The largest changes to the bus network in Sydney’s South Eastern Suburbs since the demise of the original Sydney tramway network were introduced today, 5 December 2021. As part of these changes (which you can view in full here), 24 routes have been discontinued. All 24 of those routes and an outline of their histories are featured in this article.
Route 300 – Kings Cross to Railway Square via Museum Station
Route 300 operated between Kings Cross and Railway Square via Museum Station in that direction only. It was an overnight service that only operated on Friday and Saturday nights. Route 300 was introduced on 31 December 2013. It has been replaced by short-working of Route 324.
Route 301 – Eastgardens to Redfern via Mascot
Route 301 operated between Redfern and Eastgardens via Zetland and Mascot. It was initially introduced as a weekday service between Rosebery and Eastgardens on 20 October 1987 after the opening of Westfield Eastgardens. On 5 August 1990, it was altered to operate from Circular Quay to Eastgardens via Rosebery. It was later curtailed to operate to Redfern instead of Circular Quay from 2 December 2018. It has been replaced by new Routes 306 and 350.
Route 302 – Eastgardens to Redfern via Kingsford
Route 302 operated between Redfern and Eastgardens via Zetland and Mascot. It was initially introduced as a supplementary route to Route 303, operating between Central Station and Dolls Point in March 1942. At various times in the 1950s and 1960s the service was extended to differing termini in Sandringham, Sans Souci and Caringbah, with some short workings diverting to Sydney Airport. As part of the Better Buses East changes of 23 June 2002, the service was modified to operate Circular Quay to Eastgardens, and later on 2 December 2018 to Redfern to Eastgardens. It has been replaced by Route 392.
Route 309X – Port Botany to Railway Square EXPRESS
Route 309X operated an express service between Railway Square and Port Botany. It commenced as Route X09 on 5 August 1990 as a peak hour express service between Circular Quay and Matraville. From 23 June 2002, it was curtailed to operate Martin Place to Banksmeadow and from 4 October 2002 it was curtailed to operate Railway Square to Banksmeadow. From 2 December 2018 Route X09 was renumbered as Route 309X and modified to operate Railway Square to Port Botany. It has been replaced by Route 309.
Route 310X – Banksmeadow to Railway Square EXPRESS
Route 310X operated an express service between Railway Square and Banksmeadow. It commenced as Route X10 on 23 June 2002 between Martin Place and Eastgardens. It was curtailed to operate Railway Square to Eastgardens on 4 October 2015. From 2 December 2018 Route X10 was renumbered as Route 310X and modified to operate Railway Square to Banksmeadow. It has been replaced by Route 310.
Route 314 – Coogee to Bondi Junction via Randwick Junction
Route 314 operated between Coogee and Bondi Junction via Randwick and Charing Cross. Route 314 commenced on 14 November 1954 as the replacement for the Coogee Beach to Waverley Depot tram service. It has been replaced by Routes 313, 356 and 390X
Route 316 – Eastgardens to Bondi Junction via Maroubra Junction
Route 316 operated between Eastgardens and Bondi Junction via Maroubra Junction and Randwick Junction. It commenced on 20 October 1987 after the opening of Westfield Eastgardens. Since 2019 selected services have extended to Pagewood. It has been replaced by Routes 356, 390X and 397.
Route 317 – Eastgardens to Bondi Junction via Maroubra Beach
Route 316 operated between Eastgardens and Bondi Junction via Maroubra Beach and Randwick Junction. It commenced on 23 June 2002 as part of the Better Buses East changes. Since 2019 selected services have extended to Pagewood. It has been replaced by Routes 375 and 390X
Route 338 – Clovelly to Railway Square via Moore Park
Route 338 operated between Clovelly and Railway Square via North Randwick and Moore Park. It commenced on 4 October 2015 as a peak hour short working of Route 339. It is being replaced by Route 339.
Route 353 – Eastgardens to Bondi Junction via Coogee
Route 353 operated between Eastgardens and Bondi Junction via Maroubra Beach and Coogee. It commenced on 9 January 2000 between North Bondi and Sydney Airport via Bondi Junction and Eastgardens. It was curtailed to operate between Eastgardens and Bondi Junction as part of the Better Buses East changes on 23 June 2002. It is being replaced by Route 350.
Route 357 – Mascot Station to Bondi Junction via Randwick Junction
Route 357 operated between Mascot Station and Bondi Junction via Kingsford and Randwick Junction. It commenced in 1952 as Route 367 between Sydenham and Bellevue Hill and was later renumbered 357 and curtailed to operate Sydenham to Bondi Junction in November 1986. It was amalgamated with Route 418 on 20 October 2013 to operate Burwood to Bondi Junction, before being spilt to operate as Route 357 between Mascot Station and Bondi Junction on 30 September 2018. It will be replaced by Routes 356 and 358.
Route 372 – Coogee to Railway Square via Cleveland Street
Route 372 operated between Coogee and Railway Square via Randwick Junction and Cleveland Street. It commenced on 24 October 2960 as a replacement for the Coogee Beach to Railway Square tram service. It has been replaced by Routes 373 and 374.
Route 376 – Maroubra Beach to Railway Square via Randwick Junction
Route 376 operated between Maroubra Beach and Railway Square via Randwick Junction and Moore Park. It commenced in November 1995 as Maroubra Beach to Circular Quay via Central. It was curtailed to operate Maroubra Beach to Railway Square from 4 October 2015. It has been replaced by Routes 339 and 375. 3
Route 377 – Maroubra Beach to Railway Square via Randwick Junction
Route 376 operated between Maroubra Beach and Circular Quay via Randwick Junction and Taylor Square. It commenced on 18 October 1987 between Eastgardens and Circular Quay via Maroubra Beach following the opening of Westfield Eastgardens. On 23 June 2002, it was curtailed to operate between Maroubra Beach and Circular Quay only. It is being replaced by Routes 373, 375 and 396.
Route 391 – La Perouse to Railway Square via Eastgardens
Route 391 operated between La Perouse and Railway Square via Eastgardens and Bunnerong Road. It commenced on 19 November 1995 as La Perouse to Circular Quay via Central. From 4 October 2015 it was curtailed to operate from La Perouse to Railway Square. It will be replaced by Routes 339, 392 and 396.
Route 393 – Little Bay to Railway Square via Cleveland Street
Route 393 operated between Little Bay and Railway Square via Anzac Parade and Cleveland Street. It commenced on 25 February 1961 replacing the La Perouse to Railway Square tram. It will be replaced by Routes 374, 390X and 396.
Route 394 – La Perouse to Circular Quay via Taylor Square
Route 394 operated between La Perouse and Circular Quay via Anzac Parade and Taylor Square. It commenced on 25 February 1961 replacing the La Perouse to Hunter Street tram. It is being replaced by Routes 390X and 396.
Route 395 – Maroubra Beach to Railway Square via Cleveland Street
Route 393 operated between Maroubra Beach and Railway Square via Anzac Parade and Cleveland Street. It commenced on 25 February 1961 replacing the Maroubra Beach to Railway Square tram. It will be replaced by Routes 374 and 396.
Route 400 – Bondi Junction to Sydney Airport LIMITED STOPS
Route 400 operated limited stops between Bondi Junction and Sydney Airport. It commenced on 17 July 1989 between Bondi Junction and Burwood with ‘Metroline’ branding. During the 1990s, selected weekend services extended to Bondi Beach. On 30 September 2018 Route 400 was split in two, with services between Eastgardens and Burwood operated by new Route 420 with the 400 curtailed to operate Bondi Junction to Eastgardens. It is being replaced by Routes 350 and 390X.
Route 400N – Bondi Junction to Eastgardens via Randwick Junction
Route 400N was a night time service between Bondi Junction and Eastgardens via Randwick. It commenced on 30 September 2018 as the night time short working of Route 400. It has been replaced by Routes 350 and 390X.
Route 420N – Burwood to Eastgardens via Rockdale
Route 420N was a night time service between Eastgardens and Burwood via Rockdale. It commenced on 30 September 2018 as the night time short working of Route 420. It has been replaced by Route 420.
Route L94 – La Perouse to Circular Quay LIMITED STOPS
Route L94 operated between La Perouse and Circular Quay via Anzac Parade and Taylor Square. It commenced on 5 August 1990 as the limited stops variant of Route 394. It is being replaced by Routes 390X and 396.
Route X40 – Clovelly to Museum Station EXPRESS
Route X40 was an express service between Clovelly and Liverpool Street. It commenced on 28 October 2012 to provide an express service from Clovelly via the Eastern Distributor. It is being replaced by Route 339X.
Route X93 – Little Bay to Railway Square EXPRESS
Route X93 was an express service between Little Bay and Railway Square. It commenced on 5 June 2016 to help direct traffic away from Anzac Parade due to light rail construction. It is being replaced by Route 394X.
Route X99 – Little Bay to Museum Station EXPRESS
Route X93 was an express service between Little Bay and Liverpool Street. It commenced on 23 June 2002 as part of the Better Buses East service changes. It is being replaced by Routes 394X and 399.
Although there are many other routes which have significant changes, and express routes are being renumbered from the X00 series to the 300X series, we have chosen just to focus on the routes we won’t see again in any form for the scope of this article.
Credit to Greg Travers’ book “City to Suburb” and Robert Henderson’s site “Sydney Bus Routes” for providing information for the article.
Transport NSW Blog 