The service, which will continue to June 2027, connects commuters to key destinations including Wollongong Station, the private and public hospitals, Wollongong CBD, the University of Wollongong and the harbour and beaches.

In 2023, the Gong Shuttle carried more than 2.2 million passengers, operating daily across nine buses.

The service is available every 10 minutes, between 7am and 6pm, and every 20 minutes from 6pm to 10pm on a weekday. On weekends, there’s a service every 20 minutes between 10am to 5pm.

The new funding agreements, which started 1 July 2024 and will be in place until 30 June 2027, maintain the funding contributions from Transport for NSW, the University and the Council.

Acting Minister for Transport Ryan Park said:

“This is a fantastic outcome for the community, and we are thankful to the funding partners, Transport for NSW, Wollongong City Council and the University of Wollongong, who keep this beloved shuttle service free for commuters.

“This shuttle is an important service for Wollongong, providing a free and frequent connection between our major health, education and transport hubs.

“It was also the first route the Illawarra’s new Hydrogen bus was trialled on, before it started touring other popular bus routes across our region. 

Member for Wollongong Paul Scully said:

“In 2017 when the then Liberal Government tried to scuttle the shuttle, our community came together to save it. We secured its future then and I’m pleased that we’ve secured another three years of this fare-free service.

“Millions of people use this service every year and that’s millions of trips that might otherwise be taken in cars.

“It’s a great service that encourages more people around the Illawarra to get on board and give public transport a go.”