Anzac Day Dawn Service, Australian National Memorial, France

Visitors planning to attend the Anzac Day Dawn Service at the Australian National Memorial, France must book their free attendance passes online from the Anzac Day Services ticketing website.

Register now

 

Those planning to travel from Australia to attend the Anzac Day service should make sure they are familiar with entry requirements for France and should monitor smartraveller.gov.au for the latest travel advice.

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Timing of the service

The official service will commence at 5.30am and conclude at 6.30am.

It will be preceded by a pre-service from 4.00am, including musical performances, short films and readings.

 

Getting there

The service will take place at the Australian National Memorial, Route de Villers-Bretonneux, in Fouilloy, France, with multiple options to access the site.

Shuttle service from Villers-Bretonneux

Free shuttle buses for attendees will be available between Villers-Bretonneux and the Australian National Memorial, departing from the public carpark located 1 Rue de la Gare in Villers-Bretonneux. The last shuttle departure is scheduled at 4.45am. After the service, shuttle buses will return patrons to the public carpark in Villers-Bretonneux.

These shuttles will also be available for people with accessibility requirements and/or who have reduced mobility.

Somme Tourisme shuttle service from Amiens

Somme Tourisme will also be operating a shuttle service for people attending the Anzac Day Dawn Service, from Amiens Train Station to the Australian National Memorial.

Two types of shuttle service are available:

• Short route: Departure from Amiens Train Station (in front of the Tour Perret) for the Australian National Memorial at 2:30am. Return to Amiens around 8:00am.
• Long route: Departure from Amiens Train Station (in front of the Tour Perret) for the Australian National Memorial at 2:30 am, then transport to Villers-Bretonneux for the Town Service at 8:30am. Return to Amiens around 11:00am.

Both routes can be booked on the Somme Tourisme website at a cost of €20 each.

Pedestrian paths from nearby towns

Two well-lit pedestrian paths running from the neighbouring towns will enable participants to walk to the service.

From Villers-Bretonneux (45 minutes walk)

From Fouilloy (30 minutes walk)

Cycle journey

Somme Tourisme also offers you the opportunity to cycle to the Dawn Service and be guided from Amiens with your own bike, along the Vallée de la Somme cycle route. Registration for this trip costs €20, which includes insurance and a donation to the Somme Battlefields for Peace Endowment Fund.

Your bike will be checked before departure and must be equipped with front and rear lights and an audible warning system. You must wear reflective clothing anda helmet is recommended.

Please click here for more information and registrations.

Private vehicles

Parking for private vehicles is available in Villers-Bretonneux and Fouilloy. There will be no public parking at the Australian National Memorial. We encourage participants to take the free shuttle buses provided, or to walk along the pedestrian paths.

Tour operator coaches

Attendees travelling with tour operators and registered coaches will be dropped off and picked up directly at the Australian National Memorial. All tour coaches are required to pre-register, with all patrons on board also requiring an individual attendance pass. Tour coaches will need to pass through a registration check-point before being directed around the pre-determined route to the Australian National Memorial. An information pack will be sent to all tour coach operators in the weeks preceding Anzac Day.