'Assault to the senses': Expat's surprise after boarding Sydney bus
You'd be forgiven for not sparing much thought for buses.
Their singular purpose is to get us from one place to another, breaking and accelerating with alarming force and running a diabolical number of red lights along the way.
But as a recent unsuspecting expat to Sydney, I was not prepared for the reality of public transport come Christmastime.
Watch the video above.
The annual Christmas bus competition is a hit among Sydneysiders every year. Nine
In a sudden assault to the senses borne of trappings, trimmings and tinsel, I found myself launched into a completely unexpected – though not unwelcome – showcase of Christmas revelry.
I refer, of course, to a time-honoured tradition within greater Sydney and beyond: the annual Christmas Bus Competition.
New South Wales buses ferry around 350 million passengers over the course of the year – but as it turns out, many receive a festive facelift throughout the yuletide season.
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Twenty buses have taken part this year - I may be biased, but I think my local route deserved the win. Charlotte Thieme
And so it was that this holiday season, my complicated love-hate relationship with Sydney's bus network did a complete 180.
Though initially a lot to take in, the overall impact of my local route's decked-out gangways evoked a giddiness I hadn't felt since I'd discovered Santa wasn't real.
Admittedly, by around the 10th time the woman next to me stuck her phone out to record the spectacle, I could feel some distinctly grinch-like feelings beginning to creep in.
But more than anything, that level of dedication to capturing the sight spoke volumes for the joy it was bringing passengers.
The festive tradition was first introduced to NSW back in 2005, and has only grown since. Bloomberg via Getty Images
In fact, the effect the festive trimmings had on work-worn travellers was palpable; smiles came easier, people were noticeably kinder and more courteous to one another and I could tell it all brought them just as much joy as me.
And so I investigated this phenomenon further – and found, to my delight, that this is an annual affair throughout New South Wales.
Around 20 buses state-wide battle it out each year in a long-time yuletide tradition.
Gathering at Chippendale's Lee Street layover for the final adjudication, the contestants waited with bated breath and tinsel-strewn exteriors as the exacting judges - Vedden, nine, and Kabir, six, reached their final verdict.
'The Polar Express,' bus number 5012 of the Busway's Penrith Depot, was officially declared the deserving winner of 2025, with bus driver Georgia Zamagias speaking about the "shock" and delight the bus had brought to passengers.
Speaking to 9News, Coordinator General for Transport NSW Howard Collins shed some light on the competition – revealing it began with around "half a dozen" buses, before growing into the 20-bus behemoth it is today.
He said the contest had become "fiercely competitive in a very nice way" over time.
"Every one of these 20 buses are winners, as far as I'm concerned."
Collins then admitted drivers and mechanics alike all shouldered the cost of bringing festive cheer to their respective routes.
"This is not someone going down to Bunnings with a big credit card."
Every year, bus drivers and mechanics dig into their own pockets to deck out their respective busses. 9News
The competition is described as 'fierce, but in a nice way.' 9News
"[Bus drivers and mechanics] are dipping into their own pockets, using their own time to decorate these vehicles."
Collins then thanked the participants for their effort, commending their "spirit, comradery, goodwill and care" in decorating their vehicles.
"It just breaks the ice, people come on with a smile."
The annual tradition has become so popular over the years, there's now an official method of tracking where and when you can hop aboard the festive fun.
Should you wish to inject some Chrissy cheer into your daily commute, this year's selection of bedazzled buses are officially tracked on the transport apps Tripview, NextThere and AnyTrip – simply marked with a Christmas emoji.
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