  1. 1 2 Class A vehicles are typically cars and motorcycles; Class B vehicles are all other vehicles including trucks and heavy vehicles.
  2. ↑ After 10 December 2026, WestConnex distance-based tolls apply to the M5 South-West.
  3. ↑ The Sydney Harbour Tunnel is owned by the government and has no toll concessions.
Toll prices as of 1 July 2025
Toll roadClass A toll pricesClass B toll pricesToll increaseToll concessionaireExpiry of toll concession
FlagfallCharge per kmToll cap
Westlink M7 – $0.5047 $10.09 3 x of Class A prices Quarterly on 1 January, 1 April, 1 July, and 1 October, by quarterly CPI NorthWestern Roads (NWR) Group
(50% Transurban, 25% QIC, 25% CPP)		 June 2051
WestConnex
(M4, M5 East, M8)		 $1.73 $0.6411 $12.25 3 x of Class A prices Annually on 1 January, by the greater of CPI or 4% until December 2040, and then by positive CPI only Sydney Transport Partners
(9% Tawreed Investments 10.5% CPPIB, 10% Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ), 20.5% Australian Super, 50% Transurban)		 2060
  1. 1 2 Class A vehicles are typically cars and motorcycles; Class B vehicles are all other vehicles including trucks and heavy vehicles

Intercity highways are linked to the Orbital, moving traffic away from the old busy National Routes. They are:

See also

icon Australian roads portal

References

  1. ↑ RTA Website Motorways and tolling
  2. ↑ "Tolling | Westconnex". Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  3. ↑ "Toll costs by road". NSW Government. 1 April 2025. Retrieved 22 May 2025.
  4. ↑ "What is my vehicle class?". Linkt. Retrieved 5 November 2020.
  5. ↑ "When and how do toll prices increase". Linkt. Retrieved 13 December 2025.
  6. ↑ "Road tolling in New South Wales" (PDF). New South Wales Parliament. Portfolio Committee No.2 – Health and Community Services. October 2017. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
  7. ↑ "M5 South West motorway: Summary of contracts - Including motorway widening contracts, as at 25 June 2012" (PDF). NSW Treasury. Roads and Maritime Services. 2012. Retrieved 8 September 2021.
  8. ↑ "Toll costs by road". NSW Government. 1 April 2025. Retrieved 22 May 2025.
  9. ↑ "What is my vehicle class?". Linkt. Retrieved 5 November 2020.
  10. ↑ "When and how do toll prices increase". Linkt. Retrieved 13 December 2025.
  11. ↑ "Road tolling in New South Wales" (PDF). New South Wales Parliament. Portfolio Committee No.2 – Health and Community Services. October 2017. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
  12. ↑ "F6 Extension - Stage 1". Roads & Maritime Services. Retrieved 30 October 2019.
  13. ↑ "Sydney's south on the move with the new M6". NSW Government. 29 October 2019. Retrieved 30 October 2019.