Thank you to our honest customers
More than 800 Transport Officers, Authorised Revenue Protection Officers and Police patrol all modes of public transport including metro, trains, buses, light rail and ferries, and checking that customers are travelling with a valid ticket. Officers will be carrying Opal card readers to check if you have paid your fare.
Face masks are strongly recommended on public transport and at a public transport waiting area including the station, platform and other transport stops.
Officers will minimise contact with customer property by encouraging customers to present their tickets to the reader and taking photo evidence of identification/ tickets when issuing fines
They also carry and use hand sanitiser frequently, including after handling Opal cards or smart devices and provide alcohol wipes to customers to disinfect their device/ticket after checking..
If you are using an Opal card, officers will check your balance, recent transaction history and the card type (e.g. Adult, Senior/Pensioner, Concession or Child/Youth).
If you are using a contactless card or device, officers will check if it is valid and accepted for contactless payments, where you tapped on or off and the fare you paid.
If you are travelling on a concession fare you may be asked to provide proof of entitlement.
Key facts
- On average, up to 10,000 people have their tickets checked every day
- Approximately 9 out of 10 people pay their fare
- If you’re not doing the right thing the chances of getting caught are high because officers will be travelling across the whole transport network and at different times of the day
When everyone pays their fares, it means there is more money to spend on extra services and new infrastructure, and we are able to better plan for future services and develop accurate real-time information for you.
It’s now easier than ever to pay for public transport because contactless payments are available on all public transport in NSW. You can use a contactless credit or debit card or linked device for Adult Opal fares and get the same travel benefits as Opal.
Remember, it is an offence to travel on public transport in NSW without being in possession of a valid ticket.
Tap on every time to avoid a hefty $200 fine (maximum fine amount $550).