Five in the afternoon is knock-off time for a large share of the Australian workforce, and it's also peak hour on the roads and public transport in every capital city — this page tracks the exact time remaining until the next 5 pm arrives.
In summer, there's still plenty of daylight left at this hour, which is part of why after-work backyard barbecues and evening walks are such a fixture of the season here. In winter, especially in the southern states, the sun can already be low or close to setting by 5 pm, making the evening commute a genuinely dark one.
This countdown is heavily used by commuters and shift workers alike, giving an exact figure for how much of the working day is left rather than relying on watching the clock creep towards the end of the shift.
Common questions
Why is 5 pm considered peak hour?
It's when the largest share of the workforce finishes for the day and heads home at roughly the same time, congesting roads and public transport.
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